Purchasing agent demographics and statistics in the US
Purchasing agent demographics research summary. Zippia estimates purchasing agent demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our purchasing agent estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about purchasing agents after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 272,885 purchasing agents currently employed in the United States.
- 50.5% of all purchasing agents are women, while 49.5% are men.
- The average purchasing agent age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of purchasing agents is White (65.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.7%), Black or African American (9.3%) and Asian (7.0%).
- Purchasing agents are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- The technology industry is the highest-paying for purchasing agents.
- 7% of all purchasing agents are LGBT.
On this page
Purchasing agent demographics by:
Purchasing agent gender statistics
50.5% of purchasing agents are women and 49.5% of purchasing agents are men.
- Female, 50.5%
- Male, 49.5%
Purchasing agent gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 50.5% |
| Male | 49.5% |
Purchasing agent gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$54,619
Female income
$52,258
Purchasing agent gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in purchasing agent positions over time. Currently, 50.5% of purchasing agents are female.
Purchasing agent gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 48.82% | 51.18% |
| 2011 | 47.55% | 52.45% |
| 2012 | 49.43% | 50.57% |
| 2013 | 50.54% | 49.46% |
| 2014 | 49.49% | 50.51% |
| 2015 | 48.63% | 51.37% |
| 2016 | 49.16% | 50.84% |
| 2017 | 49.34% | 50.66% |
| 2018 | 50.09% | 49.91% |
| 2019 | 48.63% | 51.37% |
| 2020 | 48.93% | 51.07% |
| 2021 | 49.53% | 50.47% |
Purchasing agent related jobs gender ratio
We compared purchasing agents with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, timber buyer and chief estimator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Wedding Coordinator | 9% | 91% |
| Conference Planning Manager | 9% | 91% |
| Human Resources Administrative Assistant | 9% | 91% |
| Purchasing Agent | 50% | 50% |
| Electronic Security Specialist | 94% | 6% |
| Chief Estimator | 95% | 5% |
| Timber Buyer | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Purchasing agent demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among purchasing agents is White, which makes up 65.8% of all purchasing agents. Comparatively, 12.7% of purchasing agents are Hispanic or Latino and 9.3% of purchasing agents are Black or African American.
- White, 65.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.7%
- Black or African American, 9.3%
- Asian, 7.0%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Purchasing agent race
| Purchasing agent race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 65.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.7% |
| Black or African American | 9.3% |
| Asian | 7.0% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Purchasing agent race and ethnicity over time
See how purchasing agent racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Purchasing agent race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.88% | 9.13% | 4.45% | 10.71% |
| 2011 | 72.24% | 10.22% | 5.42% | 10.30% |
| 2012 | 72.43% | 9.61% | 4.90% | 10.84% |
| 2013 | 73.09% | 9.94% | 5.43% | 9.07% |
| 2014 | 71.99% | 9.11% | 6.48% | 9.71% |
| 2015 | 73.43% | 8.97% | 5.83% | 9.60% |
| 2016 | 70.75% | 9.93% | 5.64% | 11.19% |
| 2017 | 72.12% | 8.30% | 7.04% | 10.27% |
| 2018 | 71.52% | 9.01% | 6.38% | 10.84% |
| 2019 | 70.70% | 8.83% | 6.51% | 11.55% |
| 2020 | 66.31% | 9.80% | 6.39% | 12.94% |
| 2021 | 65.78% | 9.32% | 6.97% | 12.72% |
Purchasing agent wage gap by race
According to our data, asian purchasing agents have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown purchasing agents have the lowest average salary at $53,209.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $53,209 |
| White | $54,029 |
| Black or African American | $55,440 |
| Asian | $55,815 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $54,644 |
Average purchasing agent age
See how the average age of purchasing agents varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Purchasing agent age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 55 | 48 |
| Unknown | 44 | 43 |
| Asian | 43 | 43.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 41 | 47 |
| White | 50 | 50 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 52 |
Purchasing agent age breakdown
The average age of purchasing agents is 40+ years years old, representing 72% of the purchasing agent population.
Purchasing agent age breakdown
| Purchasing Agent Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 72% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 7% |
Purchasing agent educational attainment
The most common degree for purchasing agents is bachelor's degree, with 56% of purchasing agents earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 22% and associate degree degree at 11%.
- Bachelor's, 56%
- Associate, 22%
- High School Diploma, 11%
- Master's, 6%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Purchasing agents by degree level
| Purchasing agent degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 56% |
| Associate | 22% |
| High School Diploma | 11% |
| Master's | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Purchasing agent jobs you might like
Purchasing agent wage gap by degree level
According to the data, purchasing agents with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $66,101 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, purchasing agents earn a median annual income of $58,294 compared to $48,495 for purchasing agents with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $66,101 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $48,495 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $58,294 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $47,013 |
Purchasing agent employment statistics
Most purchasing agents work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where purchasing agents work
Below, you can see the size of companies where purchasing agents work.
Purchasing agent jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 2% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 8% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 13% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 4% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 31% |
| > 10,000 employees | 43% |
Purchasing agent jobs by company type
Employees with the purchasing agent job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most purchasing agents prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Purchasing agent jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 45% |
| Private | 45% |
| Government | 7% |
Purchasing agent jobs by industry
The most common industries for purchasing agents are manufacturing, technology and construction.
Purchasing agent industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Fortune 500 | 19% |
| Manufacturing | 18% |
| Technology | 9% |
| Construction | 8% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Government | 5% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Energy | 4% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Automotive | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Education | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
Purchasing agent turnover and employment statistics
Purchasing agent unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for purchasing agents between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Purchasing agent unemployment rate by year
| Year | Purchasing agent unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.44% |
| 2011 | 5.64% |
| 2012 | 5.01% |
| 2013 | 4.52% |
| 2014 | 2.61% |
| 2015 | 2.75% |
| 2016 | 1.99% |
| 2017 | 1.76% |
| 2018 | 1.71% |
| 2019 | 1.90% |
| 2020 | 2.63% |
| 2021 | 3.60% |
Average purchasing agent tenure
The average purchasing agent stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 31,662 purchasing agents resumes in Zippia's database.
Purchasing agent tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 13% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 18% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 12% |
Purchasing agent LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of purchasing agents that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Designer/Estimator | 4.41% | 55,071 |
| Purchasing Agent | 7.17% | - |
| Supply Coordinator | 8.65% | 40,821 |
| Marketing Internship | 10.00% | 122,135 |
| Proposal Analyst | 11.05% | 10,572 |
| Equal Opportunity Counselor | 11.64% | 27,442 |
| Fundraising Officer | 19.25% | 55,872 |
Similar purchasing agent jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Designer/Estimator | 4.41% | 55,071 |
| Supply Coordinator | 8.65% | 40,821 |
| Marketing Internship | 10.00% | 122,135 |
| Proposal Analyst | 11.05% | 10,572 |
| Equal Opportunity Counselor | 11.64% | 27,442 |
| Fundraising Officer | 19.25% | 55,872 |
Foreign languages spoken by purchasing agents
The most common foreign language among purchasing agents is Spanish at 58.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Chinese at 5.7% and French is the third-most popular at 5.5%.
- Spanish, 58.2%
- Chinese, 5.7%
- French, 5.5%
- Mandarin, 5.4%
- German, 4.5%
- Other, 20.7%
Purchasing agent languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 58.2% |
| Chinese | 5.7% |
| French | 5.5% |
| Mandarin | 5.4% |
| German | 4.5% |
| Other | 20.7% |
