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The differences between inventory control specialists and inventory clerks 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 $32,666 average annual salary of an inventory clerk.
The top three skills for an inventory control specialist include customer service, inventory control procedures and work ethic. The most important skills for an inventory clerk are customer service, data entry, and inventory control.
| Inventory Control Specialist | Inventory Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $34,507 | $32,666 |
| Hourly rate | $16.59 | $15.70 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 107,710 | 204,051 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 31% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
Inventory clerks or inventory control clerks manage and maintain all inventory coming in and out. They ensure that the items are stored and stocked in their proper places. They have to train less experienced clerks as well as prepare balance and shortage reports. They also need to report any stock issues, place orders when necessary, prepare a list of lacking products, and take note of unusable items. A good inventory clerk must be detail-oriented, organized, and have relevant experience in inventory control.
Inventory control specialists and inventory clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Inventory Control Specialist | Inventory Clerk | |
| Average salary | $34,507 | $32,666 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $51,000 | Between $26,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Philadelphia, PA | Portland, OR |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Oregon |
| Best paying company | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | BD |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an inventory control specialist and an inventory clerk in terms of educational background:
| Inventory Control Specialist | Inventory Clerk | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 31% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between inventory control specialists' and inventory clerks' demographics:
| Inventory Control Specialist | Inventory Clerk | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.2% Female, 36.8% | Male, 51.4% Female, 48.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 22.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 53.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |