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The differences between general contractors and contract project managers 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 contract project manager. Additionally, a contract project manager has an average salary of $81,263, 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 contract project manager are project management, project scope, and contract project.
| General Contractor | Contract Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $66,602 | $81,263 |
| Hourly rate | $32.02 | $39.07 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 66,218 | 159,765 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| 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 contract project manager is an executive professional who provides project management and business analysis to fill the needs of an organization. Contract project managers are required to monitor and inspect contract projects to maintain a high level of safety and quality traffic control in highly variable conditions. They assist contract project administration with the review of project progress reports. Contract project managers must also manage the relationship between clients and the organization while monitoring the progress of the project to ensure that it complies with the terms of the corporate contract.
General contractors and contract project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| General Contractor | Contract Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $66,602 | $81,263 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $107,000 | Between $53,000 And $124,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | - | PRO Unlimited |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a general contractor and a contract project manager in terms of educational background:
| General Contractor | Contract Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| 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 contract project managers' demographics:
| General Contractor | Contract Project Manager | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% | Male, 66.1% Female, 33.9% |
| 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, 17.6% Asian, 2.8% White, 70.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |