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The differences between parts specialists and parts associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a parts specialist and a parts associate. Additionally, a parts specialist has an average salary of $33,611, which is higher than the $32,152 average annual salary of a parts associate.
The top three skills for a parts specialist include taking care, customer service and inventory control. The most important skills for a parts associate are parts inventory, customer satisfaction, and inventory control.
| Parts Specialist | Parts Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $33,611 | $32,152 |
| Hourly rate | $16.16 | $15.46 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 46,301 | 23,603 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 37% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Parts specialists are responsible for the sale and maintenance of inventory at a dealership, an automotive care center, or other businesses providing automotive parts and supplies. Their duties and responsibilities include maintaining detailed inventory records, purchasing automotive parts, and ensuring that parts are delivered promptly. They are responsible for answering customer questions about various machine parts and equipment. Qualifications for this position vary, which include relevant work experience, experience in a supervisory or managerial job, and professional training through a vocational school.
A parts associate works in a parts store and is responsible for selling, identifying, and procuring parts. Working with customers, parts associates evaluate customer problems and descriptions to identify the right parts needed for replacement. These associates also maintain an inventory log and trace parts for older machines as may be required. Parts associates advise and demonstrate to clients how respective parts function, how to properly install the components on machines, and how to use them correctly.
Parts specialists and parts associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Parts Specialist | Parts Associate | |
| Average salary | $33,611 | $32,152 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $42,000 | Between $26,000 And $38,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | - |
| Highest paying state | Washington | - |
| Best paying company | Steel Dynamics | - |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between a parts specialist and a parts associate in terms of educational background:
| Parts Specialist | Parts Associate | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 37% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between parts specialists' and parts associates' demographics:
| Parts Specialist | Parts Associate | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.9% Female, 23.1% | Male, 77.7% Female, 22.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 1.7% White, 69.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 1.7% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |