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The differences between commercial carpenters and construction assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a commercial carpenter has an average salary of $46,563, which is higher than the $39,072 average annual salary of a construction assistant.
The top three skills for a commercial carpenter include hand tools, ladders and OSHA. The most important skills for a construction assistant are safety procedures, construction projects, and general contractors.
| Commercial Carpenter | Construction Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $46,563 | $39,072 |
| Hourly rate | $22.39 | $18.78 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 41,355 | 31,209 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 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.
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.
Commercial carpenters and construction assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Commercial Carpenter | Construction Assistant | |
| Average salary | $46,563 | $39,072 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $61,000 | Between $28,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sunnyvale, CA | Springfield, MA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Sundt Construction | Beazer Homes |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Construction |
There are a few differences between a commercial carpenter and a construction assistant in terms of educational background:
| Commercial Carpenter | Construction Assistant | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between commercial carpenters' and construction assistants' demographics:
| Commercial Carpenter | Construction Assistant | |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 97.7% Female, 2.3% | Male, 80.7% Female, 19.3% |
| 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, 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% |