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The differences between general contractors and construction superintendents can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a general contractor and a construction superintendent. Additionally, a construction superintendent has an average salary of $87,486, 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 a construction superintendent are OSHA, construction management, and project management.
| General Contractor | Construction Superintendent | |
| Yearly salary | $66,602 | $87,486 |
| Hourly rate | $32.02 | $42.06 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 66,218 | 34,822 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
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.
A construction superintendent's role is to oversee all construction plans and operations, ensuring quality completion within a specified timeframe. Some of their responsibilities are to inspect all sites, coordinate with contractors and engineers, manage the budget and expenditure, purchase necessary materials and equipment, and make schedules. Aside from producing daily progress reports, a construction superintendent also addresses issues and concerns should there be any. Furthermore, they must implement all safety regulations and policies to maintain a safe and healthy environment for everyone.
General contractors and construction superintendents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| General Contractor | Construction Superintendent | |
| Average salary | $66,602 | $87,486 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $107,000 | Between $61,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | - | Coldwell Banker Morris Real Estate |
| Best paying industry | - | Energy |
There are a few differences between a general contractor and a construction superintendent in terms of educational background:
| General Contractor | Construction Superintendent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo |
Here are the differences between general contractors' and construction superintendents' demographics:
| General Contractor | Construction Superintendent | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% | Male, 97.0% Female, 3.0% |
| 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, 3.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 2.8% White, 71.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |