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The differences between materials technicians and supply 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 $32,185 average annual salary of a supply clerk.
The top three skills for a materials technician include patients, customer service and patient care. The most important skills for a supply clerk are customer service, purchase orders, and inventory control.
| Materials Technician | Supply Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $35,721 | $32,185 |
| Hourly rate | $17.17 | $15.47 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 33,176 | 83,110 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| 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.
A supply clerk works in a warehouse environment helping businesses maintain operations. Supply clerks' duties may vary from job to job. They track receipts, fill orders, manage inventories, report to their supervisors, and update records. They oversee the incoming and outgoing equipment, property, and supply. Also, they execute short-term jobs as they plan to maintain enough funding. They should have skills in attention to detail, leadership, and communication.
Materials technicians and supply clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Materials Technician | Supply Clerk | |
| Average salary | $35,721 | $32,185 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $47,000 | Between $24,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rahway, NJ | Pleasanton, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | Oak Ridge National Laboratory | Columbia University in the City of New York |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a materials technician and a supply clerk in terms of educational background:
| Materials Technician | Supply Clerk | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between materials technicians' and supply clerks' demographics:
| Materials Technician | Supply Clerk | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.6% Female, 27.4% | Male, 55.5% Female, 44.5% |
| 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, 12.1% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.1% Asian, 7.0% White, 55.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |