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The differences between inventory management specialists and specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an inventory management specialist, becoming a specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a specialist has an average salary of $58,013, which is higher than the $56,032 average annual salary of an inventory management specialist.
The top three skills for an inventory management specialist include customer service, inventory management system and purchase orders. The most important skills for a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.
| Inventory Management Specialist | Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $56,032 | $58,013 |
| Hourly rate | $26.94 | $27.89 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 108,982 | 358,433 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 47 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
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.
Specialists are employees who are responsible for specific tasks or activities in the department they are assigned to. The actions or tasks they work on are related to their educational background or work experiences. They are usually highly skilled in specializations related to the work they are assigned to. Specialists are also highly trained on the competencies that are required of their specialty. As such, they are focused on the skills and competencies that are needed to enhance their experience in their specific field further.
Inventory management specialists and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Inventory Management Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average salary | $56,032 | $58,013 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $81,000 | Between $32,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Tracy, CA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | NVIDIA | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between an inventory management specialist and a specialist in terms of educational background:
| Inventory Management Specialist | Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between inventory management specialists' and specialists' demographics:
| Inventory Management Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average age | 47 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% | Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5% |
| 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, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 11% |