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Inventory analyst vs inventory specialist

The differences between inventory analysts and inventory specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an inventory analyst has an average salary of $58,944, which is higher than the $35,752 average annual salary of an inventory specialist.

The top three skills for an inventory analyst include supply chain, customer service and logistics. The most important skills for an inventory specialist are customer service, sales floor, and reservations.

Inventory analyst vs inventory specialist overview

Inventory AnalystInventory Specialist
Yearly salary$58,944$35,752
Hourly rate$28.34$17.19
Growth rate23%1%
Number of jobs25,500161,107
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%High School Diploma, 33%
Average age4538
Years of experience--

What does an inventory analyst do?

An inventory analyst is an individual who is responsible for managing inventory items and the daily inventory operations of an organization. Inventory analysts are required to analyze inventory statistics and perform financial analytics to determine which products are selling the most and which are under-performing. They must coordinate with project managers and shipping supervisors to plan and schedule pickups of inventory items. Inventory analysts also order inventory from vendors and document any inventory discrepancies, such as missing items.

What does an inventory specialist do?

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.

Inventory analyst vs inventory specialist salary

Inventory analysts and inventory specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Inventory AnalystInventory Specialist
Average salary$58,944$35,752
Salary rangeBetween $42,000 And $80,000Between $25,000 And $49,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CABoston, MA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaMassachusetts
Best paying companyIntelEnsign Energy
Best paying industryManufacturingTechnology

Differences between inventory analyst and inventory specialist education

There are a few differences between an inventory analyst and an inventory specialist in terms of educational background:

Inventory AnalystInventory Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%High School Diploma, 33%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern California-

Inventory analyst vs inventory specialist demographics

Here are the differences between inventory analysts' and inventory specialists' demographics:

Inventory AnalystInventory Specialist
Average age4538
Gender ratioMale, 56.1% Female, 43.9%Male, 58.9% Female, 41.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 8.5% White, 58.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%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 Percentage9%6%

Differences between inventory analyst and inventory specialist duties and responsibilities

Inventory analyst example responsibilities.

  • Manage vendor compliance and EDI contacts; set up new vendors and monitor EDI data flow.
  • Manage inventory procurement through MRP software.
  • Manage production and non-production stockrooms to ensure that inventory FIFO exceed industry standards.
  • Manage inventory levels by running bi-weekly MRP reports by identifying and validating purchasing requirements.
  • Collect, document, monitor, and review inventory data for accuracy and timeliness within an ERP SL system.
  • Analyze inventory transactions within ERP system.
  • Show more

Inventory specialist example responsibilities.

  • Manage assign commodities by communicating MRP changes to the suppliers, minimizing obsolete inventory while achieving the optimum inventory targets.
  • Manage JDE ERP module for service department of finish goods for sale and field support.
  • Achieve establish average per hour (APH) counting goals while ensuring accuracy and integrity of the data collect.
  • Used WIS scanners to scan stock and download scanner information to computer.
  • Strategize to balance demand and delivery schedules due to expiration date of perishables.
  • Pick and pack any shipments for the customer and ship them through WMS application.
  • Show more

Inventory analyst vs inventory specialist skills

Common inventory analyst skills
  • Supply Chain, 12%
  • Customer Service, 9%
  • Logistics, 7%
  • Purchase Orders, 6%
  • Inventory Control, 5%
  • Manage Inventory, 4%
Common inventory specialist skills
  • Customer Service, 26%
  • Sales Floor, 9%
  • Reservations, 7%
  • Pallet Jack, 6%
  • Safety Standards, 5%
  • Strong Analytical, 5%

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