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The differences between buyers and procurement 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 procurement buyer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a procurement buyer has an average salary of $61,874, which is higher than the $54,049 average annual salary of a buyer.
The top three skills for a buyer include purchase orders, customer service and logistics. The most important skills for a procurement buyer are purchase orders, supplier performance, and logistics.
| Buyer | Procurement Buyer | |
| Yearly salary | $54,049 | $61,874 |
| Hourly rate | $25.99 | $29.75 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 23,589 | 16,674 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 47 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
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.
Procurement Buyers oversee the requisition of goods and services for the company. They receive purchase requisitions from employees or departments and contact possible vendors that can supply the items. They compare the price quotations of these vendors and choose the most cost-efficient option. Upon choosing, procurement buyers notify the vendor and proceed with the request. Procurement buyers are responsible for the receipt of goods from the suppliers. They check the deliveries and ensure that all orders are complete and in good condition. They also handle the receipts and consolidate these for processing of payment.
Buyers and procurement buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Buyer | Procurement Buyer | |
| Average salary | $54,049 | $61,874 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $76,000 | Between $43,000 And $87,000 |
| Highest paying City | Englewood, NJ | Stockton, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Washington |
| Best paying company | NVIDIA | Invesco |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Energy |
There are a few differences between a buyer and a procurement buyer in terms of educational background:
| Buyer | Procurement Buyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between buyers' and procurement buyers' demographics:
| Buyer | Procurement Buyer | |
| Average age | 47 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.9% Female, 56.1% | Male, 45.6% Female, 54.4% |
| 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, 9.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 7.8% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 7% |