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The differences between materials associates and materials technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a materials technician has an average salary of $35,721, which is higher than the $34,143 average annual salary of a materials associate.
The top three skills for a materials associate include OSHA, RF and management system. The most important skills for a materials technician are patients, customer service, and patient care.
| Materials Associate | Materials Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $34,143 | $35,721 |
| Hourly rate | $16.41 | $17.17 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 56,770 | 33,176 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A Materials Associate will perform a variety of duties and responsibilities for an organization. These include maintaining the production and distribution of products, documenting materials and supplies, and preparing finished products for shipment. As a Materials Associate, you will perform preventive maintenance of material handling equipment and schedule and monitor delivery pickups. You will also perform other duties that may include maintaining established company procedures, policies, and standards, maintaining a safe and clean work environment, and maintaining building security.
A materials technician is responsible for inspecting and testing tools and materials required for production operations and manufacturing processes, ensuring its stability and efficiency to support business functions and produce high-quality outputs. Materials technicians review the production process and recommend cost-reduction resources by negotiating with trusted suppliers and vendors. They also identify the safety and reliability of materials to prevent operational delays and avoid potential hazards within the work area. A materials technician must be able to operate manufacturing equipment to develop improved techniques and write report findings.
Materials associates and materials technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Materials Associate | Materials Technician | |
| Average salary | $34,143 | $35,721 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $55,000 | Between $27,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Coventry, RI | Rahway, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New York | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Eli Lilly and Company | Oak Ridge National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a materials associate and a materials technician in terms of educational background:
| Materials Associate | Materials Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between materials associates' and materials technicians' demographics:
| Materials Associate | Materials Technician | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.6% Female, 15.4% | Male, 72.6% Female, 27.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 6.7% White, 56.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 6.4% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |