Central supply technician vs materials technician

The differences between central supply technicians and materials technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a materials technician has an average salary of $35,721, which is higher than the $35,231 average annual salary of a central supply technician.

The top three skills for a central supply technician include patients, sterile processing and customer service. The most important skills for a materials technician are patients, customer service, and patient care.

Central supply technician vs materials technician overview

	Central Supply Technician	Materials Technician
Yearly salary	$35,231	$35,721
Hourly rate	$16.94	$17.17
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	30,995	33,176
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	-	-

What does a central supply technician do?

Central Supply Technicians are responsible for the administration and dispensing of surgical and medical supplies. Their duties include ordering supplies, filling supplies in supply cabinets, bulk rooms, carts, and central inventory, conducting par areas inspections, performing pallet break-downs, and undertaking supplies inspection for package integrity. They also carry out cycle counts, organize carts and cabinets, report for needed repairs, and manage the issuance of procedural carts and trays.

What does a materials technician do?

A materials technician is responsible for inspecting and testing tools and materials required for production operations and manufacturing processes, ensuring its stability and efficiency to support business functions and produce high-quality outputs. Materials technicians review the production process and recommend cost-reduction resources by negotiating with trusted suppliers and vendors. They also identify the safety and reliability of materials to prevent operational delays and avoid potential hazards within the work area. A materials technician must be able to operate manufacturing equipment to develop improved techniques and write report findings.

Central supply technician vs materials technician salary

Central supply technicians and materials technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Central Supply Technician	Materials Technician
Average salary	$35,231	$35,721
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $46,000	Between $27,000 And $47,000
Highest paying City	Monterey, CA	Rahway, NJ
Highest paying state	California	Hawaii
Best paying company	Mohawk Valley Health System	Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Best paying industry	Media	Technology

Differences between central supply technician and materials technician education

There are a few differences between a central supply technician and a materials technician in terms of educational background:

	Central Supply Technician	Materials Technician
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Central supply technician vs materials technician demographics

Here are the differences between central supply technicians' and materials technicians' demographics:

	Central Supply Technician	Materials Technician
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 45.0% Female, 55.0%	Male, 72.6% Female, 27.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 6.7% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 6.4% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between central supply technician and materials technician duties and responsibilities

Central supply technician example responsibilities.

Cataloge property, maintain property records and manage inventory using PBUSE system.
Assist home RN and hospice staff with ADL's.
Practice & enforce HIPPA patient privacy guidelines.
Order supplies, maintain records and compile information using Microsoft office such as word, excel, and PowerPoint.
Reconcile charges for outsource services to ensure patients are billed accurately.
Develop PowerPoint presentations that assist in supply management and logistics oversight.

Materials technician example responsibilities.

Manage ISO documentation for corporate purchasing.
Perform construction surveying and Geotechnical investigations as required.
Direct inbound and outbound logistics operations, such as transportation and warehouse activities, safety performance, and logistics quality management.
Lumber, shingles, cement blocks, and etc.
Ensure sales for everyday needs of lumber, shingles, and many more supplies to customers and contractors.

Central supply technician vs materials technician skills

Common central supply technician skills

Patients, 18%
Sterile Processing, 13%
Customer Service, 11%
Infection Control, 8%
Surgery, 5%
Surgical Instruments, 5%

Common materials technician skills

Patients, 10%
Customer Service, 9%
Patient Care, 8%
Data Entry, 8%
Asphalt, 5%
Management System, 4%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Central Supply Technician
Central Supply Technician vs Materials Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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