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The differences between construction carpenters and construction workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a construction carpenter has an average salary of $36,405, which is higher than the $31,842 average annual salary of a construction worker.
The top three skills for a construction carpenter include hand tools, safety rules and ladders. The most important skills for a construction worker are roofing, safety rules, and sheetrock.
A construction carpenter builds, designs, and installs structures, furniture, and fixtures from various materials. They are responsible for understanding and meeting the clients' needs, adhering to blueprints, operating different tools and equipment, measuring and cutting materials such as wood and metal, shaping and assembling various parts, and performing repairs or replacements. There are also instances where they must climb up high places, install doors and windows, and provide cost estimates to clients. Moreover, a construction carpenter typically works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a safe and efficient workflow.
Construction workers are part of a crew laborers responsible for a number of easy to extremely challenging and hazardous on-site constructions tasks such as preparing the area, clearing debris, building scaffolding, bracing, loading and unloading building materials, and assisting with operating heavy equipment like concrete mixers. They specialize in a variety of occupations that involve building homes and businesses, roads and highways, tearing down properties, removing high-risk materials, and in the digging of tunnels and mine shafts. They test machinery and equipment to ensure they are working properly. They may also transport stocks and materials from suppliers and vehicles to the job site.
Construction carpenters and construction workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Construction Carpenter | Construction Worker | |
| Average salary | $36,405 | $31,842 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $47,000 | Between $23,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | Garfield, NJ | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New York |
| Best paying company | B.R. Fries Constructors | CDM Smith |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Construction |
There are a few differences between a construction carpenter and a construction worker in terms of educational background:
| Construction Carpenter | Construction Worker | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 45% | High School Diploma, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between construction carpenters' and construction workers' demographics:
| Construction Carpenter | Construction Worker | |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.9% Female, 3.1% | Male, 93.8% Female, 6.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 23.1% Asian, 1.6% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 27.7% Asian, 2.8% White, 52.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |