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The differences between planners and planner/buyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a planner, becoming a planner/buyer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a planner has an average salary of $63,161, which is higher than the $54,261 average annual salary of a planner/buyer.
The top three skills for a planner include customer service, exceptional client and logistics. The most important skills for a planner/buyer are supply chain, purchase orders, and customer service.
| Planner | Planner/Buyer | |
| Yearly salary | $63,161 | $54,261 |
| Hourly rate | $30.37 | $26.09 |
| Growth rate | 4% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 15,269 | 33,452 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 42 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
As the name entails, planners assist in creating a broad vision for a community. They conduct research, design, and advanced programs. Some of them focus on a few roles, such as planning transportation, while some will most likely work at different planning types throughout their profession. They develop a plan through data analysis, determine the project's goals or the community, and form a specific vision. They also identify the strategies to help the city realized its goals and vision.
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.
Planners and planner/buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Planner | Planner/Buyer | |
| Average salary | $63,161 | $54,261 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $88,000 | Between $37,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Billerica, MA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Meta | Edwards Lifesciences |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a planner and a planner/buyer in terms of educational background:
| Planner | 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 planners' and planner/buyers' demographics:
| Planner | Planner/Buyer | |
| Average age | 42 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 54.4% Female, 45.6% | Male, 47.9% Female, 52.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 9.6% White, 67.4% 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 | 13% | 7% |