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The differences between junior buyers/buyers and procurement 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 junior buyer/buyer and a procurement agent. Additionally, a procurement agent has an average salary of $72,384, 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 procurement agent are supply chain, strategic sourcing, and supplier performance.
| Junior Buyer/Buyer | Procurement Agent | |
| Yearly salary | $52,374 | $72,384 |
| Hourly rate | $25.18 | $34.80 |
| Growth rate | - | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 22,370 | 45,198 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| 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.
A procurement agent develops profitable measures to save the client money and ensure the quality of goods supplied. Procurement agents obtain the purchased items through suppliers, monitor them, and expedite the orders. They oversee the activities and performance of the suppliers for compliance. Their duties include the verification of item receipts, resolving shipment-related problems, and authorizing purchase payments through documentation. The necessary skills for this job include being accomplished, decisive, and strong communication skills.
Junior buyers/buyers and procurement agents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Buyer/Buyer | Procurement Agent | |
| Average salary | $52,374 | $72,384 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $69,000 | Between $49,000 And $106,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Astronics | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a junior buyer/buyer and a procurement agent in terms of educational background:
| Junior Buyer/Buyer | Procurement Agent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between junior buyers/buyers' and procurement agents' demographics:
| Junior Buyer/Buyer | Procurement Agent | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.8% Female, 70.2% | Male, 51.4% Female, 48.6% |
| 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, 8.8% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 7.6% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |