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The differences between procurement buyers and contracts administrators 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 buyer and a contracts administrator. Additionally, a procurement buyer has an average salary of $61,874, which is higher than the $52,876 average annual salary of a contracts administrator.
The top three skills for a procurement buyer include purchase orders, supplier performance and logistics. The most important skills for a contracts administrator are contract administration, customer service, and contract management.
| Procurement Buyer | Contracts Administrator | |
| Yearly salary | $61,874 | $52,876 |
| Hourly rate | $29.75 | $25.42 |
| Growth rate | - | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 16,674 | 58,038 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
Contract administrators create and manage legal contracts from which the company participates. They ensure that all entities to the contract will accomplish their obligations, as indicated in the contract. They usually work for larger organizations that might be involved with different or highly complex contracts. These organizations spread across a range of industries, including government, construction, and healthcare. Their responsibilities include addressing any conflicts of questions regarding the contract, analyzing the possible risks posed by contracts, and working alongside the legal and procurement teams.
Procurement buyers and contracts administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Procurement Buyer | Contracts Administrator | |
| Average salary | $61,874 | $52,876 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $87,000 | Between $35,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | Stockton, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Invesco | Ngam Advisors, L.P. |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Finance |
There are a few differences between a procurement buyer and a contracts administrator in terms of educational background:
| Procurement Buyer | Contracts Administrator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between procurement buyers' and contracts administrators' demographics:
| Procurement Buyer | Contracts Administrator | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.6% Female, 54.4% | Male, 32.2% Female, 67.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 7.7% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |