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The differences between purchasing assistants and procurement agents 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 assistant and a procurement agent. Additionally, a procurement agent has an average salary of $72,384, 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 a procurement agent are supply chain, strategic sourcing, and supplier performance.
| Purchasing Assistant | Procurement Agent | |
| Yearly salary | $38,331 | $72,384 |
| Hourly rate | $18.43 | $34.80 |
| Growth rate | -8% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 8,415 | 45,198 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 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.
A procurement agent develops profitable measures to save the client money and ensure the quality of goods supplied. Procurement agents obtain the purchased items through suppliers, monitor them, and expedite the orders. They oversee the activities and performance of the suppliers for compliance. Their duties include the verification of item receipts, resolving shipment-related problems, and authorizing purchase payments through documentation. The necessary skills for this job include being accomplished, decisive, and strong communication skills.
Purchasing assistants and procurement agents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Purchasing Assistant | Procurement Agent | |
| Average salary | $38,331 | $72,384 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $47,000 | Between $49,000 And $106,000 |
| Highest paying City | Baltimore, MD | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a purchasing assistant and a procurement agent in terms of educational background:
| Purchasing Assistant | Procurement Agent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between purchasing assistants' and procurement agents' demographics:
| Purchasing Assistant | Procurement Agent | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 22.8% Female, 77.2% | Male, 51.4% Female, 48.6% |
| 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, 8.8% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 7.6% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |