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The differences between product planners and materials planners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a product planner and a materials planner. Additionally, a product planner has an average salary of $94,669, which is higher than the $58,467 average annual salary of a materials planner.
The top three skills for a product planner include product development, product planning and product line. The most important skills for a materials planner are supply chain, MRP, and purchase orders.
| Product Planner | Materials Planner | |
| Yearly salary | $94,669 | $58,467 |
| Hourly rate | $45.51 | $28.11 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 85,346 | 23,019 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Product planner positions require a battery of skills, including decisiveness, stress management, leadership, organization, communication, statistics, business operations, computer literacy, and problem-solving, to name a few. Those who choose this career will be required to involve internally-focused decisions, steps, and tasks necessary to develop a successful product.
Usually working in a manufacturing setting, a materials planner's role is to manage the supply flow and inventory of materials. Their responsibilities revolve around liaising with vendors and other external agencies, processing purchase orders, monitoring the quality of supplies to ensure it is according to the standards, and coordinating with various teams to learn their needs. Furthermore, as a planner, it is essential to devise strategies to resolve any issues, all while adhering to the company's policies and standards.
Product planners and materials planners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Planner | Materials Planner | |
| Average salary | $94,669 | $58,467 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $124,000 | Between $45,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a product planner and a materials planner in terms of educational background:
| Product Planner | Materials Planner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between product planners' and materials planners' demographics:
| Product Planner | Materials Planner | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.2% Female, 42.8% | Male, 52.7% Female, 47.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 7.4% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 7.0% White, 60.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |