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The differences between contractor buyers and order specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a contractor buyer and an order specialist. Additionally, a contractor buyer has an average salary of $40,785, which is higher than the $35,107 average annual salary of an order specialist.
The top three skills for a contractor buyer include customer service, purchase orders and data entry. The most important skills for an order specialist are order entry, purchase orders, and data entry.
| Contractor Buyer | Order Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $40,785 | $35,107 |
| Hourly rate | $19.61 | $16.88 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 22,985 | 193,329 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A contractor buyer is responsible for acquiring materials and resources for construction and manufacturing processes that meet the quality standards and budget limitations. Contractor buyers negotiate offers with trusted suppliers and vendors for cost-effective materials based on design specifications and requirements. They also monitor the accurate distribution and delivery schedules to maintain the consistency of project plans and finish the task within the required deadlines. A contractor buyer must have excellent knowledge of the construction industry to identify the reliability of resources and handle the costings efficiently.
The job of an order specialist is to fulfill all special orders and installation projects on time. You will proactively contact customers to inform them about the status of the installation and the preparation for the installment. Other duties that you will likely perform include handling inquiries and concerns from customers, communicating with service providers and vendors to establish shipment and date of installation, and working closely with cross-functional teams, such as logistics and direct imports.
Contractor buyers and order specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Contractor Buyer | Order Specialist | |
| Average salary | $40,785 | $35,107 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $50,000 | Between $26,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Cranston, RI |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Johnson Controls | Chemonics |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a contractor buyer and an order specialist in terms of educational background:
| Contractor Buyer | Order Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between contractor buyers' and order specialists' demographics:
| Contractor Buyer | Order Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.3% Female, 64.7% | Male, 34.8% Female, 65.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 5.9% White, 63.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 5.9% White, 63.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |