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The differences between purchasing buyers and procurement analysts 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 buyer, becoming a procurement analyst takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a procurement analyst has an average salary of $64,448, which is higher than the $47,471 average annual salary of a purchasing buyer.
The top three skills for a purchasing buyer include purchase orders, logistics and cost savings. The most important skills for a procurement analyst are purchase orders, supplier performance, and customer service.
| Purchasing Buyer | Procurement Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $47,471 | $64,448 |
| Hourly rate | $22.82 | $30.98 |
| Growth rate | - | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 21,158 | 75,154 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 48 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
In a retail setting, a purchasing buyer is primarily responsible for devising strategies for procuring supplies, ensuring that it aligns with the company's needs and standards. They are also responsible for conducting thorough marketing research and analysis, coordinating with different departments to gather and process documentation, liaising and negotiating with vendors and suppliers, and keeping track of all purchasing orders to ensure accuracy and timeliness. Furthermore, as a purchasing buyer, it is essential to maintain records of all transactions and submit regular reports to supervisors.
Procurement analysts procure favorable contracts by acting as liaisons between suppliers and their employers. They are hired by organizations that rely on supply chain management to analyze and evaluate potential suppliers, prepare reports about monthly supply costs, and negotiate contracts. With good critical thinking skills, these procurement analysts who are also known as purchasing analysts, evaluate vendors and suppliers based on the speed of delivery, quality, and price. They use quantitative methods to support fact-based decision-making to become competitive and to ensure cost-efficiency and high quality of the products and services.
Purchasing buyers and procurement analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Purchasing Buyer | Procurement Analyst | |
| Average salary | $47,471 | $64,448 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $62,000 | Between $45,000 And $91,000 |
| Highest paying City | Goleta, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Aramco Services Company | PayPal |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Retail |
There are a few differences between a purchasing buyer and a procurement analyst in terms of educational background:
| Purchasing Buyer | Procurement Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between purchasing buyers' and procurement analysts' demographics:
| Purchasing Buyer | Procurement Analyst | |
| Average age | 48 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.9% Female, 58.1% | Male, 47.7% Female, 52.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 7.8% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 11.8% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 12% |