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The differences between procurement buyers and purchasing managers 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 manager. Additionally, a purchasing manager has an average salary of $98,118, which is higher than the $61,874 average annual salary of a procurement buyer.
The top three skills for a procurement buyer include purchase orders, supplier performance and logistics. The most important skills for a purchasing manager are supply chain, strategic sourcing, and project management.
| Procurement Buyer | Purchasing Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $61,874 | $98,118 |
| Hourly rate | $29.75 | $47.17 |
| Growth rate | - | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 16,674 | 30,430 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| 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 manager is responsible for organizing and managing products to order or sell. Purchasing managers review product specifications, negotiate pricing details with the vendors, evaluate and choose the best suppliers, and assist purchasing agents. Purchase managers are also responsible for resolving order processing issues and analyzing current market trends to determine which products to purchase. A purchasing manager must have excellent decision-making and strategical skills to examine effects, inspect defective items, and create an in-depth analysis of customers' needs to improve their performance and sales.
Procurement buyers and purchasing managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Procurement Buyer | Purchasing Manager | |
| Average salary | $61,874 | $98,118 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $87,000 | Between $70,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Stockton, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Maine |
| Best paying company | Invesco | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a procurement buyer and a purchasing manager in terms of educational background:
| Procurement Buyer | Purchasing Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between procurement buyers' and purchasing managers' demographics:
| Procurement Buyer | Purchasing Manager | |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.6% Female, 54.4% | Male, 67.0% Female, 33.0% |
| 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, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 7.5% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 11% |