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The differences between framers and form carpenters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a framer and a form carpenter. Additionally, a form carpenter has an average salary of $40,274, which is higher than the $34,298 average annual salary of a framer.
The top three skills for a framer include customer service, safety rules and nail guns. The most important skills for a form carpenter are hand tools, ladders, and scaffolding.
| Framer | Form Carpenter | |
| Yearly salary | $34,298 | $40,274 |
| Hourly rate | $16.49 | $19.36 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 5,247 | 4,775 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 51% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A framer is responsible for devising work plans and assembling the framework structure essential for constructing houses and other facilities. Moreover, they are also responsible for finding the appropriate materials needed for the project, setting the budget, managing the schedule, and consulting with the client for their preferences. The duties of a framer mainly involve physical work and attention to detail. There are instances when one must operate various power tools and equipment, understand blueprints, and even climb up high places.
A form carpenter, also known as a formwork carpenter, specializes in creating frameworks, constructing scaffolding, and assembling forms from different materials such as wood, metal, or even plastic. Most form carpenters work on large-scale commercial projects such as bridges, buildings, and other tall structures. Their daily tasks may also include climbing up high places, lifting moderate to heavy forms, cutting and shaping materials, and securing frameworks before filling them with concrete. Moreover, as a form carpenter, it is crucial to maintain an active communication line with co-workers while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
Framers and form carpenters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Framer | Form Carpenter | |
| Average salary | $34,298 | $40,274 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $45,000 | Between $31,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Apple Valley, CA | Denver, CO |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Builders FirstSource | Turner Construction |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Construction |
There are a few differences between a framer and a form carpenter in terms of educational background:
| Framer | Form Carpenter | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between framers' and form carpenters' demographics:
| Framer | Form Carpenter | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.2% Female, 11.8% | Male, 97.5% Female, 2.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 23.1% Asian, 1.6% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 23.2% Asian, 1.6% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |