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Inventory control technician vs materials technician

The differences between inventory control technicians and materials technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an inventory control technician has an average salary of $37,041, which is higher than the $35,721 average annual salary of a materials technician.

The top three skills for an inventory control technician include purchase orders, cycle counts and data entry. The most important skills for a materials technician are patients, customer service, and patient care.

Inventory control technician vs materials technician overview

Inventory Control TechnicianMaterials Technician
Yearly salary$37,041$35,721
Hourly rate$17.81$17.17
Growth rate1%1%
Number of jobs66,55933,176
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 37%Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age3838
Years of experience--

What does an inventory control technician do?

An Inventory Control Technician oversees the storage conditions of products at warehouses, ensuring quality and efficiency. They typically set inventory control guidelines, conduct inventory inspections and assessments, gather and analyze data to develop solutions and action plans against issues, recommend storage and maintenance practices, review documentation, maintain records of transactions, and create strategies to optimize overall operations. Inventory Control Technicians lead and encourage staff to reach their goals while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

What does a materials technician do?

A materials technician is responsible for inspecting and testing tools and materials required for production operations and manufacturing processes, ensuring its stability and efficiency to support business functions and produce high-quality outputs. Materials technicians review the production process and recommend cost-reduction resources by negotiating with trusted suppliers and vendors. They also identify the safety and reliability of materials to prevent operational delays and avoid potential hazards within the work area. A materials technician must be able to operate manufacturing equipment to develop improved techniques and write report findings.

Inventory control technician vs materials technician salary

Inventory control technicians and materials technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Inventory Control TechnicianMaterials Technician
Average salary$37,041$35,721
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $50,000Between $27,000 And $47,000
Highest paying City-Rahway, NJ
Highest paying state-Hawaii
Best paying company-Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Best paying industry-Technology

Differences between inventory control technician and materials technician education

There are a few differences between an inventory control technician and a materials technician in terms of educational background:

Inventory Control TechnicianMaterials Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 37%Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Inventory control technician vs materials technician demographics

Here are the differences between inventory control technicians' and materials technicians' demographics:

Inventory Control TechnicianMaterials Technician
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 71.7% Female, 28.3%Male, 72.6% Female, 27.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 6.6% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 6.4% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between inventory control technician and materials technician duties and responsibilities

Inventory control technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage, review, analyze, verify, and ship raw, stock, purchase, QA, and manufacture materials.
  • Repair and troubleshoot equipment, work safely, good intrapersonal skills
  • Control, disperse and troubleshoot parts and equipment for field technicians daily.
  • Communicate inventory information with inter-officials.
  • Communicate inventory information with inter-officials.

Materials technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage ISO documentation for corporate purchasing.
  • Perform construction surveying and Geotechnical investigations as required.
  • Direct inbound and outbound logistics operations, such as transportation and warehouse activities, safety performance, and logistics quality management.
  • Lumber, shingles, cement blocks, and etc.
  • Ensure sales for everyday needs of lumber, shingles, and many more supplies to customers and contractors.

Inventory control technician vs materials technician skills

Common inventory control technician skills
  • Purchase Orders, 21%
  • Cycle Counts, 18%
  • Data Entry, 11%
  • Computer System, 5%
  • Inventory Control Procedures, 4%
  • Inventory Management, 4%
Common materials technician skills
  • Patients, 10%
  • Customer Service, 9%
  • Patient Care, 8%
  • Data Entry, 8%
  • Asphalt, 5%
  • Management System, 4%

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