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The differences between commercial managers and purchasing managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a commercial manager, becoming a purchasing manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a commercial manager has an average salary of $100,167, which is higher than the $98,118 average annual salary of a purchasing manager.
The top three skills for a commercial manager include project management, customer service and business development. The most important skills for a purchasing manager are supply chain, strategic sourcing, and project management.
| Commercial Manager | Purchasing Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $100,167 | $98,118 |
| Hourly rate | $48.16 | $47.17 |
| Growth rate | 5% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 104,252 | 30,430 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 46 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 6 |
A commercial manager is in charge of devising strategies for optimal procedures. Their responsibilities typically revolve around liaising with clients to determine their needs, coordinating with different departments to gather necessary data, performing research and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of existing systems, and developing new business plans for profit growth and efficient workflow. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the staff to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
A purchasing manager is responsible for organizing and managing products to order or sell. Purchasing managers review product specifications, negotiate pricing details with the vendors, evaluate and choose the best suppliers, and assist purchasing agents. Purchase managers are also responsible for resolving order processing issues and analyzing current market trends to determine which products to purchase. A purchasing manager must have excellent decision-making and strategical skills to examine effects, inspect defective items, and create an in-depth analysis of customers' needs to improve their performance and sales.
Commercial managers and purchasing managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Commercial Manager | Purchasing Manager | |
| Average salary | $100,167 | $98,118 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $143,000 | Between $70,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Maine |
| Best paying company | Cheniere Energy | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a commercial manager and a purchasing manager in terms of educational background:
| Commercial Manager | Purchasing Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between commercial managers' and purchasing managers' demographics:
| Commercial Manager | Purchasing Manager | |
| Average age | 46 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.3% Female, 26.7% | Male, 67.0% Female, 33.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.1% White, 78.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 7.5% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 11% |