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The differences between materials planning managers and supply chain specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a materials planning manager and a supply chain specialist. Additionally, a materials planning manager has an average salary of $95,361, which is higher than the $71,414 average annual salary of a supply chain specialist.
The top three skills for a materials planning manager include material planning, logistics and continuous improvement. The most important skills for a supply chain specialist are supply chain, logistics, and chain management.
| Materials Planning Manager | Supply Chain Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $95,361 | $71,414 |
| Hourly rate | $45.85 | $34.33 |
| Growth rate | -6% | 28% |
| Number of jobs | 32,967 | 25,129 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Materials planning managers are management professionals who are responsible for developing material planning processes to enable operational and production continuity in a manufacturing firm. These managers must ensure that the supply of materials is available so that they can meet and satisfy production requirements. They must manage and develop a team that meets objectives and delivers best practice results and continuous improvements. Material planning managers must also collaborate with the purchasing team to evaluate the performance of suppliers and provide resolution about their concerns.
It is the responsibility of the supply chain specialist to procure materials to manufacture and ship products. The supply chain specialist determines and orders the proper quantities and negotiates pricing and their shipment terms. They oversee the delivery of necessary materials for the fulfillment of orders made by customers. The specialists need to develop strong skills in project management, business ethics, problem-solving, understanding of financial statements, communication skills, and cost accounting skills.
Materials planning managers and supply chain specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Materials Planning Manager | Supply Chain Specialist | |
| Average salary | $95,361 | $71,414 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $124,000 | Between $49,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Fitbit | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Energy |
There are a few differences between a materials planning manager and a supply chain specialist in terms of educational background:
| Materials Planning Manager | Supply Chain Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between materials planning managers' and supply chain specialists' demographics:
| Materials Planning Manager | Supply Chain Specialist | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.2% Female, 22.8% | Male, 58.6% Female, 41.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 7.4% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 8.8% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 10% |