Contract worker vs purchasing agent

The differences between contract workers and purchasing agents 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 worker and a purchasing agent. Additionally, a contract worker has an average salary of $70,825, which is higher than the $51,950 average annual salary of a purchasing agent.

The top three skills for a contract worker include financial statements, SQL and payroll. The most important skills for a purchasing agent are purchase orders, customer service, and logistics.

Contract worker vs purchasing agent overview

	Contract Worker	Purchasing Agent
Yearly salary	$70,825	$51,950
Hourly rate	$34.05	$24.98
Growth rate	-8%	-
Number of jobs	36,853	45,856
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 47%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	6	6

What does a contract worker do?

A contract worker is an independent contractor who only works at companies for a limited amount of time, according to agreed-upon contract terms. When it comes to employment, a contract worker may find opportunities in different industries, depending upon their set of skills and abilities. Although the extent of their responsibilities depends on their company or industry of employment, it typically includes performing basic tasks, maintaining an active communication line with co-workers, and adhering to company policies and regulations.

What does a purchasing agent do?

A purchasing agent's general task is keeping purchase records and making sure that there won't be any discrepancies with the handling of orders. The purchasing agent should be responsible for the order processing and payment collection. Purchasing agents should also be proficient in interpreting and evaluating data, researching on best marketing sources and alternatives, issuing required documentation for suppliers, as well as managing customer queries as needed. Being a purchasing agent requires critical-thinking skills in assessing concerns and providing solutions should there be any possible negotiation conflicts.

Contract worker vs purchasing agent salary

Contract workers and purchasing agents have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Contract Worker	Purchasing Agent
Average salary	$70,825	$51,950
Salary range	Between $52,000 And $95,000	Between $37,000 And $72,000
Highest paying City	-	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	-	Maryland
Best paying company	-	Abiomed
Best paying industry	-	Technology

Differences between contract worker and purchasing agent education

There are a few differences between a contract worker and a purchasing agent in terms of educational background:

	Contract Worker	Purchasing Agent
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 47%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Contract worker vs purchasing agent demographics

Here are the differences between contract workers' and purchasing agents' demographics:

	Contract Worker	Purchasing Agent
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 59.2% Female, 40.8%	Male, 49.5% Female, 50.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 7.4% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between contract worker and purchasing agent duties and responsibilities

Contract worker example responsibilities.

Assist management in facilitating start-up QSR accounts while effectively managing GPO accounts.
Procure common hardware, plumbing and MRO materials.
Network within the community to find potential members that are recipients of Medicare/ Medicaid benefits.
Work on multiple accounts providing payroll advice and walking through setup and process of running payroll online.
Supervise a staff of ten HVAC installers and technicians, providing ongoing field training and troubleshooting support.
Follow QA prints to determine the location and layout of various size brackets for various size SCBA bottles.

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Purchasing agent example responsibilities.

Reorganize MRO to manage inventory more efficiently.
Utilize MaCola ERP system to process and manage purchase requisitions and purchase orders in coordination with manufacturing forecast.
Process purchase orders from electronically generate RFQ'S.
Develop programs with suppliers to ensure that commodities meet engineering and quality specifications while maintaining on-time delivery.
Prepare purchase orders, RFP's and RFB's, advertise solicitations, review responses and approve contract acceptance.
Send out RFQ's and award orders to the best fit and price vendor to ensure manufacturing meets critical due dates.

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Contract worker vs purchasing agent skills

Common contract worker skills

Financial Statements, 17%
SQL, 15%
Payroll, 10%
Computer System, 10%
Assembly Line, 8%
PowerPoint, 7%

Common purchasing agent skills

Purchase Orders, 30%
Customer Service, 12%
Logistics, 5%
Inventory Control, 4%
MRP, 3%
Cost Savings, 3%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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