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The differences between procurement supervisors and purchasing buyers 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 buyer. Additionally, a procurement supervisor has an average salary of $72,602, which is higher than the $47,471 average annual salary of a purchasing buyer.
The top three skills for a procurement supervisor include logistics, purchase orders and continuous improvement. The most important skills for a purchasing buyer are purchase orders, logistics, and cost savings.
| Procurement Supervisor | Purchasing Buyer | |
| Yearly salary | $72,602 | $47,471 |
| Hourly rate | $34.90 | $22.82 |
| Growth rate | 11% | - |
| Number of jobs | 16,985 | 21,158 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| 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.
In a retail setting, a purchasing buyer is primarily responsible for devising strategies for procuring supplies, ensuring that it aligns with the company's needs and standards. They are also responsible for conducting thorough marketing research and analysis, coordinating with different departments to gather and process documentation, liaising and negotiating with vendors and suppliers, and keeping track of all purchasing orders to ensure accuracy and timeliness. Furthermore, as a purchasing buyer, it is essential to maintain records of all transactions and submit regular reports to supervisors.
Procurement supervisors and purchasing buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Procurement Supervisor | Purchasing Buyer | |
| Average salary | $72,602 | $47,471 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $100,000 | Between $35,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Everett, WA | Goleta, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Natera | Aramco Services Company |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a procurement supervisor and a purchasing buyer in terms of educational background:
| Procurement Supervisor | Purchasing Buyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between procurement supervisors' and purchasing buyers' demographics:
| Procurement Supervisor | Purchasing Buyer | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.8% Female, 38.2% | Male, 41.9% Female, 58.1% |
| 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, 9.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 7.8% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |