Grants administrator vs purchasing buyer

The differences between grants administrators and purchasing buyers 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 buyer. Additionally, a grants administrator has an average salary of $49,206, which is higher than the $47,471 average annual salary of a purchasing buyer.

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

Grants administrator vs purchasing buyer overview

	Grants Administrator	Purchasing Buyer
Yearly salary	$49,206	$47,471
Hourly rate	$23.66	$22.82
Growth rate	6%	-
Number of jobs	60,227	21,158
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
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 buyer do?

In a retail setting, a purchasing buyer is primarily responsible for devising strategies for procuring supplies, ensuring that it aligns with the company's needs and standards. They are also responsible for conducting thorough marketing research and analysis, coordinating with different departments to gather and process documentation, liaising and negotiating with vendors and suppliers, and keeping track of all purchasing orders to ensure accuracy and timeliness. Furthermore, as a purchasing buyer, it is essential to maintain records of all transactions and submit regular reports to supervisors.

Grants administrator vs purchasing buyer salary

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

	Grants Administrator	Purchasing Buyer
Average salary	$49,206	$47,471
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $62,000	Between $35,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City	New Brunswick, NJ	Goleta, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	California
Best paying company	Children's Hospital Colorado	Aramco Services Company
Best paying industry	Health Care	Automotive

Differences between grants administrator and purchasing buyer education

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

	Grants Administrator	Purchasing Buyer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Grants administrator vs purchasing buyer demographics

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

	Grants Administrator	Purchasing Buyer
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 28.2% Female, 71.8%	Male, 41.9% Female, 58.1%
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, 9.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 7.8% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between grants administrator and purchasing buyer 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 buyer example responsibilities.

Manage the development of RFP process per departmental and legal requirements.
Create and manage requisitions, code billing statements and reconcile monthly bills in PeopleSoft.
Manage logistics and materials receive for appropriate quantities, timeliness and accuracy to complete project project.
Complete request for quotation (RFQ), design reviews, and advance product quality planning (APQP).
Used MRP to track and develop orders for electronic and mechanical commodities for high volume 32,000 a day unit product.
Make purchasing decisions base on the examination and recommendations of the ERP planning system and issuing and maintaining supplier purchase orders.

Grants administrator vs purchasing buyer 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 buyer skills

Purchase Orders, 29%
Logistics, 6%
Cost Savings, 5%
ERP, 4%
MRP, 4%
RFQ, 4%

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Grants Administrator
Grants Administrator vs Purchasing Buyer

Updated January 8, 2025

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