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The differences between planner/schedulers 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/scheduler, becoming a planner/buyer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a planner/scheduler has an average salary of $71,955, which is higher than the $54,261 average annual salary of a planner/buyer.
The top three skills for a planner/scheduler include customer service, production schedules and MRP. The most important skills for a planner/buyer are supply chain, purchase orders, and customer service.
| Planner/Scheduler | Planner/Buyer | |
| Yearly salary | $71,955 | $54,261 |
| Hourly rate | $34.59 | $26.09 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 22,279 | 33,452 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 45 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
The duties of a planner/scheduler depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. In a manufacturing setting, their responsibilities revolve around creating different schedules for projects, production, releases, contracts, and other deliverables, ensuring everyone's adherence by regular reminders and inspections. Typically, they are also responsible for devising strategies for optimizing operations, coordinating with other skilled professionals to develop controls, maintaining records of all schedules and other necessary documentation, and implementing the company's policies and regulations.
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.
Planner/schedulers and planner/buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Planner/Scheduler | Planner/Buyer | |
| Average salary | $71,955 | $54,261 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $105,000 | Between $37,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | Alameda, CA | Billerica, MA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | Edwards Lifesciences |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a planner/scheduler and a planner/buyer in terms of educational background:
| Planner/Scheduler | Planner/Buyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between planner/schedulers' and planner/buyers' demographics:
| Planner/Scheduler | Planner/Buyer | |
| Average age | 45 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.3% Female, 34.7% | Male, 47.9% Female, 52.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 7.0% White, 60.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | 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 | 11% | 7% |