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The differences between service providers and general contractors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a service provider, 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 $35,089 average annual salary of a service provider.
The top three skills for a service provider include customer service, cleanliness and social work. The most important skills for a general contractor are plumbing, safety regulations, and contract negotiations.
| Service Provider | General Contractor | |
| Yearly salary | $35,089 | $66,602 |
| Hourly rate | $16.87 | $32.02 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 25,552 | 66,218 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Average age | 43 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 8 |
Service providers are individuals or entities offering services to an organization and other parties. They provide storage, processing, or network services. The providers offer organizations real estate, communications, education, legal, and consulting services. It is their job to complete the requested tasks of their clients, provide solutions to network problems, and recommend options based on the needs of their clients. They also suggest changes or opportunities necessary within the organization.
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.
Service providers and general contractors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Service Provider | General Contractor | |
| Average salary | $35,089 | $66,602 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $51,000 | Between $41,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | - |
| Best paying company | Meta | - |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | - |
There are a few differences between a service provider and a general contractor in terms of educational background:
| Service Provider | General Contractor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY at Binghamton | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo |
Here are the differences between service providers' and general contractors' demographics:
| Service Provider | General Contractor | |
| Average age | 43 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.3% Female, 60.7% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 7.1% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7% | 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 | 11% | 4% |