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Property developer vs general contractor

The differences between property developers and general contractors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a property developer, becoming a general contractor takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a general contractor has an average salary of $66,602, which is higher than the $51,816 average annual salary of a property developer.

The top three skills for a property developer include real estate, financial statements and sub contractors. The most important skills for a general contractor are plumbing, safety regulations, and contract negotiations.

Property developer vs general contractor overview

Property DeveloperGeneral Contractor
Yearly salary$51,816$66,602
Hourly rate$24.91$32.02
Growth rate3%8%
Number of jobs75,31266,218
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age4846
Years of experience68

Property developer vs general contractor salary

Property developers and general contractors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Property DeveloperGeneral Contractor
Average salary$51,816$66,602
Salary rangeBetween $31,000 And $85,000Between $41,000 And $107,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between property developer and general contractor education

There are a few differences between a property developer and a general contractor in terms of educational background:

Property DeveloperGeneral Contractor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaCalifornia Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

Property developer vs general contractor demographics

Here are the differences between property developers' and general contractors' demographics:

Property DeveloperGeneral Contractor
Average age4846
Gender ratioMale, 67.8% Female, 32.2%Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 5.3% White, 64.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%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%
LGBT Percentage12%4%

Differences between property developer and general contractor duties and responsibilities

Property developer example responsibilities.

  • Forecast and manage replacement of major capital expense items including HVAC system, roof systems, parking lot surfaces etc.
  • Control and track the accuracy of the payroll.
  • Supervise and oversee all tenant/Landlord development/redevelopment work/budgets within designate portfolio.
  • Supervise and oversee all tenant/Landlord development/redevelopment work/budgets within designate portfolio.

General contractor example responsibilities.

  • Manage the repair/replacement of mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and structural of primarily historical residences.
  • Manage third party contractors including safety oversight, environmental design specification compliance, and similar construction specifications and requirements.
  • Perform electrical, mechanical (HVAC), plumbing, framing, roofing and finishing construction for residential and commercial buildings.
  • Remodel restaurants, which include painting, dry wall, tiling, plumbing, electrical and laying carpet.
  • Assist and perform all duties with installation of cabinets, flooring, sheetrock, framing, concrete, and basic plumbing.
  • Experience in roofing, painting, digging of footers, and tile setting.
  • Show more

Property developer vs general contractor skills

Common property developer skills
  • Real Estate, 15%
  • Financial Statements, 14%
  • Sub Contractors, 13%
  • Property Management, 13%
  • Payroll, 8%
  • Residential Properties, 5%
Common general contractor skills
  • Plumbing, 17%
  • Safety Regulations, 12%
  • Contract Negotiations, 11%
  • Drywall Installation, 7%
  • Construction Projects, 4%
  • Payroll, 4%

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