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The differences between supply chain specialists and specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a supply chain specialist, becoming a specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a supply chain specialist has an average salary of $71,414, which is higher than the $58,013 average annual salary of a specialist.
The top three skills for a supply chain specialist include supply chain, logistics and chain management. The most important skills for a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.
| Supply Chain Specialist | Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $71,414 | $58,013 |
| Hourly rate | $34.33 | $27.89 |
| Growth rate | 28% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 25,129 | 358,433 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 47 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
It is the responsibility of the supply chain specialist to procure materials to manufacture and ship products. The supply chain specialist determines and orders the proper quantities and negotiates pricing and their shipment terms. They oversee the delivery of necessary materials for the fulfillment of orders made by customers. The specialists need to develop strong skills in project management, business ethics, problem-solving, understanding of financial statements, communication skills, and cost accounting skills.
Specialists are employees who are responsible for specific tasks or activities in the department they are assigned to. The actions or tasks they work on are related to their educational background or work experiences. They are usually highly skilled in specializations related to the work they are assigned to. Specialists are also highly trained on the competencies that are required of their specialty. As such, they are focused on the skills and competencies that are needed to enhance their experience in their specific field further.
Supply chain specialists and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Supply Chain Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average salary | $71,414 | $58,013 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $102,000 | Between $32,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Bruno, CA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Energy | - |
There are a few differences between a supply chain specialist and a specialist in terms of educational background:
| Supply Chain Specialist | Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between supply chain specialists' and specialists' demographics:
| Supply Chain Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average age | 47 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.6% Female, 41.4% | Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 8.8% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 11% |