Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between general contractors and directors of construction 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 director of construction. Additionally, a director of construction has an average salary of $139,344, 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 director of construction are project management, construction management, and oversight.
| General Contractor | Director Of Construction | |
| Yearly salary | $66,602 | $139,344 |
| Hourly rate | $32.02 | $66.99 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 66,218 | 32,759 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| 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 Director Of Construction is responsible for supervision of all construction-related projects. They review project progress, address issues, and adjust schedules and budgets.
General contractors and directors of construction have different pay scales, as shown below.
| General Contractor | Director Of Construction | |
| Average salary | $66,602 | $139,344 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $107,000 | Between $96,000 And $201,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | - | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | - | Bed Bath & Beyond |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a general contractor and a director of construction in terms of educational background:
| General Contractor | Director Of Construction | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| 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 directors of construction' demographics:
| General Contractor | Director Of Construction | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% | Male, 91.6% Female, 8.4% |
| 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, 3.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 2.8% White, 71.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |