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The differences between production control planners and planner/buyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a production control planner, becoming a planner/buyer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a production control planner has an average salary of $68,783, which is higher than the $54,261 average annual salary of a planner/buyer.
The top three skills for a production control planner include MRP, production control and on-time delivery. The most important skills for a planner/buyer are supply chain, purchase orders, and customer service.
| Production Control Planner | Planner/Buyer | |
| Yearly salary | $68,783 | $54,261 |
| Hourly rate | $33.07 | $26.09 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 98,958 | 33,452 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 45 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
Production control planners have the ability to work well with others, analytical thinking, verbal communication, persistence, determination, ambition, and, of course, business management skills. Those who choose this career path will plan production control activities in order to improve runtime while maintaining high quality, cost-effectiveness, and timely delivery. Also, they will work on material planning and analysis for the purposes of reducing the inventory level.
The role of buyers/planners is to ensure that office materials and equipment are well-supplied within their organization. They decide and purchase the materials needed for use or resale by their organization. They are responsible for evaluating prospective suppliers based on their cost, product quality, and delivery times. They are also the ones who negotiate contracts specifying the payment terms, price, and delivery schedules. Most employers prefer their buyer to have earned a bachelor's degree with a major in operations management or business management.
Production control planners and planner/buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Control Planner | Planner/Buyer | |
| Average salary | $68,783 | $54,261 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $90,000 | Between $37,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fremont, CA | Billerica, MA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | NVIDIA | Edwards Lifesciences |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a production control planner and a planner/buyer in terms of educational background:
| Production Control Planner | Planner/Buyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between production control planners' and planner/buyers' demographics:
| Production Control Planner | Planner/Buyer | |
| Average age | 45 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.0% Female, 37.0% | Male, 47.9% Female, 52.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 7.2% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 7.9% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 7% |