Post job

General helper vs construction assistant

The differences between general helpers and construction assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a construction assistant has an average salary of $39,072, which is higher than the $35,793 average annual salary of a general helper.

The top three skills for a general helper include tape measure, pallets and hand tools. The most important skills for a construction assistant are safety procedures, construction projects, and general contractors.

General helper vs construction assistant overview

General HelperConstruction Assistant
Yearly salary$35,793$39,072
Hourly rate$17.21$18.78
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs69,73831,209
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 48%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age3939
Years of experience--

What does a general helper do?

General helpers are skilled workers who help other workers by performing tasks that need less skill, such as holding materials or tools and cleaning work areas and equipment. These helpers are required to provide general labor support to all departments while performing a variety of job assignments. They must ensure that everyone in an organization is following safety rules and inspect areas for safety hazards. General helpers must also perform constant quality checks on the organization's establishments using its quality guidelines and operating procedures.

What does a construction assistant do?

A construction assistant performs various clerical and operational support tasks to assist construction managers and maintain smooth workflow operations. Their responsibilities usually include monitoring budgets and costs, handling calls and correspondence, purchasing construction materials according to project requirements, liaising with suppliers and construction contractors, and participating in managing the schedules and activities of the workers. A construction assistant may also perform inspections to identify problem areas and ensure that all procedures adhere to the safety codes and standards.

General helper vs construction assistant salary

General helpers and construction assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

General HelperConstruction Assistant
Average salary$35,793$39,072
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $43,000Between $28,000 And $54,000
Highest paying CityChicago, ILSpringfield, MA
Highest paying stateConnecticutHawaii
Best paying companyBarry-WehmillerBeazer Homes
Best paying industryMediaConstruction

Differences between general helper and construction assistant education

There are a few differences between a general helper and a construction assistant in terms of educational background:

General HelperConstruction Assistant
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 48%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

General helper vs construction assistant demographics

Here are the differences between general helpers' and construction assistants' demographics:

General HelperConstruction Assistant
Average age3939
Gender ratioMale, 77.4% Female, 22.6%Male, 80.7% Female, 19.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 30.7% Asian, 2.5% White, 50.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 30.8% Asian, 2.4% White, 50.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage2%2%

Differences between general helper and construction assistant duties and responsibilities

General helper example responsibilities.

  • Operate grinders, saws, CNC machines, punch press, straighten metal parts, and package products for immediate shipment.
  • Require bundling of steel tubing.
  • Calculate requirements, using basic math.
  • Assist with reading and mathematics lessons as a small group leader.
  • Be sure to have proper PPE and equipment need in case of emergency.
  • Used hand tools such as rakes, hedge and brush trimmers and brooms.
  • Show more

Construction assistant example responsibilities.

  • Fix electrical fixtures and manage plumbing problems effectively.
  • Employ a wide verity of hand and power tools including hoists, drills, precision measuring instruments and electronic testing devices.
  • Negotiate material sales contracts, document historical information, provide earned value management, and safety oversight for projects/programs.
  • Prepare plans and specifications for new and existing housing, supervise sub-contractors to insure compliance with HUD requirements.

General helper vs construction assistant skills

Common general helper skills
  • Tape Measure, 11%
  • Pallets, 8%
  • Hand Tools, 7%
  • Machine Operators, 6%
  • Math, 5%
  • Data Entry, 5%
Common construction assistant skills
  • Safety Procedures, 15%
  • Construction Projects, 11%
  • General Contractors, 7%
  • Drywall Installation, 7%
  • Equipment Operators, 4%
  • Manual Labor, 4%

Browse construction and extraction jobs