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The differences between carpenters and construction assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a carpenter has an average salary of $41,748, which is higher than the $39,072 average annual salary of a construction assistant.
The top three skills for a carpenter include hand tools, ladders and install windows. The most important skills for a construction assistant are safety procedures, construction projects, and general contractors.
| Carpenter | Construction Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $41,748 | $39,072 |
| Hourly rate | $20.07 | $18.78 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 5,862 | 31,209 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.86 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
A carpenter is a skilled worker responsible for different areas of construction. Carpenters perform fabrication from raw materials. They use tools to create a successful finished product on their client's request. Carpenters must be able to multi-task, resolve any possible complications, strictly follow safety standards, and ensure that the project adheres to protocols without compromising quality and accuracy of work. Since carpentry is physical labor, carpenters are expected to be physically fit to accomplish various maintenance and production tasks.
A construction assistant performs various clerical and operational support tasks to assist construction managers and maintain smooth workflow operations. Their responsibilities usually include monitoring budgets and costs, handling calls and correspondence, purchasing construction materials according to project requirements, liaising with suppliers and construction contractors, and participating in managing the schedules and activities of the workers. A construction assistant may also perform inspections to identify problem areas and ensure that all procedures adhere to the safety codes and standards.
Carpenters and construction assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Carpenter | Construction Assistant | |
| Average salary | $41,748 | $39,072 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $54,000 | Between $28,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Springfield, MA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Argonne National Laboratory | Beazer Homes |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Construction |
There are a few differences between a carpenter and a construction assistant in terms of educational background:
| Carpenter | Construction Assistant | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between carpenters' and construction assistants' demographics:
| Carpenter | Construction Assistant | |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3% | Male, 80.7% Female, 19.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 23.3% Asian, 1.6% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 30.8% Asian, 2.4% White, 50.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |