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The differences between shipping and receiving associates and inventory specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an inventory specialist has an average salary of $35,752, which is higher than the $32,408 average annual salary of a shipping and receiving associate.
The top three skills for a shipping and receiving associate include shipping receiving, pallets and customer service. The most important skills for an inventory specialist are customer service, sales floor, and reservations.
| Shipping And Receiving Associate | Inventory Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $32,408 | $35,752 |
| Hourly rate | $15.58 | $17.19 |
| Growth rate | -3% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 168,957 | 161,107 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 43% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Average age | 43 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
Usually, shipping and receiving associates work in retail or a warehouse to manage the incoming and outgoing materials and products. Shipping and receiving associates keep records of all the materials received and shipped. They develop the mailing labels as well as the shipping documents. It is their job to make sure that orders are filled appropriately. The skills necessary for this job include basic math, communication, organization, and attention to detail.
An Inventory Specialist's responsibility is to oversee the inventory in a warehouse or establishment. Most of the tasks of an Inventory Specialist revolve around monitoring the requisition, storage, and deliveries of supplies and merchandise to ensure the quality and quantity of the products. Moreover, the Inventory Specialist also has the responsibility to coordinate with store management when issues arise, train newly hired staff to be a valuable part of the workforce, and provide inventory reports and records to the administration.
Shipping and receiving associates and inventory specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Shipping And Receiving Associate | Inventory Specialist | |
| Average salary | $32,408 | $35,752 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $39,000 | Between $25,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | La Colombe Coffee Roasters | Ensign Energy |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a shipping and receiving associate and an inventory specialist in terms of educational background:
| Shipping And Receiving Associate | Inventory Specialist | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 43% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between shipping and receiving associates' and inventory specialists' demographics:
| Shipping And Receiving Associate | Inventory Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.1% Female, 17.9% | Male, 58.9% Female, 41.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 7.2% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 7.2% White, 57.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |