Purchasing agent vs planner/buyer

The differences between purchasing agents and planner/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 purchasing agent and a planner/buyer. Additionally, a planner/buyer has an average salary of $54,261, which is higher than the $51,950 average annual salary of a purchasing agent.

The top three skills for a purchasing agent include purchase orders, customer service and logistics. The most important skills for a planner/buyer are supply chain, purchase orders, and customer service.

Purchasing agent vs planner/buyer overview

	Purchasing Agent	Planner/Buyer
Yearly salary	$51,950	$54,261
Hourly rate	$24.98	$26.09
Growth rate	-	-3%
Number of jobs	45,856	33,452
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	6	6

What does a purchasing agent do?

A purchasing agent's general task is keeping purchase records and making sure that there won't be any discrepancies with the handling of orders. The purchasing agent should be responsible for the order processing and payment collection. Purchasing agents should also be proficient in interpreting and evaluating data, researching on best marketing sources and alternatives, issuing required documentation for suppliers, as well as managing customer queries as needed. Being a purchasing agent requires critical-thinking skills in assessing concerns and providing solutions should there be any possible negotiation conflicts.

What does a planner/buyer do?

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.

Purchasing agent vs planner/buyer salary

Purchasing agents and planner/buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Purchasing Agent	Planner/Buyer
Average salary	$51,950	$54,261
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $72,000	Between $37,000 And $77,000
Highest paying City	San Jose, CA	Billerica, MA
Highest paying state	Maryland	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Abiomed	Edwards Lifesciences
Best paying industry	Technology	Technology

Differences between purchasing agent and planner/buyer education

There are a few differences between a purchasing agent and a planner/buyer in terms of educational background:

	Purchasing Agent	Planner/Buyer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Purchasing agent vs planner/buyer demographics

Here are the differences between purchasing agents' and planner/buyers' demographics:

	Purchasing Agent	Planner/Buyer
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 49.5% Female, 50.5%	Male, 47.9% Female, 52.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	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	7%	7%

Differences between purchasing agent and planner/buyer duties and responsibilities

Purchasing agent example responsibilities.

Reorganize MRO to manage inventory more efficiently.
Utilize MaCola ERP system to process and manage purchase requisitions and purchase orders in coordination with manufacturing forecast.
Process purchase orders from electronically generate RFQ'S.
Develop programs with suppliers to ensure that commodities meet engineering and quality specifications while maintaining on-time delivery.
Prepare purchase orders, RFP's and RFB's, advertise solicitations, review responses and approve contract acceptance.
Send out RFQ's and award orders to the best fit and price vendor to ensure manufacturing meets critical due dates.

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Planner/buyer example responsibilities.

Manage assign commodities by communicating MRP changes to the suppliers, minimizing obsolete inventory while achieving the optimum inventory levels.
Manage monthly and year end physical inventory audits of all raw materials, WIP, and finish goods.
Manage inventory pipelines from NPI to manufacturing and/or offshore contract manufacturers.
Utilize company ERP system for inventory management and schedule optimization.
Plan and coordinate all material requirements of assign commodities and supplier availability utilizing the MRP system.
Synchronize with packers and freight forwarders to arrange and prepare documentation shipment export.

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Purchasing agent vs planner/buyer skills

Common purchasing agent skills

Purchase Orders, 30%
Customer Service, 12%
Logistics, 5%
Inventory Control, 4%
MRP, 3%
Cost Savings, 3%

Common planner/buyer skills

Supply Chain, 14%
Purchase Orders, 14%
Customer Service, 7%
MRP, 6%
ERP, 3%
Logistics, 3%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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