Skilled Trades & Technical

General Contractor

Run a building project from start to finish, hiring trades, ordering materials, and keeping work on time and on budget

Open interactive guide

What does a General Contractor do?

General contractors oversee homes, stores, and remodels. They bid jobs, hire electricians, plumbers, and carpenters, and make sure the work passes inspection. Most states require a contractor license. The job suits organized leaders who can talk with clients and crews alike.

A day in the life

6:30 AMWalk the job site and check what the crews finished yesterday
8:00 AMMeet with the plumber and electrician to set the week's schedule
10:00 AMOrder lumber and windows and confirm the delivery dates
12:00 PMMeet a homeowner to go over a change they want to the plans
2:00 PMMeet the building inspector for a framing check
4:30 PMPay subcontractors and update the budget spreadsheet

What's great

  • Be your own boss and set the terms
  • See big projects come together
  • Skills from any trade help you get started
  • Income grows as your company grows

The hard parts

  • Blame falls on you when jobs run late
  • Weather and supply delays change plans
  • Financial risk on each project
  • Long hours managing many people

What is a General Contractor's salary and outlook?

$45k – $113k
Salary Range
Varies widely
Typical Education
Stable

Typical pay in this guide runs from about $45,000 to $112,500 a year, with a midpoint around $75,000. These are planning figures for students, not a job offer or an official wage.

CareerLens rates the outlook as Stable.

For the official national outlook, see BLS Occupational Data.

How do you become a General Contractor?

A common path is Varies: trade experience or a construction degree, plus a state contractor license. The ladder often runs from Carpenter or Construction Laborer to Foreman or Site Supervisor, then Project Manager, and General Contractor (own company). Other routes: Work up from carpenter or another trade; Bachelor's degree in construction management; Associate degree in building technology; Pass the state contractor licensing exam.

  • Work up from carpenter or another trade
  • Bachelor's degree in construction management
  • Associate degree in building technology
  • Pass the state contractor licensing exam

Career path

Entry level
Carpenter or Construction Laborer
Mid career
Foreman or Site Supervisor
Senior
Project Manager
Executive
General Contractor (own company)

Will AI replace a General Contractor?

How much will AI change this job?

A lot

AI will change many everyday tasks in this job. The work shifts toward judgment, checking, and people.

AI takes over paperwork, letting contractors focus on building.

AI tools will help general contractors plan schedules, estimate costs, and catch mistakes faster. This means less time on paperwork and more time solving real problems on the job site. Contractors will still need to lead people, make tough calls, and keep everyone safe.

AI can help with

  • Creating cost estimates and material lists quickly
  • Scheduling tasks and predicting project delays
  • Spotting errors in building plans or permits

What stays human

  • Inspecting actual work quality on site
  • Solving unexpected problems during construction
  • Building trust with clients, workers, and inspectors

Skills to build now

  • Practice basic math and budgeting with real projects
  • Join a robotics, shop, or building club
  • Learn to explain plans clearly to different people

Based on public research from Anthropic and OpenAI, drafted with AI, checked automatically, and read by a person. How we know

This describes how the work may change. It is not a prediction that the job will disappear.