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The differences between construction assistants and finish carpenters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a finish carpenter has an average salary of $46,987, which is higher than the $39,072 average annual salary of a construction assistant.
The top three skills for a construction assistant include safety procedures, construction projects and general contractors. The most important skills for a finish carpenter are hand tools, custom cabinets, and safety rules.
| Construction Assistant | Finish Carpenter | |
| Yearly salary | $39,072 | $46,987 |
| Hourly rate | $18.78 | $22.59 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 31,209 | 11,653 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
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.
Finish carpenters are skilled professionals who perform the final touches on homes after the structure is fully built. These carpenters must carry out various tasks such as installing doors, building bookshelves, and adding designs to window and door trims. They are required to follow work from sketches and drawings to complete the job to the right specifications as well as collecting the correct materials before beginning a job. Finish carpenters must also dismantle and demolish before carrying out repairs or installing new materials.
Construction assistants and finish carpenters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Construction Assistant | Finish Carpenter | |
| Average salary | $39,072 | $46,987 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $54,000 | Between $34,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | Springfield, MA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Beazer Homes | Turner Construction |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Construction |
There are a few differences between a construction assistant and a finish carpenter in terms of educational background:
| Construction Assistant | Finish Carpenter | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between construction assistants' and finish carpenters' demographics:
| Construction Assistant | Finish Carpenter | |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.7% Female, 19.3% | Male, 96.5% Female, 3.5% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 23.2% Asian, 1.6% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |