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The differences between inventory control specialists and materials specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a materials specialist has an average salary of $44,143, 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 a materials specialist are customer service, logistics, and data entry.
| Inventory Control Specialist | Materials Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $34,507 | $44,143 |
| Hourly rate | $16.59 | $21.22 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 107,710 | 38,001 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| 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.
A materials specialist is responsible for researching efficient and high-quality materials for production and manufacturing processes, following the designs and specifications of the engineering team and design analysts. Materials specialists identify cost-reduction materials by coordinating with trusted suppliers and vendors and determine the suitability of these items in the supply chain. They conduct data and statistical analysis to develop strategic techniques that would minimize the company's expenditures and cost. A materials specialist must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in writing expense reports and discuss findings to the senior management.
Inventory control specialists and materials specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Inventory Control Specialist | Materials Specialist | |
| Average salary | $34,507 | $44,143 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $51,000 | Between $24,000 And $79,000 |
| Highest paying City | Philadelphia, PA | San Diego, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an inventory control specialist and a materials specialist in terms of educational background:
| Inventory Control Specialist | Materials Specialist | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between inventory control specialists' and materials specialists' demographics:
| Inventory Control Specialist | Materials Specialist | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.2% Female, 36.8% | Male, 64.4% Female, 35.6% |
| 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, 10.3% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 6.6% White, 57.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |