Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between inventory management specialists and supply chain managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an inventory management specialist and a supply chain manager. Additionally, a supply chain manager has an average salary of $100,414, 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 supply chain manager are supply chain, logistics, and project management.
| Inventory Management Specialist | Supply Chain Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $56,032 | $100,414 |
| Hourly rate | $26.94 | $48.28 |
| Growth rate | 1% | - |
| Number of jobs | 108,982 | 37,773 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
A supply chain manager is an individual who takes responsibility for managing hardware, equipment, and any other logistical details of an organization. Supply chain managers work alongside the external partners for parts and raw material procurement. They make sure that global companies coordinate with their sources of goods. These professionals also assess their suppliers and negotiate corporate contracts with vendors. The skills they needed include technical understanding, project management, cost accounting skills, and business ethics.
Inventory management specialists and supply chain managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Inventory Management Specialist | Supply Chain Manager | |
| Average salary | $56,032 | $100,414 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $81,000 | Between $72,000 And $139,000 |
| Highest paying City | Tracy, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Vermont |
| Best paying company | NVIDIA | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Government | Professional |
There are a few differences between an inventory management specialist and a supply chain manager in terms of educational background:
| Inventory Management Specialist | Supply Chain Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between inventory management specialists' and supply chain managers' demographics:
| Inventory Management Specialist | Supply Chain Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% | Male, 74.8% Female, 25.2% |
| 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, 7.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |