Carpentry vs general contractor

The differences between carpentries and general contractors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a carpentry, becoming a general contractor takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a general contractor has an average salary of $66,602, which is higher than the $34,448 average annual salary of a carpentry.

The top three skills for a carpentry include hand tools, door frames and roofing. The most important skills for a general contractor are plumbing, safety regulations, and contract negotiations.

Carpentry vs general contractor overview

	Carpentry	General Contractor
Yearly salary	$34,448	$66,602
Hourly rate	$16.56	$32.02
Growth rate	2%	8%
Number of jobs	4,737	66,218
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age	42	46
Years of experience	12	8

Carpentry vs general contractor salary

Carpentries and general contractors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Carpentry	General Contractor
Average salary	$34,448	$66,602
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $44,000	Between $41,000 And $107,000
Highest paying City	San Jose, CA	-
Highest paying state	California	-
Best paying company	CSC Holdings LLC	-
Best paying industry	Construction	-

Differences between carpentry and general contractor education

There are a few differences between a carpentry and a general contractor in terms of educational background:

	Carpentry	General Contractor
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

Carpentry vs general contractor demographics

Here are the differences between carpentries' and general contractors' demographics:

	Carpentry	General Contractor
Average age	42	46
Gender ratio	Male, 93.3% Female, 6.7%	Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 23.3% Asian, 1.6% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 2.8% White, 71.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	2%	4%

Differences between carpentry and general contractor duties and responsibilities

Carpentry example responsibilities.

Assist on daily tasks such painting, roofing, drywall, masonry, electrical wiring, plumbing installation and landscaping.
Assist in applying adhesives, caulking, sealants and coatings.
Perform demo work to existing foundations so new material can be laid down.
Job site set up, prep, prepping tools, demo, excavation and aid to head carpenter
Full home renovations, drywall, finishing, framing, painting roofing, tile, installing cabinets, bath room appliances.
Place insulation before placing sheetrock.

General contractor example responsibilities.

Manage the repair/replacement of mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and structural of primarily historical residences.
Manage third party contractors including safety oversight, environmental design specification compliance, and similar construction specifications and requirements.
Perform electrical, mechanical (HVAC), plumbing, framing, roofing and finishing construction for residential and commercial buildings.
Remodel restaurants, which include painting, dry wall, tiling, plumbing, electrical and laying carpet.
Assist and perform all duties with installation of cabinets, flooring, sheetrock, framing, concrete, and basic plumbing.
Experience in roofing, painting, digging of footers, and tile setting.

Carpentry vs general contractor skills

Common carpentry skills

Hand Tools, 17%
Door Frames, 10%
Roofing, 10%
Plumbing, 8%
Tape Measure, 8%
Drywall Installation, 6%

Common general contractor skills

Plumbing, 17%
Safety Regulations, 12%
Contract Negotiations, 11%
Drywall Installation, 7%
Construction Projects, 4%
Payroll, 4%