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The differences between materials technicians and supply specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a supply specialist has an average salary of $39,791, which is higher than the $35,721 average annual salary of a materials technician.
The top three skills for a materials technician include patients, customer service and patient care. The most important skills for a supply specialist are customer service, logistical support, and safety regulations.
| Materials Technician | Supply Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $35,721 | $39,791 |
| Hourly rate | $17.17 | $19.13 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 33,176 | 27,197 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| 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 specialist is responsible for monitoring the adequacy of equipment and supplies, including quality maintenance and securing storage of merchandise. Supply specialists manage order requests, verify shipment details, and perform data entry tasks such as updating the database for incoming and outgoing supplies. They should be highly analytical, inspecting the items for any defects and malfunctions, and immediately processing replacement and new stock issuance. A supply specialist should follow the safety protocols at all times to avoid operational hazards and any possible delays.
Materials technicians and supply specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Materials Technician | Supply Specialist | |
| Average salary | $35,721 | $39,791 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $47,000 | Between $25,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rahway, NJ | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Oak Ridge National Laboratory | TALENT Software Services |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a materials technician and a supply specialist in terms of educational background:
| Materials Technician | Supply Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between materials technicians' and supply specialists' demographics:
| Materials Technician | Supply Specialist | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.6% Female, 27.4% | Male, 61.4% Female, 38.6% |
| 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, 11.6% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 7.2% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |