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The differences between junior buyers/buyers and purchasing supervisors 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 purchasing supervisor. Additionally, a purchasing supervisor has an average salary of $68,702, 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 purchasing supervisor are purchase orders, MRP, and supplier performance.
| Junior Buyer/Buyer | Purchasing Supervisor | |
| Yearly salary | $52,374 | $68,702 |
| Hourly rate | $25.18 | $33.03 |
| Growth rate | - | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 22,370 | 19,412 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| 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 purchasing supervisor orders supplies, equipment, and materials from vendors by buyers. The purchasing supervisors assess, select, and build relationships with the vendors. They do the negotiation for the contracts of goods and services. It is their job to review the purchase orders for accuracy and ensure to obtain the best prices. The skills supervisors need to develop include marketing, communication, leadership, and management. They should also know about purchasing products and services.
Junior buyers/buyers and purchasing supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Buyer/Buyer | Purchasing Supervisor | |
| Average salary | $52,374 | $68,702 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $69,000 | Between $45,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Astronics | CDW |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a junior buyer/buyer and a purchasing supervisor in terms of educational background:
| Junior Buyer/Buyer | Purchasing Supervisor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between junior buyers/buyers' and purchasing supervisors' demographics:
| Junior Buyer/Buyer | Purchasing Supervisor | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.8% Female, 70.2% | Male, 57.4% Female, 42.6% |
| 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, 9.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 7.8% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |