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The differences between inventory leads and inventory management specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an inventory lead, becoming an inventory management specialist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an inventory management specialist has an average salary of $56,032, which is higher than the $42,812 average annual salary of an inventory lead.
The top three skills for an inventory lead include PET, direct reports and customer service. The most important skills for an inventory management specialist are customer service, inventory management system, and purchase orders.
| Inventory Lead | Inventory Management Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $42,812 | $56,032 |
| Hourly rate | $20.58 | $26.94 |
| Growth rate | -3% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 19,766 | 108,982 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 45 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
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 management specialist is responsible for maintaining the adequacy of stock supplies to support customers' needs. Inventory management specialists help develop inventory processes and strategies to keep the supplies organized and free of any defects while on storage. They also monitor inventory costs and process orders through various software tools, requiring them to have a working knowledge of computer systems and the ability to operate warehouse equipment and machinery on moving merchandise around the warehouse.
Inventory leads and inventory management specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Inventory Lead | Inventory Management Specialist | |
| Average salary | $42,812 | $56,032 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $60,000 | Between $38,000 And $81,000 |
| Highest paying City | East Windsor, NJ | Tracy, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Accenture | NVIDIA |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Government |
There are a few differences between an inventory lead and an inventory management specialist in terms of educational background:
| Inventory Lead | Inventory Management Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between inventory leads' and inventory management specialists' demographics:
| Inventory Lead | Inventory Management Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.3% Female, 33.7% | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% |
| 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, 7.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 10% |