Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between distribution specialists and distribution associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a distribution specialist has an average salary of $36,140, which is higher than the $33,453 average annual salary of a distribution associate.
The top three skills for a distribution specialist include work ethic, windows and strong customer service. The most important skills for a distribution associate are pallets, basic math, and customer orders.
| Distribution Specialist | Distribution Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $36,140 | $33,453 |
| Hourly rate | $17.38 | $16.08 |
| Growth rate | 1% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 45,554 | 175,791 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 33% |
| Average age | 38 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
A distribution specialist specializes in the real-time, time-bounded, secure distribution of products from factories and manufacturing plants to various stores and companies. They are also responsible for making inventories of incoming goods and machines to the factory where he/she works. They can be liable to any lost goods, erroneous inventories, malicious products, and troublesome staff sometimes. Every distribution specialist must ensure that production quotas are achieved and that any barriers to achieving these goals are resolved
A distribution associate typically works at warehouses or distribution establishments where they are in charge of processing orders for shipments or deliveries in a timely and efficient manner. Their responsibilities often include monitoring the inventory of goods, identifying and locating items, liaising with clients, receiving orders, lifting heavy packages, and maintaining accurate records of all transactions. Furthermore, as a distribution associate, it is essential to be proactive as warehouse conditions can be unpredictable due to the influx of goods.
Distribution specialists and distribution associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Distribution Specialist | Distribution Associate | |
| Average salary | $36,140 | $33,453 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $52,000 | Between $27,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New York |
| Best paying company | Gilead Sciences | Clearwater Paper |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a distribution specialist and a distribution associate in terms of educational background:
| Distribution Specialist | Distribution Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 33% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between distribution specialists' and distribution associates' demographics:
| Distribution Specialist | Distribution Associate | |
| Average age | 38 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.1% Female, 34.9% | Male, 66.3% Female, 33.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 6.4% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.0% Asian, 7.1% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |