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The differences between contract workers and purchasing assistants 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 assistant. Additionally, a contract worker has an average salary of $70,825, which is higher than the $38,331 average annual salary of a purchasing assistant.
The top three skills for a contract worker include financial statements, SQL and payroll. The most important skills for a purchasing assistant are purchase orders, purchase requisitions, and customer service.
| Contract Worker | Purchasing Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $70,825 | $38,331 |
| Hourly rate | $34.05 | $18.43 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 36,853 | 8,415 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
A purchasing assistant is responsible for obtaining raw materials and goods for a business or company. They primarily function to assist purchasing managers or supervisors by keeping records, maintaining inventory, reviewing purchase orders, and monitoring shipments and deliveries. Furthermore, a purchasing assistant may perform administrative support tasks ranging from arranging appointments and managing schedules, answering calls and inquiries, reaching out to vendors and suppliers, producing reports, and coordinating with various departments to ensure the smooth flow of products within the company.
Contract workers and purchasing assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Contract Worker | Purchasing Assistant | |
| Average salary | $70,825 | $38,331 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $95,000 | Between $31,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | - | Maryland |
| Best paying company | - | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a contract worker and a purchasing assistant in terms of educational background:
| Contract Worker | Purchasing Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between contract workers' and purchasing assistants' demographics:
| Contract Worker | Purchasing Assistant | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.2% Female, 40.8% | Male, 22.8% Female, 77.2% |
| 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, 9.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 7.8% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |