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Construction foreman vs superintendent

The differences between construction foremen and superintendents can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes More than 10 years to become a construction foreman, becoming a superintendent takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a superintendent has an average salary of $82,458, which is higher than the $57,121 average annual salary of a construction foreman.

The top three skills for a construction foreman include work ethic, CDL and OSHA. The most important skills for a superintendent are OSHA, quality standards, and construction management.

Construction foreman vs superintendent overview

Construction ForemanSuperintendent
Yearly salary$57,121$82,458
Hourly rate$27.46$39.64
Growth rate-3%5%
Number of jobs40,62122,580
Job satisfaction-4
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 33%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age4647
Years of experience-4

What does a construction foreman do?

A construction foreman is responsible for overseeing construction operations and determining the construction progress by monitoring plans and schedules. A construction foreman allocates tasks to the workers and ensures that everyone adheres to the safety guidelines and regulations, preventing potential hazards in the work area and avoiding construction delays. They also identify cost-reduction opportunities by handling negotiation with trusted suppliers and third-party vendors. A construction foreman inspects the quality of materials, including the equipment and machinery, allocates adequate resources for production, and resolves issues immediately.

What does a superintendent do?

Superintendents oversee the administration of schools in a specific school district. They manage the educational programs of each school and create strategic decisions to ensure that the students are learning important subjects. They also supervise school administrators or principals and are responsible for hiring and guiding them. Superintendents should be familiar with their constituents and must always be ready to listen to their needs. It is important that superintendents are good decision-makers and communicators. They are expected to lead their respective districts in achieving their vision. Superintendents drive the team towards their goals and create strategic steps to ensure success.

Construction foreman vs superintendent salary

Construction foremen and superintendents have different pay scales, as shown below.

Construction ForemanSuperintendent
Average salary$57,121$82,458
Salary rangeBetween $42,000 And $77,000Between $57,000 And $119,000
Highest paying CityHartford, CTSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateNew YorkRhode Island
Best paying companyRepsol Energy North America CorporationBP America Inc
Best paying industryProfessionalConstruction

Differences between construction foreman and superintendent education

There are a few differences between a construction foreman and a superintendent in terms of educational background:

Construction ForemanSuperintendent
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 33%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college-University of Pennsylvania

Construction foreman vs superintendent demographics

Here are the differences between construction foremen' and superintendents' demographics:

Construction ForemanSuperintendent
Average age4647
Gender ratioMale, 97.5% Female, 2.5%Male, 93.3% Female, 6.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 21.8% Asian, 1.5% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Asian, 4.2% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage2%16%

Differences between construction foreman and superintendent duties and responsibilities

Construction foreman example responsibilities.

  • Manage installation of large scale CCTV and delay exiting systems.
  • Manage daily oversight of moon bounce business, taking stock of inventory and ensuring delivery to customers.
  • Manage different crews in delegating responsibilities to other workers for windows and curtain wall installations.
  • Supervise subcontractors and conduct onsite inspections to ensure exceptional project outcomes achieve on-time and within budget.
  • Operate power saws, planers, jointers, routers and pneumatic equipment.
  • Perform duties associate with building construction and home improvements daily while following all OSHA safety regulations.
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Superintendent example responsibilities.

  • Manage, coordinate, plan and provide oversight for all nuclear work perform during PSA's.
  • Manage $9.1M budget; 28,000 grind and flight training requirements and 2,400 hr flying training program.
  • Manage a team of 30 operators and maintenance personnel producing extrusion and blown polypropylene shrink film on a unionize site.
  • Lead and facilitate meetings; oversee implementation of OSHA and company safety regulations.
  • Manage complex logistics, including procuring materials and navigating space constraints, to successfully complete project amid concurrent construction of building.
  • Coordinate and oversee commercial roofing projects.
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Construction foreman vs superintendent skills

Common construction foreman skills
  • Work Ethic, 10%
  • CDL, 10%
  • OSHA, 10%
  • Hand Tools, 5%
  • Construction Equipment, 5%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 5%
Common superintendent skills
  • OSHA, 11%
  • Quality Standards, 7%
  • Construction Management, 7%
  • Logistics, 6%
  • Customer Service, 5%
  • Project Management, 5%

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