Materials planner vs planning supervisor

The differences between materials planners and planning supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a materials planner and a planning supervisor. Additionally, a planning supervisor has an average salary of $83,428, which is higher than the $58,467 average annual salary of a materials planner.

The top three skills for a materials planner include supply chain, MRP and purchase orders. The most important skills for a planning supervisor are continuous improvement, logistics, and MRP.

Materials planner vs planning supervisor overview

	Materials Planner	Planning Supervisor
Yearly salary	$58,467	$83,428
Hourly rate	$28.11	$40.11
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	23,019	18,018
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	2	2

What does a materials planner do?

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.

What does a planning supervisor do?

Planning supervisors are professionals who are responsible for coordinating the health and safety aspects of project design and the initial planning. These supervisors are required to ensure that designers cooperate and comply with their duties, especially in avoiding and reducing risks. They must prepare the health and safety plan before arrangements are made for appointing a principal contractor. Planning supervisors must also provide advice to their clients about the competence and allocation of resources by designers and all contractors.

Materials planner vs planning supervisor salary

Materials planners and planning supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Materials Planner	Planning Supervisor
Average salary	$58,467	$83,428
Salary range	Between $45,000 And $74,000	Between $64,000 And $107,000
Highest paying City	Oakland, CA	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	California	Washington
Best paying company	Apple	FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies
Best paying industry	Automotive	Energy

Differences between materials planner and planning supervisor education

There are a few differences between a materials planner and a planning supervisor in terms of educational background:

	Materials Planner	Planning Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Western Carolina University	Western Carolina University

Materials planner vs planning supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between materials planners' and planning supervisors' demographics:

	Materials Planner	Planning Supervisor
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 52.7% Female, 47.3%	Male, 64.6% Female, 35.4%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between materials planner and planning supervisor duties and responsibilities

Materials planner example responsibilities.

Develop and implement purchasing and contract management, policies and procedures and manage ISO documents and improvements.
Determine material and component requirements base on the MRP system and ensure availability to support production schedules.
Monitor MRP forecasts, inventory, customer demand, production requirements, inventory transactions and reject material.
Create and maintain MRP classification codes in addition to reviewing BOM accuracy to ensure correct component identification, ordering and release.
Maintain and setup supplier pull systems (KANBAN).
Key team member in planning, training, implementation, and support of a new ERP system.

Planning supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage inventories of FDA fine chemicals, glass bottles, caps, labels, and shipping materials.
Develop and manage dual eligible program for Medicare and Medicaid recipients.
Prepare construction schedule in Primavera P6.
Develop expert knowledge in new ERP program, design and deliver training sessions, and develop ISO procedures.
Develop and implement appropriate measurement systems capable of assessing overall logistics performance, inventory turnover, and customer satisfaction.
Control sales orders / forecast vs. commit before and after loading into ERP system.

Materials planner vs planning supervisor skills

Common materials planner skills

Supply Chain, 12%
MRP, 8%
Purchase Orders, 5%
Logistics, 5%
Customer Service, 5%
Material Planning, 5%

Common planning supervisor skills

Continuous Improvement, 7%
Logistics, 6%
MRP, 5%
Material Planning, 5%
Production Planning, 4%
Strong Analytical, 4%

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Materials Planner vs Planning Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

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