Acquisition specialist vs purchasing agent

The differences between acquisition specialists and purchasing agents can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an acquisition specialist and a purchasing agent. Additionally, an acquisition specialist has an average salary of $65,906, which is higher than the $51,950 average annual salary of a purchasing agent.

The top three skills for an acquisition specialist include program management, market research and DOD. The most important skills for a purchasing agent are purchase orders, customer service, and logistics.

Acquisition specialist vs purchasing agent overview

	Acquisition Specialist	Purchasing Agent
Yearly salary	$65,906	$51,950
Hourly rate	$31.69	$24.98
Growth rate	9%	-
Number of jobs	17,543	45,856
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	6	6

What does an acquisition specialist do?

An acquisition specialist is in charge of developing strategies to acquire goods and services on behalf of a company. Their responsibilities include coordinating with different departments to gather data, conducting extensive research and analysis to find cost-efficient materials and resources, liaising with external parties such as vendors and suppliers, negotiating contracts, and arranging payment plans. Furthermore, an acquisition specialist may also participate in a company's employment procedures and recruit potential employees in adherence to the company's vision and mission.

What does a purchasing agent do?

A purchasing agent's general task is keeping purchase records and making sure that there won't be any discrepancies with the handling of orders. The purchasing agent should be responsible for the order processing and payment collection. Purchasing agents should also be proficient in interpreting and evaluating data, researching on best marketing sources and alternatives, issuing required documentation for suppliers, as well as managing customer queries as needed. Being a purchasing agent requires critical-thinking skills in assessing concerns and providing solutions should there be any possible negotiation conflicts.

Acquisition specialist vs purchasing agent salary

Acquisition specialists and purchasing agents have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Acquisition Specialist	Purchasing Agent
Average salary	$65,906	$51,950
Salary range	Between $43,000 And $99,000	Between $37,000 And $72,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Maryland
Best paying company	Amazon	Abiomed
Best paying industry	Finance	Technology

Differences between acquisition specialist and purchasing agent education

There are a few differences between an acquisition specialist and a purchasing agent in terms of educational background:

	Acquisition Specialist	Purchasing Agent
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Acquisition specialist vs purchasing agent demographics

Here are the differences between acquisition specialists' and purchasing agents' demographics:

	Acquisition Specialist	Purchasing Agent
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 51.9% Female, 48.1%	Male, 49.5% Female, 50.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 7.6% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between acquisition specialist and purchasing agent duties and responsibilities

Acquisition specialist example responsibilities.

Manage SharePoint for deliverables and maintain the CDRL lists and IMS for management.
Review and update all packaging BOMs at all mills to achieve accurate perpetual inventories.
Program manager responsible for managing the successful launch of new vehicle products at OEM customer sites.
Manage multiple customer relationships and sales-cycle using CRM Salesforce.com.
Support: NAVSEA - PEO EXW PMS3771 for the LCAC program.
Order and submit NEPA and SHPO reports.

Purchasing agent example responsibilities.

Reorganize MRO to manage inventory more efficiently.
Utilize MaCola ERP system to process and manage purchase requisitions and purchase orders in coordination with manufacturing forecast.
Process purchase orders from electronically generate RFQ'S.
Develop programs with suppliers to ensure that commodities meet engineering and quality specifications while maintaining on-time delivery.
Prepare purchase orders, RFP's and RFB's, advertise solicitations, review responses and approve contract acceptance.
Send out RFQ's and award orders to the best fit and price vendor to ensure manufacturing meets critical due dates.

Acquisition specialist vs purchasing agent skills

Common acquisition specialist skills

Program Management, 8%
Market Research, 7%
DOD, 7%
Logistics, 5%
PowerPoint, 5%
Acquisition Strategy, 4%

Common purchasing agent skills

Purchase Orders, 30%
Customer Service, 12%
Logistics, 5%
Inventory Control, 4%
MRP, 3%
Cost Savings, 3%

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Acquisition Specialist
Acquisition Specialist vs Purchasing Agent

Updated January 8, 2025

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