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The differences between distribution specialists and shipping and receiving 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 $32,408 average annual salary of a shipping and receiving associate.
The top three skills for a distribution specialist include work ethic, windows and strong customer service. The most important skills for a shipping and receiving associate are shipping receiving, pallets, and customer service.
| Distribution Specialist | Shipping And Receiving Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $36,140 | $32,408 |
| Hourly rate | $17.38 | $15.58 |
| Growth rate | 1% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 45,554 | 168,957 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | High School Diploma, 43% |
| 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
Usually, shipping and receiving associates work in retail or a warehouse to manage the incoming and outgoing materials and products. Shipping and receiving associates keep records of all the materials received and shipped. They develop the mailing labels as well as the shipping documents. It is their job to make sure that orders are filled appropriately. The skills necessary for this job include basic math, communication, organization, and attention to detail.
Distribution specialists and shipping and receiving associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Distribution Specialist | Shipping And Receiving Associate | |
| Average salary | $36,140 | $32,408 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $52,000 | Between $26,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Washington |
| Best paying company | Gilead Sciences | La Colombe Coffee Roasters |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between a distribution specialist and a shipping and receiving associate in terms of educational background:
| Distribution Specialist | Shipping And Receiving Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | High School Diploma, 43% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between distribution specialists' and shipping and receiving associates' demographics:
| Distribution Specialist | Shipping And Receiving Associate | |
| Average age | 38 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.1% Female, 34.9% | Male, 82.1% Female, 17.9% |
| 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, 11.0% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 7.2% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |