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The differences between procurement supervisors 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 supervisor and a purchasing assistant. Additionally, a procurement supervisor has an average salary of $72,602, which is higher than the $38,331 average annual salary of a purchasing assistant.
The top three skills for a procurement supervisor include logistics, purchase orders and continuous improvement. The most important skills for a purchasing assistant are purchase orders, purchase requisitions, and customer service.
| Procurement Supervisor | Purchasing Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $72,602 | $38,331 |
| Hourly rate | $34.90 | $18.43 |
| Growth rate | 11% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 16,985 | 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 supervisors are professionals who supervise the activities and work of procurement personnel while participating in the implementation of goals and priorities for an organization's procurement activities and operations. These supervisors are required to conduct technical audits on logistics equipment and analyze logistics data to identify opportunities for improvement in performance and output. They must implement an inventory management system that will reduce inventory shortages while increasing turn rates. Procurement supervisors must also prepare purchase orders for goods and services to improve customer satisfaction.
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 supervisors and purchasing assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Procurement Supervisor | Purchasing Assistant | |
| Average salary | $72,602 | $38,331 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $100,000 | Between $31,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Everett, WA | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Natera | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a procurement supervisor and a purchasing assistant in terms of educational background:
| Procurement Supervisor | 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 supervisors' and purchasing assistants' demographics:
| Procurement Supervisor | Purchasing Assistant | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.8% Female, 38.2% | Male, 22.8% Female, 77.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 7.7% White, 66.1% 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% |