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The differences between contractor buyers and procurement analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a contractor buyer, becoming a procurement analyst takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a procurement analyst has an average salary of $64,448, which is higher than the $40,785 average annual salary of a contractor buyer.
The top three skills for a contractor buyer include customer service, purchase orders and data entry. The most important skills for a procurement analyst are purchase orders, supplier performance, and customer service.
| Contractor Buyer | Procurement Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $40,785 | $64,448 |
| Hourly rate | $19.61 | $30.98 |
| Growth rate | - | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 22,985 | 75,154 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
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.
Procurement analysts procure favorable contracts by acting as liaisons between suppliers and their employers. They are hired by organizations that rely on supply chain management to analyze and evaluate potential suppliers, prepare reports about monthly supply costs, and negotiate contracts. With good critical thinking skills, these procurement analysts who are also known as purchasing analysts, evaluate vendors and suppliers based on the speed of delivery, quality, and price. They use quantitative methods to support fact-based decision-making to become competitive and to ensure cost-efficiency and high quality of the products and services.
Contractor buyers and procurement analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Contractor Buyer | Procurement Analyst | |
| Average salary | $40,785 | $64,448 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $50,000 | Between $45,000 And $91,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Johnson Controls | PayPal |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between a contractor buyer and a procurement analyst in terms of educational background:
| Contractor Buyer | Procurement Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between contractor buyers' and procurement analysts' demographics:
| Contractor Buyer | Procurement Analyst | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.3% Female, 64.7% | Male, 47.7% Female, 52.3% |
| 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, 8.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 11.8% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 12% |