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Supply technician vs supply specialist

The differences between supply technicians and supply specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a supply specialist has an average salary of $39,791, which is higher than the $36,280 average annual salary of a supply technician.

The top three skills for a supply technician include customer service, patients and inventory management. The most important skills for a supply specialist are customer service, logistical support, and safety regulations.

Supply technician vs supply specialist overview

Supply TechnicianSupply Specialist
Yearly salary$36,280$39,791
Hourly rate$17.44$19.13
Growth rate1%1%
Number of jobs34,10627,197
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 34%Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Average age3838
Years of experience--

What does a supply technician do?

In a warehouse setting, a supply technician is responsible for handling all the incoming and outgoing products, ensuring accuracy in inventory and logistics. Most of the time, they are in charge of maintaining and keeping records, loading and unloading shipments and deliveries, verifying invoices, and processing documents. A supply technician often works under the supervision of a manager or supervisor, and it is essential to report any complicated issues that need to be resolved. Furthermore, one must adhere to the policies and regulations and maintain a safe environment for everyone.

What does a supply specialist do?

A supply specialist is responsible for monitoring the adequacy of equipment and supplies, including quality maintenance and securing storage of merchandise. Supply specialists manage order requests, verify shipment details, and perform data entry tasks such as updating the database for incoming and outgoing supplies. They should be highly analytical, inspecting the items for any defects and malfunctions, and immediately processing replacement and new stock issuance. A supply specialist should follow the safety protocols at all times to avoid operational hazards and any possible delays.

Supply technician vs supply specialist salary

Supply technicians and supply specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Supply TechnicianSupply Specialist
Average salary$36,280$39,791
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $51,000Between $25,000 And $61,000
Highest paying CityLos Angeles, CALos Angeles, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaHawaii
Best paying companyApplied MaterialsTALENT Software Services
Best paying industryTechnologyManufacturing

Differences between supply technician and supply specialist education

There are a few differences between a supply technician and a supply specialist in terms of educational background:

Supply TechnicianSupply Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 34%Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Supply technician vs supply specialist demographics

Here are the differences between supply technicians' and supply specialists' demographics:

Supply TechnicianSupply Specialist
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 61.3% Female, 38.7%Male, 61.4% Female, 38.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 7.2% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 7.2% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between supply technician and supply specialist duties and responsibilities

Supply technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage the accountability of all battalion CTA, TDA, and MTOE equipment.
  • Manage appropriate disposal of expire pharmaceutical products in accordance with HAZMAT regulations.
  • Cataloge property, maintain property records and manage inventory using PBUSE system.
  • Perform and record daily testing of sterility of all autoclaves and Sterrad in the hospital.
  • Assist with the hazardous material (HAZMAT) team with classification, segregation and documentation of hazardous materials.
  • Operate automatic washer/decontamination unit, all autoclaves and the Sterrad sterilizer.
  • Show more

Supply specialist example responsibilities.

  • Dispatch vehicles, maintains dispatch records, trip tickets and records in logbooks, manage the GSA vehicle fleet of vehicles.
  • Complete BCT and AIT, laid pipelines for F.S.S.P.
  • Remove hazardous spills/wastes; ensure compliance with EPA and OSHA regulations.
  • Establish and maintain a file system for the section in accordance with DOD standards.
  • Collect and prepare payroll and minimum manning information for EDI data-entry inputs and reporting to DoD.
  • Assemble and develop training and lesson plans for the unit to gain knowledge of the importance of CSDP.
  • Show more

Supply technician vs supply specialist skills

Common supply technician skills
  • Customer Service, 13%
  • Patients, 12%
  • Inventory Management, 6%
  • Storage Management, 5%
  • DOD, 4%
  • Data Entry, 3%
Common supply specialist skills
  • Customer Service, 16%
  • Logistical Support, 9%
  • Safety Regulations, 9%
  • Financial Management Procedures, 6%
  • Inventory Control, 6%
  • Inventory Management, 5%

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