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The differences between distribution technicians and inventory control specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an inventory control specialist has an average salary of $34,507, which is higher than the $33,564 average annual salary of a distribution technician.
The top three skills for a distribution technician include patients, computer system and data entry. The most important skills for an inventory control specialist are customer service, inventory control procedures, and work ethic.
| Distribution Technician | Inventory Control Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $33,564 | $34,507 |
| Hourly rate | $16.14 | $16.59 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 154,925 | 107,710 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 31% | High School Diploma, 31% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A distribution technician has a variety of duties and responsibilities, including collecting and delivering materials, receiving documents, packages, and messages, and transporting them safely to their destination. Other tasks that you will likely perform include managing the inventory and completing data entry, preparing documentation and reports, and coordinating logistics for the shipment of products. Additional duties include providing quality service to customers and distributors, resolving inventory discrepancies, and collecting and updating customer information. You may also be tasked to conduct field and laboratory testing of construction materials.
Inventory control specialist ensures company inventory is accurate in all levels to increase the company's profitability. The specialist should maintain stable stocks and should manage the procurement of inventories. He/She or she is responsible for managing the flow of inventory in and out together with the shipment, package, and the storage activities then record them accurately for audits and reporting to the management. Specialists are often employed by various industries. They usually work in warehouses or in local retail locations.
Distribution technicians and inventory control specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Distribution Technician | Inventory Control Specialist | |
| Average salary | $33,564 | $34,507 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $41,000 | Between $23,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vallejo, CA | Philadelphia, PA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Brigham and Women's Hospital | JPMorgan Chase & Co. |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Technology |
There are a few differences between a distribution technician and an inventory control specialist in terms of educational background:
| Distribution Technician | Inventory Control Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 31% | High School Diploma, 31% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between distribution technicians' and inventory control specialists' demographics:
| Distribution Technician | Inventory Control Specialist | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.8% Female, 29.2% | Male, 63.2% Female, 36.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 7.0% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 7.0% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |