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The differences between materials clerks and inventory specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an inventory specialist has an average salary of $35,752, which is higher than the $32,109 average annual salary of a materials clerk.
The top three skills for a materials clerk include data entry, purchase orders and patient care. The most important skills for an inventory specialist are customer service, sales floor, and reservations.
| Materials Clerk | Inventory Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $32,109 | $35,752 |
| Hourly rate | $15.44 | $17.19 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 222,503 | 161,107 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 30% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A materials clerk is in charge of recording and monitoring the inventory of materials in different establishments, mostly in warehouses and retail facilities. They typically receive and inspect supplies to verify its quality and quantity, handle the documentation procedures, review requisitions and invoices, and update records as needed. Most of the time, they have the authority to accept and reject deliveries according to documents and materials. Moreover, aside from keeping accurate records, a materials clerk must maintain an active communication line with staff for a smooth and efficient 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.
Materials clerks and inventory specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Materials Clerk | Inventory Specialist | |
| Average salary | $32,109 | $35,752 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $40,000 | Between $25,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | Petaluma, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Amphenol | Ensign Energy |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a materials clerk and an inventory specialist in terms of educational background:
| Materials Clerk | Inventory Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 30% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between materials clerks' and inventory specialists' demographics:
| Materials Clerk | Inventory Specialist | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.0% Female, 47.0% | Male, 58.9% Female, 41.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.6% Asian, 7.0% White, 56.0% 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% |