Inventory management specialist vs inventory control associate

The differences between inventory management specialists and inventory control associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an inventory management specialist has an average salary of $56,032, which is higher than the $37,541 average annual salary of an inventory control associate.

The top three skills for an inventory management specialist include customer service, inventory management system and purchase orders. The most important skills for an inventory control associate are customer service, inventory control, and sales floor.

Inventory management specialist vs inventory control associate overview

	Inventory Management Specialist	Inventory Control Associate
Yearly salary	$56,032	$37,541
Hourly rate	$26.94	$18.05
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	108,982	157,859
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 42%
Average age	47	38
Years of experience	6	-

What does an inventory management specialist do?

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.

What does an inventory control associate do?

In warehouses, an inventory control associate plays a significant role in its daily operations. It is their responsibility to monitor the inventory of supplies, receive job orders and process shipments, monitor the arrival and departure of cargo, and maintain records of all transactions, updating databases as necessary. There are also instances where they must operate machinery and maintain the cleanliness of work areas. Furthermore, as an inventory control associate, it is essential to participate in developing strategies to optimize the facility's supply chain operations while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.

Inventory management specialist vs inventory control associate salary

Inventory management specialists and inventory control associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Inventory Management Specialist	Inventory Control Associate
Average salary	$56,032	$37,541
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $81,000	Between $24,000 And $57,000
Highest paying City	Tracy, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Maryland	New York
Best paying company	NVIDIA	Apollo Global Management
Best paying industry	Government	Technology

Differences between inventory management specialist and inventory control associate education

There are a few differences between an inventory management specialist and an inventory control associate in terms of educational background:

	Inventory Management Specialist	Inventory Control Associate
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 42%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	-

Inventory management specialist vs inventory control associate demographics

Here are the differences between inventory management specialists' and inventory control associates' demographics:

	Inventory Management Specialist	Inventory Control Associate
Average age	47	38
Gender ratio	Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8%	Male, 60.5% Female, 39.5%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 56.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	10%	6%

Differences between inventory management specialist and inventory control associate duties and responsibilities

Inventory management specialist example responsibilities.

Plan, purchase and manage various commodities through the use of various MRP systems.
Experience decision-maker in high-pressure environments; efficiently manage vital decision points autonomously to ensure mission accomplishment in multiple combat deployments.
Scan product bins with RF scanner for refills.
Update the department's inventory with the RF scanner.
Update on hand counts to ensure accurate ordering through the POS system.
Create purchase requisitions base on MRP recommendations, as well as external factors.

Inventory control associate example responsibilities.

Utilize RF system to manage warehouse shipments, reviewing shipments for shortages and overages within the dry goods warehouse.
Participate in material management meetings, offering information on processing of depot support manage items.
Issue RMA's using computer program and receive RMA goods.
Maintain logistics schedule with trucking companies, customers, and other vendors.
Locate products and materials using a RF scanner and transport to its designate aisle locations.
Handle all task in the warehouse with responsibilities in shipments, pickups, and operating systems; shipping and receiving logistics.

Inventory management specialist vs inventory control associate skills

Common inventory management specialist skills

Customer Service, 23%
Inventory Management System, 15%
Purchase Orders, 7%
Sales Floor, 5%
Stock Merchandise, 5%
Safety Standards, 5%

Common inventory control associate skills

Customer Service, 21%
Inventory Control, 15%
Sales Floor, 10%
Cycle Counts, 7%
Pallets, 4%
Data Entry, 3%

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Inventory Management Specialist
Inventory Management Specialist vs Inventory Control Associate

Updated January 8, 2025

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