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General contractor vs controls project manager

The differences between general contractors and controls 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 controls project manager. Additionally, a controls project manager has an average salary of $114,682, 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 controls project manager are project management, project controls, and construction management.

General contractor vs controls project manager overview

General ContractorControls Project Manager
Yearly salary$66,602$114,682
Hourly rate$32.02$55.14
Growth rate8%8%
Number of jobs66,218122,592
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age4646
Years of experience88

What does a general contractor do?

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.

What does a controls project manager do?

A Controls Project Manager supervises the project control of engineering and construction projects. They are responsible for estimating costs, monitoring work progress, and quality assurance.

General contractor vs controls project manager salary

General contractors and controls project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

General ContractorControls Project Manager
Average salary$66,602$114,682
Salary rangeBetween $41,000 And $107,000Between $79,000 And $165,000
Highest paying City-San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state-Idaho
Best paying company-Cheniere Energy
Best paying industry-Construction

Differences between general contractor and controls project manager education

There are a few differences between a general contractor and a controls project manager in terms of educational background:

General ContractorControls Project Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeCalifornia Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCalifornia Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

General contractor vs controls project manager demographics

Here are the differences between general contractors' and controls project managers' demographics:

General ContractorControls Project Manager
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 90.6% Female, 9.4%Male, 76.7% Female, 23.3%
Race ratioBlack 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, 17.3% Asian, 2.8% White, 71.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage4%4%

Differences between general contractor and controls project manager duties and responsibilities

General contractor example responsibilities.

  • Manage the repair/replacement of mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and structural of primarily historical residences.
  • Manage third party contractors including safety oversight, environmental design specification compliance, and similar construction specifications and requirements.
  • Perform electrical, mechanical (HVAC), plumbing, framing, roofing and finishing construction for residential and commercial buildings.
  • Remodel restaurants, which include painting, dry wall, tiling, plumbing, electrical and laying carpet.
  • Assist and perform all duties with installation of cabinets, flooring, sheetrock, framing, concrete, and basic plumbing.
  • Experience in roofing, painting, digging of footers, and tile setting.
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Controls project manager example responsibilities.

  • Develop and manage EVMS to assess project status & monitor schedule and costs.
  • Manage integrated product team (IPT) coordinating mechanical, electrical, and software development.
  • Perform EVM, update percent complete, managing invoices, prepare end of month reports, and perform change management procedures.
  • Design and manage creation of facility electrical systems including PLC controls.
  • Manage all procurement activities including purchasing, subcontracting, expediting, transportation, and logistics.
  • Manage implementation of specify HVAC / mechanical projects specializing in BACNET and LonWorks base control components for building automation.
  • Show more

General contractor vs controls project manager skills

Common general contractor skills
  • Plumbing, 17%
  • Safety Regulations, 12%
  • Contract Negotiations, 11%
  • Drywall Installation, 7%
  • Construction Projects, 4%
  • Payroll, 4%
Common controls project manager skills
  • Project Management, 11%
  • Project Controls, 11%
  • Construction Management, 6%
  • Risk Management, 4%
  • Cost Control, 4%
  • Project Execution, 4%

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