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The differences between inventory managers and inventory controllers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an inventory manager has an average salary of $62,768, which is higher than the $36,911 average annual salary of an inventory controller.
The top three skills for an inventory manager include PET, direct reports and customer service. The most important skills for an inventory controller are inventory control, customer service, and data entry.
| Inventory Manager | Inventory Controller | |
| Yearly salary | $62,768 | $36,911 |
| Hourly rate | $30.18 | $17.75 |
| Growth rate | -6% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 30,717 | 140,496 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 47 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
An inventory manager is responsible for supervising the overall inventory operations, monitoring supplies and materials, and checking the accuracy of data reports from the inventory associates. Inventory managers' duties include validating stock levels using record software tools, determining the availability of stocks for purchase orders, inspecting the incoming and outgoing shipments, and addressing product concerns by communicating with suppliers and third-party vendors. An inventory manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to handle the staff's performance and manage customers' inquiries and complaints.
An inventory controller is responsible for performing duties for the inventory department of an organization. Inventory controllers ensure the adequacy of the product and materials needed for daily operations. They maintain inventory reports, manage stock supplies, negotiate with third-party vendors for orders of quality products, monitor deliveries, verifying orders for shipment, handling the employee and customers' requests for supplies, and receiving orders efficiently. Inventory controllers keep receipts of all inventory transactions, as well as inspecting the quality of the inventory items, requiring them to have excellent analytical and critical-thinking skills.
Inventory managers and inventory controllers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Inventory Manager | Inventory Controller | |
| Average salary | $62,768 | $36,911 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $91,000 | Between $28,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Everett, MA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | NVIDIA | General Dynamics Mission Systems |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Technology |
There are a few differences between an inventory manager and an inventory controller in terms of educational background:
| Inventory Manager | Inventory Controller | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | - |
Here are the differences between inventory managers' and inventory controllers' demographics:
| Inventory Manager | Inventory Controller | |
| Average age | 47 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6% | Male, 59.4% Female, 40.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 8.5% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.8% Asian, 6.7% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 6% |