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Residential carpenter vs finish carpenter

The differences between residential carpenters and finish carpenters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a residential carpenter and a finish carpenter. Additionally, a finish carpenter has an average salary of $46,987, which is higher than the $46,259 average annual salary of a residential carpenter.

The top three skills for a residential carpenter include roofing, plumbing and drywall installation. The most important skills for a finish carpenter are hand tools, custom cabinets, and safety rules.

Residential carpenter vs finish carpenter overview

Residential CarpenterFinish Carpenter
Yearly salary$46,259$46,987
Hourly rate$22.24$22.59
Growth rate2%2%
Number of jobs12,31811,653
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 32%High School Diploma, 36%
Average age4242
Years of experience1212

Residential carpenter vs finish carpenter salary

Residential carpenters and finish carpenters have different pay scales, as shown below.

Residential CarpenterFinish Carpenter
Average salary$46,259$46,987
Salary rangeBetween $35,000 And $61,000Between $34,000 And $63,000
Highest paying CityFremont, CABoston, MA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaMassachusetts
Best paying companyWright-Ryan ConstructionTurner Construction
Best paying industryConstructionConstruction

Differences between residential carpenter and finish carpenter education

There are a few differences between a residential carpenter and a finish carpenter in terms of educational background:

Residential CarpenterFinish Carpenter
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 32%High School Diploma, 36%
Most common majorConstruction ManagementBusiness
Most common college--

Residential carpenter vs finish carpenter demographics

Here are the differences between residential carpenters' and finish carpenters' demographics:

Residential CarpenterFinish Carpenter
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 97.8% Female, 2.2%Male, 96.5% Female, 3.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 22.3% Asian, 1.6% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 23.2% Asian, 1.6% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage2%2%

Differences between residential carpenter and finish carpenter duties and responsibilities

Residential carpenter example responsibilities.

  • Manage complete renovations and new construction of banks for commercial construction company.
  • Concrete formwork in building parking structures condominiums and commercial apartment complexes.
  • Manage complete renovations and new construction of banks for commercial construction company.

Finish carpenter example responsibilities.

  • Install cabinets, vinyl, FRP, carpet, windows, Sheetrock, painting, HVAC
  • Assist with electrical wiring and HVAC installation.
  • Operate tools like lather, drills, sanders and planers.
  • Demo rooms and add on with new framing Sheetrock and flooring.
  • Assist HVAC technicians with changing filters and belts on the air handler units.
  • Complete demo of existing cabinets, tile, drywall, electrical wirings, appliances etc.
  • Show more

Residential carpenter vs finish carpenter skills

Common residential carpenter skills
  • Roofing, 16%
  • Plumbing, 14%
  • Drywall Installation, 7%
  • Power Saws, 6%
  • Hand Tools, 5%
  • Power Tools, 5%
Common finish carpenter skills
  • Hand Tools, 19%
  • Custom Cabinets, 13%
  • Safety Rules, 7%
  • Drywall Installation, 4%
  • Door Hardware, 4%
  • Window Installation, 3%

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