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The differences between inventory leads and inventory associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an inventory lead has an average salary of $42,812, which is higher than the $30,067 average annual salary of an inventory associate.
The top three skills for an inventory lead include PET, direct reports and customer service. The most important skills for an inventory associate are ladders, strong work ethic, and work ethic.
| Inventory Lead | Inventory Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $42,812 | $30,067 |
| Hourly rate | $20.58 | $14.46 |
| Growth rate | -3% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 19,766 | 184,462 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 45 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
The inventory lead acts as an inventory manager who oversees the inventory level of a business and leads inventory or warehouse employees in record-tracking of new stocks delivered and shipped out. The inventory manager is responsible for recording daily deliveries, assessing new shipments, and analyzing various suppliers. To optimize operations, he/she manages employee's schedules, shipments, and deliveries and develops interpersonal ability and leadership skills while working with marketing, sales, and purchasing managers.
An inventory associate is responsible for monitoring inventory supplies, ensuring that the supplies are adequate for customers' orders and business' needs. Inventory associates manage order sheets and record inventory reports, check items for possible defects, prepare merchandise for shipment, inspect delivered inventory supplies and return damaged items, organize shelves, and operate basic warehouse equipment. An inventory associate must have strong analytical and data entry skills to input inventory records in the system efficiently and accurately.
Inventory leads and inventory associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Inventory Lead | Inventory Associate | |
| Average salary | $42,812 | $30,067 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $60,000 | Between $24,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | East Windsor, NJ | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Washington |
| Best paying company | Accenture | Phillips 66 |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Technology |
There are a few differences between an inventory lead and an inventory associate in terms of educational background:
| Inventory Lead | Inventory Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | - |
Here are the differences between inventory leads' and inventory associates' demographics:
| Inventory Lead | Inventory Associate | |
| Average age | 45 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.3% Female, 33.7% | Male, 59.5% Female, 40.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 7.0% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.6% Asian, 7.1% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 6% |