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The differences between procurement engineers and purchasing agents can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a procurement engineer, becoming a purchasing agent takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a procurement engineer has an average salary of $75,682, which is higher than the $51,950 average annual salary of a purchasing agent.
The top three skills for a procurement engineer include project management, cost reduction and supplier quality. The most important skills for a purchasing agent are purchase orders, customer service, and logistics.
| Procurement Engineer | Purchasing Agent | |
| Yearly salary | $75,682 | $51,950 |
| Hourly rate | $36.39 | $24.98 |
| Growth rate | 10% | - |
| Number of jobs | 28,571 | 45,856 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 42 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
Procurement engineers are professionals who are responsible for procuring technical goods and services that are used in the industrial operation of an organization. These engineers must evaluate all new and existing suppliers and negotiate purchase agreements to ensure that the purchased goods and services are delivered as promised. They must ensure that all the machines and equipment are following the quality and performance standards of the facility. Procurement engineers must also choose appropriate suppliers by analyzing and comparing their products and prices.
A purchasing agent's general task is keeping purchase records and making sure that there won't be any discrepancies with the handling of orders. The purchasing agent should be responsible for the order processing and payment collection. Purchasing agents should also be proficient in interpreting and evaluating data, researching on best marketing sources and alternatives, issuing required documentation for suppliers, as well as managing customer queries as needed. Being a purchasing agent requires critical-thinking skills in assessing concerns and providing solutions should there be any possible negotiation conflicts.
Procurement engineers and purchasing agents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Procurement Engineer | Purchasing Agent | |
| Average salary | $75,682 | $51,950 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $105,000 | Between $37,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Apple | Abiomed |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a procurement engineer and a purchasing agent in terms of educational background:
| Procurement Engineer | Purchasing Agent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between procurement engineers' and purchasing agents' demographics:
| Procurement Engineer | Purchasing Agent | |
| Average age | 42 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.1% Female, 16.9% | Male, 49.5% Female, 50.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 15.1% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 7% |