Material controller vs production scheduler

The differences between material controllers and production schedulers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a material controller and a production scheduler. Additionally, a production scheduler has an average salary of $49,367, which is higher than the $41,064 average annual salary of a material controller.

The top three skills for a material controller include computer system, purchase orders and hazardous materials. The most important skills for a production scheduler are customer service, MRP, and continuous improvement.

Material controller vs production scheduler overview

	Material Controller	Production Scheduler
Yearly salary	$41,064	$49,367
Hourly rate	$19.74	$23.73
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	93,578	64,551
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 47%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	2	2

What does a material controller do?

A material controller coordinates the movement of materials between departments. This position's duties include creating records of materials' movements in the company, negotiating with vendors, carrying out safety checks, and ensuring operations follow company and industry regulations. They must work in collaboration with other departments in the company to perform their duties effectively.

What does a production scheduler do?

A production scheduler is in charge of developing manufacturing schedules to achieve short and long term production goals. Their responsibilities typically revolve around performing research and analysis to understand the extent of all procedures, identifying the needs of clients, and devising strategies for optimal operations. They must also monitor the company's resources and workforce to ensure that everything runs smoothly in adherence to all schedules, making changes only when necessary. Furthermore, as a production scheduler, it is essential to encourage the workforce to reach goals and deadlines, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

Material controller vs production scheduler salary

Material controllers and production schedulers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Material Controller	Production Scheduler
Average salary	$41,064	$49,367
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $68,000	Between $33,000 And $71,000
Highest paying City	Lancaster, CA	Richmond, VA
Highest paying state	California	Virginia
Best paying company	Aviation Technology Group	Amphenol
Best paying industry	Energy	Technology

Differences between material controller and production scheduler education

There are a few differences between a material controller and a production scheduler in terms of educational background:

	Material Controller	Production Scheduler
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 47%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Western Carolina University	Western Carolina University

Material controller vs production scheduler demographics

Here are the differences between material controllers' and production schedulers' demographics:

	Material Controller	Production Scheduler
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 71.8% Female, 28.2%	Male, 54.3% Female, 45.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 7.0% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 7.4% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between material controller and production scheduler duties and responsibilities

Material controller example responsibilities.

Manage and coordinate customer delivery commits between production, engineering and logistics.
Assist to establish EDI with vendors.
Perform cleaning duties, range from cleaning sales floor to cleaning windows.
Provide training in SPC, wafer cleaning, final inspection and reactor operations.
Enter data into RF scanner to load and manipulate data and to produce reports.
Prepare and update weekly material report, material requirement planning (MRP) and end of life (EOL) report.

Production scheduler example responsibilities.

Lead a Kaizen to improve efficiency and reduce non-value add work in the scheduling department.
Manage and purchase all MRO material inventory supplies for the production of automotive safety products.
Design, develop, and manage process of ordering and maintaining materials not migrate into ERP system.
Supervise NPI chip fulfillment process - manage wafer starts to meet internal qualification and board level build plan.
Generate prioritize schedules by manufacturing work centers base on MRP requirements, material availability, and capacity constraints.
Inventory reduction, JIT, OTD ,

Material controller vs production scheduler skills

Common material controller skills

Computer System, 12%
Purchase Orders, 11%
Hazardous Materials, 10%
FAA, 6%
MSDS, 5%
Inventory Control, 4%

Common production scheduler skills

Customer Service, 12%
MRP, 7%
Continuous Improvement, 6%
ERP, 5%
Production Planning, 4%
Lean Manufacturing, 3%

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Material Controller
Material Controller vs Production Scheduler

Updated January 8, 2025

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