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The differences between inventory control specialists and inventory controllers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an inventory controller has an average salary of $36,911, which is higher than the $34,507 average annual salary of an inventory control specialist.
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 controller are inventory control, customer service, and data entry.
| Inventory Control Specialist | Inventory Controller | |
| Yearly salary | $34,507 | $36,911 |
| Hourly rate | $16.59 | $17.75 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 107,710 | 140,496 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| 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.
An inventory controller is responsible for performing duties for the inventory department of an organization. Inventory controllers ensure the adequacy of the product and materials needed for daily operations. They maintain inventory reports, manage stock supplies, negotiate with third-party vendors for orders of quality products, monitor deliveries, verifying orders for shipment, handling the employee and customers' requests for supplies, and receiving orders efficiently. Inventory controllers keep receipts of all inventory transactions, as well as inspecting the quality of the inventory items, requiring them to have excellent analytical and critical-thinking skills.
Inventory control specialists and inventory controllers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Inventory Control Specialist | Inventory Controller | |
| Average salary | $34,507 | $36,911 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $51,000 | Between $28,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | Philadelphia, PA | Everett, MA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | General Dynamics Mission Systems |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an inventory control specialist and an inventory controller in terms of educational background:
| Inventory Control Specialist | Inventory Controller | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between inventory control specialists' and inventory controllers' demographics:
| Inventory Control Specialist | Inventory Controller | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.2% Female, 36.8% | Male, 59.4% Female, 40.6% |
| 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, 9.8% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.8% Asian, 6.7% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |