Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between contract administrator/contract specialists and purchasing supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a contract administrator/contract specialist and a purchasing supervisor. Additionally, a purchasing supervisor has an average salary of $68,702, which is higher than the $53,425 average annual salary of a contract administrator/contract specialist.
The top three skills for a contract administrator/contract specialist include contract management, purchase orders and contract terms. The most important skills for a purchasing supervisor are purchase orders, MRP, and supplier performance.
| Contract Administrator/Contract Specialist | Purchasing Supervisor | |
| Yearly salary | $53,425 | $68,702 |
| Hourly rate | $25.69 | $33.03 |
| Growth rate | 9% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 61,764 | 19,412 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Contract Administrator and Contract Specialist reviews all contracts of the company. They are responsible for reviewing every contract if it is for the company's benefit and if there are hidden risks. This person also helps draft future contracts and inspects new contracts during deals and negotiations. Contract Specialists update existing contracts, propose amendments if necessary, and advise the company on contracts that have risks that may affect the activities of the company.
A purchasing supervisor orders supplies, equipment, and materials from vendors by buyers. The purchasing supervisors assess, select, and build relationships with the vendors. They do the negotiation for the contracts of goods and services. It is their job to review the purchase orders for accuracy and ensure to obtain the best prices. The skills supervisors need to develop include marketing, communication, leadership, and management. They should also know about purchasing products and services.
Contract administrator/contract specialists and purchasing supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Contract Administrator/Contract Specialist | Purchasing Supervisor | |
| Average salary | $53,425 | $68,702 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $79,000 | Between $45,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Annapolis, MD | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | California |
| Best paying company | Jacobs Engineering Group | CDW |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a contract administrator/contract specialist and a purchasing supervisor in terms of educational background:
| Contract Administrator/Contract Specialist | Purchasing Supervisor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between contract administrator/contract specialists' and purchasing supervisors' demographics:
| Contract Administrator/Contract Specialist | Purchasing Supervisor | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.0% Female, 70.0% | Male, 57.4% Female, 42.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 7.6% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 7.8% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |