How do I start a career in purchasing?

To start a career in purchasing, obtain a bachelor's degree. While a degree is technically not required for a career in purchasing, you will have difficulty getting hired without one. Purchasing careers typically include purchasing agents and buyers, with the opportunity for advancement to purchasing manager. Nearly 70% of purchasing agents, 64% of buyers, and 66% of purchasing managers have bachelor's degrees.

Is being a purchasing agent a good career?

Yes, being a purchasing agent is a good career. Purchasing agent careers are high-paid with a good job outlook, but advancement can be difficult, and the job can be stressful. Purchasing agents are well-paid. On average, they make $72,270 a year, with an average starting salary of $53,000 for entry-level positions. Top earners make $108,000 a year, on average.

What degree do you need to be a purchasing agent?

There is not a degree you need to be a purchasing agent, though most purchasing agents have bachelor's degrees. Nearly 70% of purchasing agents have their bachelor's degrees. The most common areas of study are:

What skills do you need to be a purchasing agent?

The skills you need to be a purchasing agent are analytical and interpersonal, in addition to basic math and digital knowledge. Purchasing, or procurement, agents buy parts and materials their organization needs to function. They must keep up with market and sales trends and identify which purchases are most profitable and sustainable for their organization.

How To Become A Procurement Agent: What It Is and Career Path

What is a procurement agent and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A procurement agent purchases goods and services for a company or organization. They work to find the best deals by negotiating prices and contracts with suppliers and vendors. Procurement agents must be knowledgeable about the goods and services they purchase, as well as market conditions. They also need to manage relationships with suppliers and ensure that deliveries occur on time and to the required specifications. Procurement agents help companies acquire the necessary resources to operate.

ScoreProcurement AgentUS Average

Salary

5.7

Avg. Salary $72,384

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.9

Growth rate 11%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.78%

Asian 7.64%

Black or African American 8.81%

Hispanic or Latino 12.15%

Unknown 4.38%

White 66.23%

Gender

female 48.63%

male 51.37%

Age - 49

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 49

Stress level

7.9

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.9

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.1

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a procurement agent?

Pros

High earning potential with bonuses and commission
Opportunity to travel and attend trade shows and conferences
Exposure to different industries and products
Potential for advancement and career growth
Exposure to supply chain management and logistics

Cons

Limited control over supplier actions and delivery timelines
Potential for conflicts of interest or ethical dilemmas when dealing with suppliers
Long hours and frequent overtime may be required
May require significant travel or long periods away from home
May require extensive paperwork and administrative tasks

Key steps to become a procurement agent

Explore procurement agent education requirements

Most common procurement agent degrees

Bachelor's

69.5 %

Master's

12.1 %

Associate

11.8 %

Start to develop specific procurement agent skills

Skills	Percentages
Supply Chain	15.19%
Strategic Sourcing	6.09%
Supplier Performance	5.52%
Customer Service	4.59%
Inventory Control	4.12%

Complete relevant procurement agent training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New procurement agents learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a procurement agent based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real procurement agent resumes.

Research procurement agent duties and responsibilities

Achieve $200k cost savings buy locating excess material from OEM.
Manage project size OEM bills of material from supplier negotiation through final invoice.
Monitor and manage cost of components for bill of material (BOM), schedule lead times and performance with budgets.
Prepare strategic commodity business plans for globally manage commodities, performing spend analysis, and identifying part cost drivers.

Prepare your procurement agent resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your procurement agent resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a procurement agent resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable procurement agent resume templates

Build a professional procurement agent resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your procurement agent resume.