Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between cycle counters and inventory specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an inventory specialist has an average salary of $35,752, which is higher than the $33,083 average annual salary of a cycle counter.
The top three skills for a cycle counter include math, inventory control and pallets. The most important skills for an inventory specialist are customer service, sales floor, and reservations.
| Cycle Counter | Inventory Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $33,083 | $35,752 |
| Hourly rate | $15.91 | $17.19 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 10,713 | 161,107 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A cycle counter is responsible for counting and monitoring product inventories at a warehouse to ensure materials align with the declared lists and documents. Besides their cycle counting responsibilities, they are also in charge of conducting reviews and assessments, utilizing special software to evaluate product inventories, measuring and weighing products, maintaining records, opening and re-packaging shipments, organizing products according to protocols, locating lost goods, and reporting inconsistent or damaged goods. Moreover, a cycle counter may also develop and recommend strategies to enhance inventory procedures, provide assistance to staff, and participate in maintaining work areas clean.
An Inventory Specialist's responsibility is to oversee the inventory in a warehouse or establishment. Most of the tasks of an Inventory Specialist revolve around monitoring the requisition, storage, and deliveries of supplies and merchandise to ensure the quality and quantity of the products. Moreover, the Inventory Specialist also has the responsibility to coordinate with store management when issues arise, train newly hired staff to be a valuable part of the workforce, and provide inventory reports and records to the administration.
Cycle counters and inventory specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cycle Counter | Inventory Specialist | |
| Average salary | $33,083 | $35,752 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $40,000 | Between $25,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | Tracy, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | BD | Ensign Energy |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a cycle counter and an inventory specialist in terms of educational background:
| Cycle Counter | Inventory Specialist | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between cycle counters' and inventory specialists' demographics:
| Cycle Counter | Inventory Specialist | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.7% Female, 41.3% | Male, 58.9% Female, 41.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 6.7% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 7.2% White, 57.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |