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The differences between service 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 service planner and a materials planner. Additionally, a materials planner has an average salary of $58,467, which is higher than the $56,421 average annual salary of a service planner.
The top three skills for a service planner include customer complaints, data entry and customer service. The most important skills for a materials planner are supply chain, MRP, and purchase orders.
| Service Planner | Materials Planner | |
| Yearly salary | $56,421 | $58,467 |
| Hourly rate | $27.13 | $28.11 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 15,435 | 23,019 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The duties of a service planner depend on their place or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities include performing market research and analysis, gathering and analyzing customer data and feedback, liaising with external parties such as vendors and suppliers, establishing guidelines and timelines, and developing strategies to optimize operations. They must also monitor the progress of operations from planning to execution, resolving problems should any arise. Moreover, a service planner usually works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.
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.
Service planners and materials planners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Service Planner | Materials Planner | |
| Average salary | $56,421 | $58,467 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $78,000 | Between $45,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a service planner and a materials planner in terms of educational background:
| Service Planner | Materials Planner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between service planners' and materials planners' demographics:
| Service Planner | Materials Planner | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.5% Female, 55.5% | Male, 52.7% Female, 47.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.0% 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% |