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The differences between inventory managers and material 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 manager and a material manager. Additionally, a material manager has an average salary of $96,125, which is higher than the $62,768 average annual salary of an inventory manager.
The top three skills for an inventory manager include PET, direct reports and customer service. The most important skills for a material manager are supply chain, logistics, and customer service.
| Inventory Manager | Material Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $62,768 | $96,125 |
| Hourly rate | $30.18 | $46.21 |
| Growth rate | -6% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 30,717 | 43,759 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| 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.
A material manager is responsible for monitoring inventories and stock supplies, ensuring the adequacy of materials needed for manufacturing or other operations, depending on the organization's industry. Material managers meet with suppliers and third-party vendors, negotiating contracts that would fit the budget goals of the company without compromising quality. They manage the distribution of resources throughout the organizations' department and provide purchase reports for the management. A material manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to address the needs of an organization for smooth operations.
Inventory managers and material managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Inventory Manager | Material Manager | |
| Average salary | $62,768 | $96,125 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $91,000 | Between $72,000 And $126,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | NVIDIA | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Technology |
There are a few differences between an inventory manager and a material manager in terms of educational background:
| Inventory Manager | Material Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between inventory managers' and material managers' demographics:
| Inventory Manager | Material Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6% | Male, 77.7% Female, 22.3% |
| 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, 9.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 7.4% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 11% |