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The differences between materials technicians and inventory control specialists 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 $34,507 average annual salary of an inventory control specialist.
The top three skills for a materials technician include patients, customer service and patient care. The most important skills for an inventory control specialist are customer service, inventory control procedures, and work ethic.
| Materials Technician | Inventory Control Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $35,721 | $34,507 |
| Hourly rate | $17.17 | $16.59 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 33,176 | 107,710 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | High School Diploma, 31% |
| 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 control specialist ensures company inventory is accurate in all levels to increase the company's profitability. The specialist should maintain stable stocks and should manage the procurement of inventories. He/She or she is responsible for managing the flow of inventory in and out together with the shipment, package, and the storage activities then record them accurately for audits and reporting to the management. Specialists are often employed by various industries. They usually work in warehouses or in local retail locations.
Materials technicians and inventory control specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Materials Technician | Inventory Control Specialist | |
| Average salary | $35,721 | $34,507 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $47,000 | Between $23,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rahway, NJ | Philadelphia, PA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Oak Ridge National Laboratory | JPMorgan Chase & Co. |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a materials technician and an inventory control specialist in terms of educational background:
| Materials Technician | Inventory Control Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | High School Diploma, 31% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between materials technicians' and inventory control specialists' demographics:
| Materials Technician | Inventory Control Specialist | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.6% Female, 27.4% | Male, 63.2% Female, 36.8% |
| 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, 9.8% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 7.0% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |