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The differences between general contractors and architects can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a general contractor, becoming an architect takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an architect has an average salary of $86,635, which is higher than the $66,602 average annual salary of a general contractor.
The top three skills for a general contractor include plumbing, safety regulations and contract negotiations. The most important skills for an architect are cloud, java, and infrastructure.
| General Contractor | Architect | |
| Yearly salary | $66,602 | $86,635 |
| Hourly rate | $32.02 | $41.65 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 66,218 | 94,621 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 46 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 4 |
The job of general contractors is to oversee the day-to-day operations of projects in the organization. General contractors are considered seasoned experts when it comes to home improvement. They provide the material, equipment, labor, and services for a construction project. Often, they hire specialized subcontractors who will be working on some part of the construction work. They should have attained a bachelor's or associate's degree in construction management. Their experience in the industry is highly coveted.
Architects are licensed professionals who specialize in art and science of design, building constructions, and structures. They play a vital role in the construction and not only responsible for the appearance but also the safety of users. They ensure that every structure is functional, safe, cost-effective, and suit the needs of the future occupants. They closely monitor the working progress to make sure that the project is built according to plan. Some architects are focused mainly on creating designs while some are exclusive in the production of building plans or "blueprints".
General contractors and architects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| General Contractor | Architect | |
| Average salary | $66,602 | $86,635 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $107,000 | Between $54,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Alaska |
| Best paying company | - | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a general contractor and an architect in terms of educational background:
| General Contractor | Architect | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Architecture |
| Most common college | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between general contractors' and architects' demographics:
| General Contractor | Architect | |
| Average age | 46 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% | Male, 76.7% Female, 23.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 2.8% White, 71.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 2.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 16.0% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 15% |