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The differences between procurement buyers and purchasing assistants 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 purchasing assistant. Additionally, a procurement buyer has an average salary of $61,874, which is higher than the $38,331 average annual salary of a purchasing assistant.
The top three skills for a procurement buyer include purchase orders, supplier performance and logistics. The most important skills for a purchasing assistant are purchase orders, purchase requisitions, and customer service.
| Procurement Buyer | Purchasing Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $61,874 | $38,331 |
| Hourly rate | $29.75 | $18.43 |
| Growth rate | - | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 16,674 | 8,415 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| 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.
A purchasing assistant is responsible for obtaining raw materials and goods for a business or company. They primarily function to assist purchasing managers or supervisors by keeping records, maintaining inventory, reviewing purchase orders, and monitoring shipments and deliveries. Furthermore, a purchasing assistant may perform administrative support tasks ranging from arranging appointments and managing schedules, answering calls and inquiries, reaching out to vendors and suppliers, producing reports, and coordinating with various departments to ensure the smooth flow of products within the company.
Procurement buyers and purchasing assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Procurement Buyer | Purchasing Assistant | |
| Average salary | $61,874 | $38,331 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $87,000 | Between $31,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Stockton, CA | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Invesco | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a procurement buyer and a purchasing assistant in terms of educational background:
| Procurement Buyer | Purchasing Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between procurement buyers' and purchasing assistants' demographics:
| Procurement Buyer | Purchasing Assistant | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.6% Female, 54.4% | Male, 22.8% Female, 77.2% |
| 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, 9.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 7.8% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |