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The differences between junior buyers/buyers and planner/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 junior buyer/buyer and a planner/buyer. Additionally, a planner/buyer has an average salary of $54,261, which is higher than the $52,374 average annual salary of a junior buyer/buyer.
The top three skills for a junior buyer/buyer include purchase orders, MRP and ERP. The most important skills for a planner/buyer are supply chain, purchase orders, and customer service.
| Junior Buyer/Buyer | Planner/Buyer | |
| Yearly salary | $52,374 | $54,261 |
| Hourly rate | $25.18 | $26.09 |
| Growth rate | - | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 22,370 | 33,452 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A junior buyer/buyer is in charge of purchasing supplies in adherence to company goals. Their responsibilities typically revolve around participating in meetings that discuss the kinds of products to procure, performing research and analysis to find the ideal vendors or suppliers, liaising and negotiating with external parties, maintaining invoices and records of all transactions, and producing progress reports. Furthermore, it is essential to monitor the shipment and deliveries of supplies, ensuring accuracy and timeliness. Should there be any problems, it is necessary to coordinate with vendors right away.
The role of buyers/planners is to ensure that office materials and equipment are well-supplied within their organization. They decide and purchase the materials needed for use or resale by their organization. They are responsible for evaluating prospective suppliers based on their cost, product quality, and delivery times. They are also the ones who negotiate contracts specifying the payment terms, price, and delivery schedules. Most employers prefer their buyer to have earned a bachelor's degree with a major in operations management or business management.
Junior buyers/buyers and planner/buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Buyer/Buyer | Planner/Buyer | |
| Average salary | $52,374 | $54,261 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $69,000 | Between $37,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | Billerica, MA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Astronics | Edwards Lifesciences |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a junior buyer/buyer and a planner/buyer in terms of educational background:
| Junior Buyer/Buyer | Planner/Buyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between junior buyers/buyers' and planner/buyers' demographics:
| Junior Buyer/Buyer | Planner/Buyer | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.8% Female, 70.2% | Male, 47.9% Female, 52.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 7.9% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |