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The differences between procurement agents and supply chain specialists 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 supply chain specialist. Additionally, a procurement agent has an average salary of $72,384, which is higher than the $71,414 average annual salary of a supply chain specialist.
The top three skills for a procurement agent include supply chain, strategic sourcing and supplier performance. The most important skills for a supply chain specialist are supply chain, logistics, and chain management.
| Procurement Agent | Supply Chain Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $72,384 | $71,414 |
| Hourly rate | $34.80 | $34.33 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 28% |
| Number of jobs | 45,198 | 25,129 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| 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.
It is the responsibility of the supply chain specialist to procure materials to manufacture and ship products. The supply chain specialist determines and orders the proper quantities and negotiates pricing and their shipment terms. They oversee the delivery of necessary materials for the fulfillment of orders made by customers. The specialists need to develop strong skills in project management, business ethics, problem-solving, understanding of financial statements, communication skills, and cost accounting skills.
Procurement agents and supply chain specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Procurement Agent | Supply Chain Specialist | |
| Average salary | $72,384 | $71,414 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $106,000 | Between $49,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a procurement agent and a supply chain specialist in terms of educational background:
| Procurement Agent | Supply Chain Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between procurement agents' and supply chain specialists' demographics:
| Procurement Agent | Supply Chain Specialist | |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.4% Female, 48.6% | Male, 58.6% Female, 41.4% |
| 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, 7.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 8.8% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 10% |