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The differences between general contractors and general superintendents 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 a general superintendent takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a general superintendent has an average salary of $75,102, 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 general superintendent are OSHA, construction management, and project management.
| General Contractor | General Superintendent | |
| Yearly salary | $66,602 | $75,102 |
| Hourly rate | $32.02 | $36.11 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 66,218 | 92,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 6 |
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 general superintendent is primarily in charge of overseeing projects and programs, ensuring operations adhere to standards and requirements. In the construction industry, a general superintendent supervises the daily procedures in a construction site to ensure the project's completion within budget, schedule, and quality standards. They also have other administrative duties, such as coordinating with contractors and suppliers, monitoring the inventory of materials, purchasing supplies according to project requirements, developing reports, conducting inspections, and implementing safety policies and regulations.
General contractors and general superintendents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| General Contractor | General Superintendent | |
| Average salary | $66,602 | $75,102 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $107,000 | Between $52,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | - | Delaware |
| Best paying company | - | Southern California Edison |
| Best paying industry | - | Energy |
There are a few differences between a general contractor and a general superintendent in terms of educational background:
| General Contractor | General Superintendent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between general contractors' and general superintendents' demographics:
| General Contractor | General Superintendent | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% | Male, 97.3% Female, 2.7% |
| 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, 6.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 6.3% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 10% |