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The differences between procurement agents and purchasing 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 purchasing buyer. Additionally, a procurement agent has an average salary of $72,384, which is higher than the $47,471 average annual salary of a purchasing buyer.
The top three skills for a procurement agent include supply chain, strategic sourcing and supplier performance. The most important skills for a purchasing buyer are purchase orders, logistics, and cost savings.
| Procurement Agent | Purchasing Buyer | |
| Yearly salary | $72,384 | $47,471 |
| Hourly rate | $34.80 | $22.82 |
| Growth rate | 11% | - |
| Number of jobs | 45,198 | 21,158 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| 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.
In a retail setting, a purchasing buyer is primarily responsible for devising strategies for procuring supplies, ensuring that it aligns with the company's needs and standards. They are also responsible for conducting thorough marketing research and analysis, coordinating with different departments to gather and process documentation, liaising and negotiating with vendors and suppliers, and keeping track of all purchasing orders to ensure accuracy and timeliness. Furthermore, as a purchasing buyer, it is essential to maintain records of all transactions and submit regular reports to supervisors.
Procurement agents and purchasing buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Procurement Agent | Purchasing Buyer | |
| Average salary | $72,384 | $47,471 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $106,000 | Between $35,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | Goleta, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Aramco Services Company |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a procurement agent and a purchasing buyer in terms of educational background:
| Procurement Agent | Purchasing Buyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between procurement agents' and purchasing buyers' demographics:
| Procurement Agent | Purchasing Buyer | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.4% Female, 48.6% | Male, 41.9% Female, 58.1% |
| 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, 12.4% Asian, 7.8% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |