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The differences between superintendents and general superintendents can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a superintendent, becoming a general superintendent takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a superintendent has an average salary of $82,458, which is higher than the $75,102 average annual salary of a general superintendent.
The top three skills for a superintendent include OSHA, quality standards and construction management. The most important skills for a general superintendent are OSHA, construction management, and project management.
| Superintendent | General Superintendent | |
| Yearly salary | $82,458 | $75,102 |
| Hourly rate | $39.64 | $36.11 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 22,580 | 92,424 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 47 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
Superintendents oversee the administration of schools in a specific school district. They manage the educational programs of each school and create strategic decisions to ensure that the students are learning important subjects. They also supervise school administrators or principals and are responsible for hiring and guiding them. Superintendents should be familiar with their constituents and must always be ready to listen to their needs. It is important that superintendents are good decision-makers and communicators. They are expected to lead their respective districts in achieving their vision. Superintendents drive the team towards their goals and create strategic steps to ensure success.
A general superintendent is primarily in charge of overseeing projects and programs, ensuring operations adhere to standards and requirements. In the construction industry, a general superintendent supervises the daily procedures in a construction site to ensure the project's completion within budget, schedule, and quality standards. They also have other administrative duties, such as coordinating with contractors and suppliers, monitoring the inventory of materials, purchasing supplies according to project requirements, developing reports, conducting inspections, and implementing safety policies and regulations.
Superintendents and general superintendents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Superintendent | General Superintendent | |
| Average salary | $82,458 | $75,102 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $119,000 | Between $52,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Delaware |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | Southern California Edison |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Energy |
There are a few differences between a superintendent and a general superintendent in terms of educational background:
| Superintendent | General Superintendent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between superintendents' and general superintendents' demographics:
| Superintendent | General Superintendent | |
| Average age | 47 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.3% Female, 6.7% | Male, 97.3% Female, 2.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Asian, 4.2% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 6.3% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 10% |