General contractor demographics and statistics in the US
General contractor demographics research summary. Zippia estimates general contractor demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our general contractor estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about general contractors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 35,625 general contractors currently employed in the United States.
- 9.4% of all general contractors are women, while 90.6% are men.
- The average general contractor age is 46 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of general contractors is White (71.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.0%), Unknown (4.4%) and Black or African American (3.6%).
- In 2022, women earned 92% of what men earned.
- 4% of all general contractors are LGBT.
- General contractors are 83% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
General contractor demographics by:
General contractor gender statistics
9.4% of general contractors are women and 90.6% of general contractors are men.
- Male, 90.6%
- Female, 9.4%
General contractor gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 90.6% |
| Female | 9.4% |
General contractor gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$66,959
Female income
$61,787
General contractor gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in general contractor positions over time. Currently, 9.4% of general contractors are female.
General contractor gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 91.78% | 8.22% |
| 2011 | 92.48% | 7.52% |
| 2012 | 91.84% | 8.16% |
| 2013 | 91.83% | 8.17% |
| 2014 | 93.22% | 6.78% |
| 2015 | 91.67% | 8.33% |
| 2016 | 91.18% | 8.82% |
| 2017 | 89.42% | 10.58% |
| 2018 | 91.71% | 8.29% |
| 2019 | 90.74% | 9.26% |
| 2020 | 91.42% | 8.58% |
| 2021 | 90.63% | 9.37% |
General contractor related jobs gender ratio
We compared general contractors with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, pipeline superintendent and agronomy research manager have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Community Health Nursing Director | 7% | 93% |
| Early Childhood Services Coordinator | 7% | 93% |
| Tourist Home Keeper | 8% | 92% |
| General Contractor | 91% | 9% |
| Station Superintendent | 98% | 2% |
| Agronomy Research Manager | 98% | 2% |
| Pipeline Superintendent | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
General contractor demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among general contractors is White, which makes up 71.5% of all general contractors. Comparatively, 17.0% of general contractors are Hispanic or Latino and 4.4% of general contractors are Unknown.
- White, 71.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.0%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- Black or African American, 3.6%
- Asian, 2.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
General contractor race
| General contractor race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 71.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.0% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| Black or African American | 3.6% |
| Asian | 2.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
General contractor race and ethnicity over time
See how general contractor racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
General contractor race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 80.14% | 3.47% | 2.44% | 11.85% |
| 2011 | 80.17% | 3.99% | 2.17% | 11.90% |
| 2012 | 80.54% | 3.50% | 2.34% | 11.57% |
| 2013 | 79.51% | 4.14% | 2.76% | 11.68% |
| 2014 | 78.85% | 4.07% | 2.65% | 12.29% |
| 2015 | 78.92% | 3.90% | 2.61% | 12.00% |
| 2016 | 79.10% | 3.28% | 2.51% | 13.02% |
| 2017 | 77.49% | 3.18% | 2.75% | 14.56% |
| 2018 | 78.22% | 3.35% | 2.68% | 13.77% |
| 2019 | 77.93% | 3.38% | 2.72% | 13.94% |
| 2020 | 74.62% | 3.82% | 2.86% | 14.36% |
| 2021 | 71.53% | 3.64% | 2.81% | 17.05% |
General contractor wage gap by race
According to our data, asian general contractors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american general contractors have the lowest average salary at $63,136.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $66,105 |
| White | $69,106 |
| Black or African American | $63,136 |
| Asian | $69,449 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $67,199 |
Average general contractor age
See how the average age of general contractors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
General contractor age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 45 | 44 |
| Unknown | 46 | 49 |
| Asian | 42 | 40 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 44 | 41.5 |
| White | 48 | 45 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 51 |
General contractor age breakdown
The average age of general contractors is 40+ years years old, representing 69% of the general contractor population.
General contractor age breakdown
| General Contractor Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 69% |
| 30-40 years | 25% |
| 20-30 years | 6% |
General contractor educational attainment
The most common degree for general contractors is bachelor's degree, with 45% of general contractors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 21% and high school diploma degree at 20%.
- Bachelor's, 45%
- High School Diploma, 21%
- Associate, 20%
- Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 9%
General contractors by degree level
| General contractor degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 45% |
| High School Diploma | 21% |
| Associate | 20% |
| Diploma | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
General contractor jobs you might like
General contractor wage gap by degree level
According to the data, general contractors with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $80,282 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, general contractors earn a median annual income of $74,527 compared to $72,661 for general contractors with an Doctorate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $80,282 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $60,210 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $74,527 |
| Doctorate Degree | $72,661 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $63,313 |
General contractor employment statistics
Most general contractors work for a private in the construction industry.
Company size where general contractors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where general contractors work.
General contractor jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 12% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 24% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 24% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 21% |
| > 10,000 employees | 9% |
General contractor jobs by company type
Employees with the general contractor job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most general contractors prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
General contractor jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 0% |
| Public | 14% |
| Private | 83% |
| Government | 3% |
General contractor jobs by industry
The most common industries for general contractors are construction, professional and retail.
General contractor industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Construction | 30% |
| Professional | 12% |
| Retail | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Real Estate | 5% |
| Media | 4% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Government | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
General contractor turnover and employment statistics
General contractor unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for general contractors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
General contractor unemployment rate by year
| Year | General contractor unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 11.13% |
| 2011 | 9.39% |
| 2012 | 6.73% |
| 2013 | 5.09% |
| 2014 | 3.91% |
| 2015 | 3.22% |
| 2016 | 2.80% |
| 2017 | 2.50% |
| 2018 | 2.02% |
| 2019 | 1.64% |
| 2020 | 3.67% |
| 2021 | 4.26% |
Average general contractor tenure
The average general contractor stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 20,107 general contractors resumes in Zippia's database.
General contractor tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 12% |
| 1-2 years | 23% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 26% |
General contractor LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of general contractors that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| General Contractor | 4.08% | - |
| Slot Manager | 8.19% | 1,012 |
| Funeral Service Manager | 9.30% | 26,904 |
| Location Worker | 11.54% | 19,705 |
| Lead Care Manager | 11.66% | 87,167 |
| Director Of Case Management | 14.16% | 95,540 |
| Business Division Chairperson | 16.20% | 46,241 |
Similar general contractor jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Slot Manager | 8.19% | 1,012 |
| Funeral Service Manager | 9.30% | 26,904 |
| Location Worker | 11.54% | 19,705 |
| Lead Care Manager | 11.66% | 87,167 |
| Director Of Case Management | 14.16% | 95,540 |
| Business Division Chairperson | 16.20% | 46,241 |
Foreign languages spoken by general contractors
The most common foreign language among general contractors is Spanish at 59.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.3% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 4.0%.
- Spanish, 59.1%
- French, 8.3%
- Portuguese, 4.0%
- Russian, 3.4%
- Arabic, 3.4%
- Other, 21.8%
General contractor languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 59.1% |
| French | 8.3% |
| Portuguese | 4.0% |
| Russian | 3.4% |
| Arabic | 3.4% |
| Other | 21.8% |
