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The differences between procurement agents and procurement buyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a procurement agent and a procurement buyer. Additionally, a procurement agent has an average salary of $72,384, which is higher than the $61,874 average annual salary of a procurement buyer.
The top three skills for a procurement agent include supply chain, strategic sourcing and supplier performance. The most important skills for a procurement buyer are purchase orders, supplier performance, and logistics.
| Procurement Agent | Procurement Buyer | |
| Yearly salary | $72,384 | $61,874 |
| Hourly rate | $34.80 | $29.75 |
| Growth rate | 11% | - |
| Number of jobs | 45,198 | 16,674 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A procurement agent develops profitable measures to save the client money and ensure the quality of goods supplied. Procurement agents obtain the purchased items through suppliers, monitor them, and expedite the orders. They oversee the activities and performance of the suppliers for compliance. Their duties include the verification of item receipts, resolving shipment-related problems, and authorizing purchase payments through documentation. The necessary skills for this job include being accomplished, decisive, and strong communication skills.
Procurement Buyers oversee the requisition of goods and services for the company. They receive purchase requisitions from employees or departments and contact possible vendors that can supply the items. They compare the price quotations of these vendors and choose the most cost-efficient option. Upon choosing, procurement buyers notify the vendor and proceed with the request. Procurement buyers are responsible for the receipt of goods from the suppliers. They check the deliveries and ensure that all orders are complete and in good condition. They also handle the receipts and consolidate these for processing of payment.
Procurement agents and procurement buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Procurement Agent | Procurement Buyer | |
| Average salary | $72,384 | $61,874 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $106,000 | Between $43,000 And $87,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | Stockton, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Washington |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Invesco |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a procurement agent and a procurement buyer in terms of educational background:
| Procurement Agent | Procurement Buyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between procurement agents' and procurement buyers' demographics:
| Procurement Agent | Procurement Buyer | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.4% Female, 48.6% | Male, 45.6% Female, 54.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 7.6% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 7.8% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |