Purchase analyst vs supply chain analyst

The differences between purchase analysts and supply chain analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a purchase analyst, becoming a supply chain analyst takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a supply chain analyst has an average salary of $67,450, which is higher than the $64,581 average annual salary of a purchase analyst.

The top three skills for a purchase analyst include purchase orders, supplier performance and continuous improvement. The most important skills for a supply chain analyst are supply chain, logistics, and customer service.

Purchase analyst vs supply chain analyst overview

	Purchase Analyst	Supply Chain Analyst
Yearly salary	$64,581	$67,450
Hourly rate	$31.05	$32.43
Growth rate	11%	28%
Number of jobs	88,542	37,979
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age	44	41
Years of experience	4	6

What does a purchase analyst do?

A purchase analyst is responsible for looking at the market outlook and determining what and when to buy when ordering supplies. They are responsible for making an investment in a product or technology, and contracting with vendors. You have varied duties and responsibilities that include researching product prices and comparisons, determining price history and cost-effectiveness, and providing leadership for logistics, resource management decisions, and sourcing. You will also be responsible for purchasing equipment from suppliers and working closely with leadership to develop sourcing strategies.

What does a supply chain analyst do?

A supply chain analyst is responsible for handling the supply chain operations of an organization, aligning processes, and identifying areas of improvement to initiate procedures and create smooth supply delivery transactions. Supply chain analysts monitor the adequacy of stock inventory, including the trends in the market industry, to meet the public demands and ensuring that the business provides those interests. They also evaluate the supply cycle, from the planning stages to the final distribution, and analyzing aspects to minimize complexities and cost-reduction without compromising the quality of services.

Purchase analyst vs supply chain analyst salary

Purchase analysts and supply chain analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Purchase Analyst	Supply Chain Analyst
Average salary	$64,581	$67,450
Salary range	Between $42,000 And $98,000	Between $50,000 And $90,000
Highest paying City	Milford, MA	Arlington, VA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Virginia
Best paying company	MPS Horticulture	Meta
Best paying industry	Retail	Manufacturing

Differences between purchase analyst and supply chain analyst education

There are a few differences between a purchase analyst and a supply chain analyst in terms of educational background:

	Purchase Analyst	Supply Chain Analyst
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Northwestern University	Stanford University

Purchase analyst vs supply chain analyst demographics

Here are the differences between purchase analysts' and supply chain analysts' demographics:

	Purchase Analyst	Supply Chain Analyst
Average age	44	41
Gender ratio	Male, 45.8% Female, 54.2%	Male, 59.3% Female, 40.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 10.6% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.8% Asian, 11.4% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	12%	9%

Differences between purchase analyst and supply chain analyst duties and responsibilities

Purchase analyst example responsibilities.

Transport purchases and contract and manage carriers (freight forwarders in order to arrange and manage the transportation of purchases.
Write RFI and RFP documents and manage the process for each.
Compile and manage the RFP excel database containing incumbent supplier pricing and alternative supplier pricing.
Manage purchasing data within proprietary applications and ERP systems with accuracy.
Manage and determine obsolete and/or slow moving inventory for all above mention commodities.
Manage factory activities for key commodities encompassing resource management in materials and production.

Supply chain analyst example responsibilities.

Manage and develop various SQL queries to extract, analyze, and report trends and inventory needs.
Raise capital, set up PMO office & lead cross-functional team to deliver a document management technology solution.
Overhaul inventory management and replenishment methodology until introduction of ERP and policies upon ERP integration.
Decrease overtime percentages significantly by restructuring workloads, and material cost savings by reducing inventory levels and implementing MRP principles.
Coach and train staff to have a working knowledge of PeopleSoft for a successful go-live.
Validate BOM entry and routing in BPCS and monitor product development and supply chain until first complete delivery.

Purchase analyst vs supply chain analyst skills

Common purchase analyst skills

Purchase Orders, 13%
Supplier Performance, 11%
Continuous Improvement, 5%
ERP, 5%
Cost Analysis, 5%
Logistics, 4%

Common supply chain analyst skills

Supply Chain, 18%
Logistics, 8%
Customer Service, 6%
Power Bi, 5%
Continuous Improvement, 4%
Chain Management, 4%

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Purchase Analyst
Purchase Analyst vs Supply Chain Analyst

Updated January 8, 2025

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