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Inventory assistant vs warehouse associate

The differences between inventory assistants and warehouse associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an inventory assistant has an average salary of $35,411, which is higher than the $32,863 average annual salary of a warehouse associate.

The top three skills for an inventory assistant include customer service, cycle counts and physical inventory. The most important skills for a warehouse associate are pallets, work ethic, and customer service.

Inventory assistant vs warehouse associate overview

Inventory AssistantWarehouse Associate
Yearly salary$35,411$32,863
Hourly rate$17.02$15.80
Growth rate1%1%
Number of jobs68,253215,910
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 47%High School Diploma, 50%
Average age3838
Years of experience--

What does an inventory assistant do?

Inventory auditors are responsible for creating and monitoring inventory reports and for recording various products and stock. Often, an inventory auditor works full-time hours in a warehouse, delivery company, business establishment, or mall. Their job includes traveling to different locations, and they may work with multiple industries. They count an item's quantity and compare the inventory record to physical inventory to ensure there is no missing product.

What does a warehouse associate do?

Warehouse associates are employees who take on any task needed at the company warehouse. They receive incoming deliveries, store the items in their proper places, scan the items to log them into the company system, manage stocks and inventory, conduct product inspection to check for damages or defects, and maintain the overall cleanliness of the warehouse. Warehouse associates are also responsible for receiving purchase orders, assembling and packing products related to orders, checking the accuracy of the products relative to the order, and ensuring proper shipment of the products.

Inventory assistant vs warehouse associate salary

Inventory assistants and warehouse associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

Inventory AssistantWarehouse Associate
Average salary$35,411$32,863
Salary rangeBetween $24,000 And $50,000Between $26,000 And $40,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MAPortland, OR
Highest paying stateVermontNorth Dakota
Best paying companyDana-Farber Cancer InstituteUline
Best paying industryTransportationManufacturing

Differences between inventory assistant and warehouse associate education

There are a few differences between an inventory assistant and a warehouse associate in terms of educational background:

Inventory AssistantWarehouse Associate
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 47%High School Diploma, 50%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Inventory assistant vs warehouse associate demographics

Here are the differences between inventory assistants' and warehouse associates' demographics:

Inventory AssistantWarehouse Associate
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 54.8% Female, 45.2%Male, 73.7% Female, 26.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.7% Asian, 6.9% White, 53.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 6.7% White, 56.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between inventory assistant and warehouse associate duties and responsibilities

Inventory assistant example responsibilities.

  • Perform research and data analysis to monitor inventory movement, logistics metrics, and identify and lead process improvement initiatives.
  • Perform scans of merchandise using an RGIS handheld computer to complete inventory audits on retail establishments

Warehouse associate example responsibilities.

  • Rotate stock by code and receiving date - FIFO.
  • Create and ship documents for customs using DHL software.
  • Utilize RF gun for scanning duties include closing out invoices and assigning load plans.
  • Perform all tasks according to OSHA regulations and also attend daily safety tool box meetings.
  • Utilize a hand-held RF unit to select products/quantities for retail orders in a high volume warehouse.
  • Require consistent heavy lifting, math skills (primarily measurements), and fierce attention to detail.
  • Show more

Inventory assistant vs warehouse associate skills

Common inventory assistant skills
  • Customer Service, 34%
  • Cycle Counts, 14%
  • Physical Inventory, 10%
  • Inventory Control, 6%
  • Data Entry, 5%
  • Inventory Process, 5%
Common warehouse associate skills
  • Pallets, 15%
  • Work Ethic, 12%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • Basic Math, 7%
  • Warehouse Environment, 5%
  • Math, 4%

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