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The differences between demand planners and purchasers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a demand planner and a purchaser. Additionally, a demand planner has an average salary of $82,287, which is higher than the $50,031 average annual salary of a purchaser.
The top three skills for a demand planner include supply chain, customer service and logistics. The most important skills for a purchaser are purchase orders, FDA, and POS.
| Demand Planner | Purchaser | |
| Yearly salary | $82,287 | $50,031 |
| Hourly rate | $39.56 | $24.05 |
| Growth rate | 28% | - |
| Number of jobs | 27,351 | 6,852 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Average age | 41 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A demand planner specializes in conducting research and analysis to develop forecast models that will help determine a supply chain's demands. They are also responsible for monitoring the inventory of products, maintaining knowledge and awareness on the latest trends, producing progress reports and presentations, establishing demand plans, and detecting any changes in the forecast, reporting them to management right away. Furthermore, as a demand planner, it is essential to coordinate with everyone in the team, all while adhering to the company's policies and standards.
A Purchaser is responsible for buying goods and services from distribution centers to sell to customers or other companies. They conduct data analysis and research current market trends to identify public demands and generate resources that would increase the company's revenues and profitability. They also ensure the adequacy of supply inventories for deliveries, respond to customers' inquiries and concerns, and recommend products according to their needs and budget requirements. A Purchaser must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in documenting purchase transactions and negotiating contracts with suppliers and vendors.
Demand planners and purchasers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Demand Planner | Purchaser | |
| Average salary | $82,287 | $50,031 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $109,000 | Between $36,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Atlantic City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Meta | Barnes Group |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a demand planner and a purchaser in terms of educational background:
| Demand Planner | Purchaser | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between demand planners' and purchasers' demographics:
| Demand Planner | Purchaser | |
| Average age | 41 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 56.5% Female, 43.5% | Male, 49.2% Female, 50.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 11.1% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 7.7% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 7% |