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The differences between construction workers and construction assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a construction assistant has an average salary of $39,072, which is higher than the $31,842 average annual salary of a construction worker.
The top three skills for a construction worker include roofing, safety rules and sheetrock. The most important skills for a construction assistant are safety procedures, construction projects, and general contractors.
| Construction Worker | Construction Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $31,842 | $39,072 |
| Hourly rate | $15.31 | $18.78 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 53,067 | 31,209 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.33 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
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.
Construction workers and construction assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Construction Worker | Construction Assistant | |
| Average salary | $31,842 | $39,072 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $43,000 | Between $28,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Springfield, MA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | CDM Smith | Beazer Homes |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Construction |
There are a few differences between a construction worker and a construction assistant in terms of educational background:
| Construction Worker | Construction Assistant | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between construction workers' and construction assistants' demographics:
| Construction Worker | Construction Assistant | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.8% Female, 6.2% | Male, 80.7% Female, 19.3% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |