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The differences between commercial carpenters and apprentices carpenter can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a commercial carpenter and an apprentice carpenter. Additionally, a commercial carpenter has an average salary of $46,563, which is higher than the $37,902 average annual salary of an apprentice carpenter.
The top three skills for a commercial carpenter include hand tools, ladders and OSHA. The most important skills for an apprentice carpenter are hand tools, ladders, and caulking.
| Commercial Carpenter | Apprentice Carpenter | |
| Yearly salary | $46,563 | $37,902 |
| Hourly rate | $22.39 | $18.22 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 41,355 | 17,370 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | High School Diploma, 45% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Commercial carpenters specialize in woodworks and are typically found in construction sites. They operate machinery and a range of equipment unfamiliar to residential carpenters. These carpenters provide their professional services to the construction of churches, bridges, schools, hospitals, and the like. Their job includes installing window frames, staircases, doors, and shelf fixtures. They usually work on more complex and sophisticated structures requiring their companies, agencies, or employers to give them health and safety insurance, given that they adhere to all safety rules and regulations.
An apprentice carpenter is responsible for assisting the carpenter on construction operations, ensuring the adherence to safety protocols, and following clients' specifications. Apprentice carpenters monitor carpentry tools and equipment adequacy, inspect the items for any defects for immediate repair or replacements, and analyze blueprints and schematics, especially for installing systems and essential components on the construction. An apprentice carpenter must have excellent organizational and time-management skills and extensive knowledge of the carpentry industry to support the project completion for the customer's satisfaction.
Commercial carpenters and apprentices carpenter have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Commercial Carpenter | Apprentice Carpenter | |
| Average salary | $46,563 | $37,902 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $61,000 | Between $30,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sunnyvale, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Sundt Construction | Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Construction |
There are a few differences between a commercial carpenter and an apprentice carpenter in terms of educational background:
| Commercial Carpenter | Apprentice Carpenter | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | High School Diploma, 45% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between commercial carpenters' and apprentices carpenter' demographics:
| Commercial Carpenter | Apprentice Carpenter | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 97.7% Female, 2.3% | Male, 93.3% Female, 6.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 23.3% Asian, 1.6% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 23.2% Asian, 1.6% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |