Grants administrator vs purchasing agent

The differences between grants administrators 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 grants administrator and a purchasing agent. Additionally, a purchasing agent has an average salary of $51,950, which is higher than the $49,206 average annual salary of a grants administrator.

The top three skills for a grants administrator include grants management, financial reports and pre-award. The most important skills for a purchasing agent are purchase orders, customer service, and logistics.

Grants administrator vs purchasing agent overview

	Grants Administrator	Purchasing Agent
Yearly salary	$49,206	$51,950
Hourly rate	$23.66	$24.98
Growth rate	6%	-
Number of jobs	60,227	45,856
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	6	6

What does a grants administrator do?

A grants administrator is responsible for approving financial and administrative assistance to employees and the organization provided that they submit the required documents and application for project development and processes. Grants administrators determine the eligibility of programs to calculate payments, generate financial reports and transactions, and coordinate with the management team for project implementation. They also follow strict procedures and protocols to ensure that the budget adheres to internal guidelines and requirements. A grants administrator must have excellent communication and analytical skills to review proposals and legal documents.

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.

Grants administrator vs purchasing agent salary

Grants administrators and purchasing agents have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Grants Administrator	Purchasing Agent
Average salary	$49,206	$51,950
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $62,000	Between $37,000 And $72,000
Highest paying City	New Brunswick, NJ	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Maryland
Best paying company	Children's Hospital Colorado	Abiomed
Best paying industry	Health Care	Technology

Differences between grants administrator and purchasing agent education

There are a few differences between a grants administrator and a purchasing agent in terms of educational background:

	Grants Administrator	Purchasing Agent
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Grants administrator vs purchasing agent demographics

Here are the differences between grants administrators' and purchasing agents' demographics:

	Grants Administrator	Purchasing Agent
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 28.2% Female, 71.8%	Male, 49.5% Female, 50.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 7.7% 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 grants administrator and purchasing agent duties and responsibilities

Grants administrator example responsibilities.

Establish operating policies and procedures and attain SNF Medicare certification.
Update faculty regarding new federal sponsor (NIH and NSF) policies and regulations.
Verify compliance documents (IRB, IACUC, internal documents) with RVL and PCRO on inter-institutional agreements.
Organize and prepare grant applications for submission to NIH and private foundations.
Submit research relate regulatory and annual reports, including IRB applications and updates, annual reports, and the like.
Serve as technical resource for grant recipients with knowledge of federal regulations and guidelines; OMB circulars A110 and A122.

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.

Grants administrator vs purchasing agent skills

Common grants administrator skills

Grants Management, 11%
Financial Reports, 6%
Pre-award, 6%
Customer Service, 5%
Research Administration, 5%
Principal Investigators, 5%

Common purchasing agent skills

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

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Grants Administrator
Grants Administrator vs Purchasing Agent

Updated January 8, 2025

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