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The differences between senior construction managers and general contractors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a senior construction manager and a general contractor. Additionally, a senior construction manager has an average salary of $110,926, which is higher than the $66,602 average annual salary of a general contractor.
The top three skills for a senior construction manager include OSHA, project management and construction projects. The most important skills for a general contractor are plumbing, safety regulations, and contract negotiations.
| Senior Construction Manager | General Contractor | |
| Yearly salary | $110,926 | $66,602 |
| Hourly rate | $53.33 | $32.02 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 36,145 | 66,218 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
Senior construction managers implement the preconstruction, construction, commission, and project closeout of a development project. The construction managers establish and maintain controls of the projects and complete them on time and cost-effectively. Their duties include the management of accounts, handling of staff assignments, control of income and revenue, and tracking program expenses. They supervise external consultants and employees. Also, they plan and administer the finances and expenses of businesses or corporations.
The job of general contractors is to oversee the day-to-day operations of projects in the organization. General contractors are considered seasoned experts when it comes to home improvement. They provide the material, equipment, labor, and services for a construction project. Often, they hire specialized subcontractors who will be working on some part of the construction work. They should have attained a bachelor's or associate's degree in construction management. Their experience in the industry is highly coveted.
Senior construction managers and general contractors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Construction Manager | General Contractor | |
| Average salary | $110,926 | $66,602 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $174,000 | Between $41,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | - |
| Best paying company | Ross Stores | - |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | - |
There are a few differences between a senior construction manager and a general contractor in terms of educational background:
| Senior Construction Manager | General Contractor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo |
Here are the differences between senior construction managers' and general contractors' demographics:
| Senior Construction Manager | General Contractor | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.0% Female, 5.0% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 2.9% White, 70.7% 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 Percentage | 4% | 4% |