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The differences between purchasing assistants and assistant buyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a purchasing assistant, becoming an assistant buyer takes usually requires More than 10 years. Additionally, an assistant buyer has an average salary of $49,586, which is higher than the $38,331 average annual salary of a purchasing assistant.
The top three skills for a purchasing assistant include purchase orders, purchase requisitions and customer service. The most important skills for an assistant buyer are purchase orders, vendor relations, and customer service.
| Purchasing Assistant | Assistant Buyer | |
| Yearly salary | $38,331 | $49,586 |
| Hourly rate | $18.43 | $23.84 |
| Growth rate | -8% | - |
| Number of jobs | 8,415 | 15,090 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
A purchasing assistant is responsible for obtaining raw materials and goods for a business or company. They primarily function to assist purchasing managers or supervisors by keeping records, maintaining inventory, reviewing purchase orders, and monitoring shipments and deliveries. Furthermore, a purchasing assistant may perform administrative support tasks ranging from arranging appointments and managing schedules, answering calls and inquiries, reaching out to vendors and suppliers, producing reports, and coordinating with various departments to ensure the smooth flow of products within the company.
An assistant buyer participates and assists in the procurement procedures in a retail company. One of their primary responsibilities revolves around selecting products according to company guidelines, handling and organizing purchase orders, and monitoring the budget. An assistant buyer may also have administrative support tasks such as responding to calls and correspondence, preparing paperwork and progress reports, arranging schedules, keeping records of invoices and inventory, and staying updated with trends. Furthermore, an assistant buyer must reach out to new suppliers and engage with vendors to maintain and establish a positive business relationship.
Purchasing assistants and assistant buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Purchasing Assistant | Assistant Buyer | |
| Average salary | $38,331 | $49,586 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $47,000 | Between $36,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Baltimore, MD | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | Fashion Nova |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a purchasing assistant and an assistant buyer in terms of educational background:
| Purchasing Assistant | Assistant Buyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities |
Here are the differences between purchasing assistants' and assistant buyers' demographics:
| Purchasing Assistant | Assistant Buyer | |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 22.8% Female, 77.2% | Male, 23.5% Female, 76.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 7.8% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 6.6% White, 75.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 15% |