Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between general contractors and site 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 site manager. Additionally, a general contractor has an average salary of $66,602, which is higher than the $59,192 average annual salary of a site manager.
The top three skills for a general contractor include plumbing, safety regulations and contract negotiations. The most important skills for a site manager are customer service, safety procedures, and oversight.
| General Contractor | Site Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $66,602 | $59,192 |
| Hourly rate | $32.02 | $28.46 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 66,218 | 47,853 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| 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.
The tasks of a Site Manager may vary, but the responsibility will always revolve around supervising the construction project and its employees, making sure that the project is completed within the allotted time, budget, and quality. Site Managers are required to have great communication and leadership skills as they are often the ones to engage with the clients and coordinate with the employees. Moreover, It is also the Site Manager's responsibility to ensure the safety of employees, prepare site reports, conduct quality control procedures, assess and solve problems, negotiate contracts, and secure permits needed for the project.
General contractors and site managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| General Contractor | Site Manager | |
| Average salary | $66,602 | $59,192 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $107,000 | Between $32,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a general contractor and a site manager in terms of educational background:
| General Contractor | Site Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| 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 site managers' demographics:
| General Contractor | Site Manager | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% | Male, 63.4% Female, 36.6% |
| 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, 17.5% Asian, 2.8% White, 71.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |