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The differences between contract project 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 contract project manager, becoming a purchasing manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a purchasing manager has an average salary of $98,118, which is higher than the $81,263 average annual salary of a contract project manager.
The top three skills for a contract project manager include project management, project scope and contract project. The most important skills for a purchasing manager are supply chain, strategic sourcing, and project management.
| Contract Project Manager | Purchasing Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $81,263 | $98,118 |
| Hourly rate | $39.07 | $47.17 |
| Growth rate | 8% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 159,765 | 30,430 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 46 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 6 |
A contract project manager is an executive professional who provides project management and business analysis to fill the needs of an organization. Contract project managers are required to monitor and inspect contract projects to maintain a high level of safety and quality traffic control in highly variable conditions. They assist contract project administration with the review of project progress reports. Contract project managers must also manage the relationship between clients and the organization while monitoring the progress of the project to ensure that it complies with the terms of the corporate contract.
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.
Contract project managers and purchasing managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Contract Project Manager | Purchasing Manager | |
| Average salary | $81,263 | $98,118 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $124,000 | Between $70,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Maine |
| Best paying company | PRO Unlimited | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between a contract project manager and a purchasing manager in terms of educational background:
| Contract Project Manager | Purchasing Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between contract project managers' and purchasing managers' demographics:
| Contract Project Manager | Purchasing Manager | |
| Average age | 46 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.1% Female, 33.9% | Male, 67.0% Female, 33.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 2.8% White, 70.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | 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 | 4% | 11% |