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The differences between stowers and inventory clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an inventory clerk has an average salary of $32,666, which is higher than the $27,464 average annual salary of a stower.
The top three skills for a stower include PET, pallets and basic math. The most important skills for an inventory clerk are customer service, data entry, and inventory control.
| Stower | Inventory Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $27,464 | $32,666 |
| Hourly rate | $13.20 | $15.70 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 198,954 | 204,051 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A stower is responsible for scanning a product and appropriately placing it to the right shelf for customer's consumption. Duties of a stower include inspecting the item for any defects and escalating damaged items to the supervisor ensuring adequately labeled products. Other responsibilities include operating essential store equipment, adhering to the sanitary standards of the working area, and assisting customers with their concerns and inquiries. A stower should have excellent time-management skills and the ability to multi-task, especially on working with a fast-paced environment.
Inventory clerks or inventory control clerks manage and maintain all inventory coming in and out. They ensure that the items are stored and stocked in their proper places. They have to train less experienced clerks as well as prepare balance and shortage reports. They also need to report any stock issues, place orders when necessary, prepare a list of lacking products, and take note of unusable items. A good inventory clerk must be detail-oriented, organized, and have relevant experience in inventory control.
Stowers and inventory clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Stower | Inventory Clerk | |
| Average salary | $27,464 | $32,666 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $34,000 | Between $26,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Lakewood, WA | Portland, OR |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Rich Products | BD |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a stower and an inventory clerk in terms of educational background:
| Stower | Inventory Clerk | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between stowers' and inventory clerks' demographics:
| Stower | Inventory Clerk | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.9% Female, 30.1% | Male, 51.4% Female, 48.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.6% Asian, 6.7% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 22.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 53.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |