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The differences between inventory managers and inventory management specialists 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 manager and an inventory management specialist. Additionally, an inventory manager has an average salary of $62,768, which is higher than the $56,032 average annual salary of an inventory management specialist.
The top three skills for an inventory manager 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 Manager | Inventory Management Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $62,768 | $56,032 |
| Hourly rate | $30.18 | $26.94 |
| Growth rate | -6% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 30,717 | 108,982 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 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 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 managers and inventory management specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Inventory Manager | Inventory Management Specialist | |
| Average salary | $62,768 | $56,032 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $91,000 | Between $38,000 And $81,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Tracy, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Maryland |
| Best paying company | NVIDIA | NVIDIA |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Government |
There are a few differences between an inventory manager and an inventory management specialist in terms of educational background:
| Inventory Manager | Inventory Management Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between inventory managers' and inventory management specialists' demographics:
| Inventory Manager | Inventory Management Specialist | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6% | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% |
| 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, 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 | 10% | 10% |