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The differences between material leads and materials planners 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 lead and a materials planner. Additionally, a material lead has an average salary of $86,429, which is higher than the $58,467 average annual salary of a materials planner.
The top three skills for a material lead include continuous improvement, logistics and materials management. The most important skills for a materials planner are supply chain, MRP, and purchase orders.
| Material Lead | Materials Planner | |
| Yearly salary | $86,429 | $58,467 |
| Hourly rate | $41.55 | $28.11 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 22,580 | 23,019 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
As a material lead, they must know record-keeping practices, automated system operations, safety/supervisory practices and principles, adopt skills in operating materials handling, automotive and office equipment, and in lifting heavy packages and objects. They are entitled to coordinate the activities of subordinates, design stockroom layout and oversee rearranging processes, examine incoming shipments for shortage or damage and correspond with the shipper to rectify and fill out appropriate documents and forms. They also need to review the complex work procedure to resolve question presentations by workers.
Usually working in a manufacturing setting, a materials planner's role is to manage the supply flow and inventory of materials. Their responsibilities revolve around liaising with vendors and other external agencies, processing purchase orders, monitoring the quality of supplies to ensure it is according to the standards, and coordinating with various teams to learn their needs. Furthermore, as a planner, it is essential to devise strategies to resolve any issues, all while adhering to the company's policies and standards.
Material leads and materials planners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Material Lead | Materials Planner | |
| Average salary | $86,429 | $58,467 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $132,000 | Between $45,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | California |
| Best paying company | Biogen | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a material lead and a materials planner in terms of educational background:
| Material Lead | Materials Planner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between material leads' and materials planners' demographics:
| Material Lead | Materials Planner | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.9% Female, 26.1% | Male, 52.7% Female, 47.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 7.0% White, 60.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |