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General superintendent vs director of construction

The differences between general superintendents and directors of construction can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a general superintendent, becoming a director of construction takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a director of construction has an average salary of $139,344, which is higher than the $75,102 average annual salary of a general superintendent.

The top three skills for a general superintendent include OSHA, construction management and project management. The most important skills for a director of construction are project management, construction management, and oversight.

General superintendent vs director of construction overview

General SuperintendentDirector Of Construction
Yearly salary$75,102$139,344
Hourly rate$36.11$66.99
Growth rate6%8%
Number of jobs92,42432,759
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age4446
Years of experience68

What does a general superintendent do?

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.

What does a director of construction do?

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 superintendent vs director of construction salary

General superintendents and directors of construction have different pay scales, as shown below.

General SuperintendentDirector Of Construction
Average salary$75,102$139,344
Salary rangeBetween $52,000 And $107,000Between $96,000 And $201,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCNew York, NY
Highest paying stateDelawareConnecticut
Best paying companySouthern California EdisonBed Bath & Beyond
Best paying industryEnergyGovernment

Differences between general superintendent and director of construction education

There are a few differences between a general superintendent and a director of construction in terms of educational background:

General SuperintendentDirector Of Construction
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaCalifornia Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

General superintendent vs director of construction demographics

Here are the differences between general superintendents' and directors of construction' demographics:

General SuperintendentDirector Of Construction
Average age4446
Gender ratioMale, 97.3% Female, 2.7%Male, 91.6% Female, 8.4%
Race ratioBlack 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%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 Percentage10%4%

Differences between general superintendent and director of construction duties and responsibilities

General superintendent example responsibilities.

  • Manage and coordinate all aspects of HVAC relate jobs for a mechanical contractor.
  • Manage the field installation of pipe, instrumentation and HVAC systems throughout the plant.
  • Implement and direct shipping and receiving functions and manage salaried and hourly UAW staff in both functions.
  • Develop and manage instrumental and equipment proper handling regulations in compliance CLIA.
  • Manage complex logistics, including procuring materials and navigating space constraints, to successfully complete project amid concurrent construction of building.
  • Lead and develop direct reports ensuring they are competently skil to perform their QA roles.
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Director of construction example responsibilities.

  • Manage overall operations for development, design, construction, leasing, facility management and marketing of properties.
  • Associate tasks include managing and producing marketing materials including RFP, RFQ, LOI and writing proposals for potential projects.
  • Coordinate with leasing and review leasing exhibits; lead architectural, MEP, structural, code, and environmental consultants.
  • Prepare IFB's, RFP's, and small purchase documentations.
  • Negotiate new HVAC maintenance contracts.
  • Major effort on rebuilding power plant and chill water distribution and HVAC.
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General superintendent vs director of construction skills

Common general superintendent skills
  • OSHA, 11%
  • Construction Management, 7%
  • Project Management, 5%
  • Quality Standards, 5%
  • Excellent Organizational, 5%
  • General Contractors, 5%
Common director of construction skills
  • Project Management, 14%
  • Construction Management, 11%
  • Oversight, 8%
  • Real Estate, 7%
  • OSHA, 5%
  • General Contractors, 4%

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