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The differences between materials technicians and warehouse associates 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 $32,863 average annual salary of a warehouse associate.
The top three skills for a materials technician include patients, customer service and patient care. The most important skills for a warehouse associate are pallets, work ethic, and customer service.
| Materials Technician | Warehouse Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $35,721 | $32,863 |
| Hourly rate | $17.17 | $15.80 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 33,176 | 215,910 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | High School Diploma, 50% |
| 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.
Warehouse associates are employees who take on any task needed at the company warehouse. They receive incoming deliveries, store the items in their proper places, scan the items to log them into the company system, manage stocks and inventory, conduct product inspection to check for damages or defects, and maintain the overall cleanliness of the warehouse. Warehouse associates are also responsible for receiving purchase orders, assembling and packing products related to orders, checking the accuracy of the products relative to the order, and ensuring proper shipment of the products.
Materials technicians and warehouse associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Materials Technician | Warehouse Associate | |
| Average salary | $35,721 | $32,863 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $47,000 | Between $26,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rahway, NJ | Portland, OR |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Oak Ridge National Laboratory | Uline |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a materials technician and a warehouse associate in terms of educational background:
| Materials Technician | Warehouse Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | High School Diploma, 50% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between materials technicians' and warehouse associates' demographics:
| Materials Technician | Warehouse Associate | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.6% Female, 27.4% | Male, 73.7% Female, 26.3% |
| 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, 10.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 6.7% White, 56.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |