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The differences between materials technicians and inventory clerks 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 $32,666 average annual salary of an inventory clerk.
The top three skills for a materials technician include patients, customer service and patient care. The most important skills for an inventory clerk are customer service, data entry, and inventory control.
| Materials Technician | Inventory Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $35,721 | $32,666 |
| Hourly rate | $17.17 | $15.70 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 33,176 | 204,051 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
Inventory clerks or inventory control clerks manage and maintain all inventory coming in and out. They ensure that the items are stored and stocked in their proper places. They have to train less experienced clerks as well as prepare balance and shortage reports. They also need to report any stock issues, place orders when necessary, prepare a list of lacking products, and take note of unusable items. A good inventory clerk must be detail-oriented, organized, and have relevant experience in inventory control.
Materials technicians and inventory clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Materials Technician | Inventory Clerk | |
| Average salary | $35,721 | $32,666 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $47,000 | Between $26,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rahway, NJ | Portland, OR |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Oak Ridge National Laboratory | BD |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a materials technician and an inventory clerk in terms of educational background:
| Materials Technician | Inventory Clerk | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between materials technicians' and inventory clerks' demographics:
| Materials Technician | Inventory Clerk | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.6% Female, 27.4% | Male, 51.4% Female, 48.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 22.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 53.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |