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The differences between buyers and contractor buyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes More than 10 years to become a buyer, becoming a contractor buyer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a buyer has an average salary of $54,049, which is higher than the $40,785 average annual salary of a contractor buyer.
The top three skills for a buyer include purchase orders, customer service and logistics. The most important skills for a contractor buyer are customer service, purchase orders, and data entry.
| Buyer | Contractor Buyer | |
| Yearly salary | $54,049 | $40,785 |
| Hourly rate | $25.99 | $19.61 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 23,589 | 22,985 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 47 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
A buyer's duties include product sourcing and comparing resources for the best product range that would suit the specific needs of the business. Buyers must have excellent communication and negotiation skills to evaluate items that most likely benefit the customer and improve the sales of daily operations with cost-efficient products. They also conduct extensive research for market and price trends while considering the highest quality standards. Buyers should also possess strong analytical skills to create purchase orders and statistical analysis.
A contractor buyer is responsible for acquiring materials and resources for construction and manufacturing processes that meet the quality standards and budget limitations. Contractor buyers negotiate offers with trusted suppliers and vendors for cost-effective materials based on design specifications and requirements. They also monitor the accurate distribution and delivery schedules to maintain the consistency of project plans and finish the task within the required deadlines. A contractor buyer must have excellent knowledge of the construction industry to identify the reliability of resources and handle the costings efficiently.
Buyers and contractor buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Buyer | Contractor Buyer | |
| Average salary | $54,049 | $40,785 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $76,000 | Between $32,000 And $50,000 |
| Highest paying City | Englewood, NJ | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | NVIDIA | Johnson Controls |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a buyer and a contractor buyer in terms of educational background:
| Buyer | Contractor Buyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | - |
Here are the differences between buyers' and contractor buyers' demographics:
| Buyer | Contractor Buyer | |
| Average age | 47 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.9% Female, 56.1% | Male, 35.3% Female, 64.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 3.1% Hispanic or Latino, 10.0% Asian, 6.7% White, 75.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 5.9% White, 63.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 6% |