Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between lead carpenters and construction inspectors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a lead carpenter, becoming a construction inspector takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a construction inspector has an average salary of $52,306, which is higher than the $49,228 average annual salary of a lead carpenter.
The top three skills for a lead carpenter include safety rules, roofing and plumbing. The most important skills for a construction inspector are asphalt, ACI, and construction inspection.
| Lead Carpenter | Construction Inspector | |
| Yearly salary | $49,228 | $52,306 |
| Hourly rate | $23.67 | $25.15 |
| Growth rate | 2% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 6,359 | 42,007 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 42 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
A lead carpenter is responsible for monitoring field carpenters on performing construction duties, analyzing schematics and blueprints, following clients' specifications, completing the project within the agreed timeframe, and maintaining materials with the budget goals, ensuring the highest quality and client's satisfaction. Lead carpenters regularly inspect the project, perform adjustments as needed, repair defects and inconsistencies, and adhere to the safety standards and protocols during operations. A lead carpenter must have excellent knowledge of the carpentry industry to handle clients' demands and efficiently create the finished product.
A construction inspector is an individual who is responsible for inspecting construction sites to ensure that these sites are following local and building codes and ordinances, zoning regulations, and contract specifications. Construction inspectors use survey equipment, metering devices, and test equipment to perform inspections of plumbing, electrical and other systems within the construction. They approve building plans that are satisfactory and issue violation notices and stop orders when there are violations. Construction inspectors also keep photographs taken during inspections and provide written documentation.
Lead carpenters and construction inspectors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Carpenter | Construction Inspector | |
| Average salary | $49,228 | $52,306 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $65,000 | Between $36,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Brasfield & Gorrie | Orange County Sanitation District |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Professional |
There are a few differences between a lead carpenter and a construction inspector in terms of educational background:
| Lead Carpenter | Construction Inspector | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Business | Civil Engineering |
| Most common college | - | San Diego State University |
Here are the differences between lead carpenters' and construction inspectors' demographics:
| Lead Carpenter | Construction Inspector | |
| Average age | 42 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 97.6% Female, 2.4% | Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 23.2% Asian, 1.6% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 3.4% White, 68.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 5% |