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The differences between inventory technicians and inventory specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an inventory technician has an average salary of $36,199, which is higher than the $35,752 average annual salary of an inventory specialist.
The top three skills for an inventory technician include customer service, patient care and patients. The most important skills for an inventory specialist are customer service, sales floor, and reservations.
| Inventory Technician | Inventory Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $36,199 | $35,752 |
| Hourly rate | $17.40 | $17.19 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 212,629 | 161,107 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Typically working in retail warehouses and establishments, an inventory technician is in charge of maintaining the efficiency of inventory tools and equipment. They usually set guidelines, manage inventory records, operate machines and equipment, troubleshoot problems, and conduct regular maintenance checks. There are also instances where they may produce progress reports and conduct research and analysis. Moreover, an inventory technician must provide technical support to employees and maintain an active communication line for a smooth and safe workflow.
An Inventory Specialist's responsibility is to oversee the inventory in a warehouse or establishment. Most of the tasks of an Inventory Specialist revolve around monitoring the requisition, storage, and deliveries of supplies and merchandise to ensure the quality and quantity of the products. Moreover, the Inventory Specialist also has the responsibility to coordinate with store management when issues arise, train newly hired staff to be a valuable part of the workforce, and provide inventory reports and records to the administration.
Inventory technicians and inventory specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Inventory Technician | Inventory Specialist | |
| Average salary | $36,199 | $35,752 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $47,000 | Between $25,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | Caldwell, ID | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Idaho | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Ensign Energy |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between an inventory technician and an inventory specialist in terms of educational background:
| Inventory Technician | Inventory Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between inventory technicians' and inventory specialists' demographics:
| Inventory Technician | Inventory Specialist | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.5% Female, 31.5% | Male, 58.9% Female, 41.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 7.0% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 7.2% White, 57.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |