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The differences between planner/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 planner/buyer and a purchasing supervisor. Additionally, a purchasing supervisor has an average salary of $68,702, which is higher than the $54,261 average annual salary of a planner/buyer.
The top three skills for a planner/buyer include supply chain, purchase orders and customer service. The most important skills for a purchasing supervisor are purchase orders, MRP, and supplier performance.
| Planner/Buyer | Purchasing Supervisor | |
| Yearly salary | $54,261 | $68,702 |
| Hourly rate | $26.09 | $33.03 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 33,452 | 19,412 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
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.
Planner/buyers and purchasing supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Planner/Buyer | Purchasing Supervisor | |
| Average salary | $54,261 | $68,702 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $77,000 | Between $45,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Billerica, MA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Edwards Lifesciences | CDW |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a planner/buyer and a purchasing supervisor in terms of educational background:
| Planner/Buyer | Purchasing Supervisor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between planner/buyers' and purchasing supervisors' demographics:
| Planner/Buyer | Purchasing Supervisor | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.9% Female, 52.1% | Male, 57.4% Female, 42.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |