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The differences between purchasing managers and directors 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 manager and a director. Additionally, a director has an average salary of $113,489, which is higher than the $98,118 average annual salary of a purchasing manager.
The top three skills for a purchasing manager include supply chain, strategic sourcing and project management. The most important skills for a director are healthcare, customer service, and oversight.
| Purchasing Manager | Director | |
| Yearly salary | $98,118 | $113,489 |
| Hourly rate | $47.17 | $54.56 |
| Growth rate | -6% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 30,430 | 230,711 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 47 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A purchasing manager is responsible for organizing and managing products to order or sell. Purchasing managers review product specifications, negotiate pricing details with the vendors, evaluate and choose the best suppliers, and assist purchasing agents. Purchase managers are also responsible for resolving order processing issues and analyzing current market trends to determine which products to purchase. A purchasing manager must have excellent decision-making and strategical skills to examine effects, inspect defective items, and create an in-depth analysis of customers' needs to improve their performance and sales.
Directors work in show business, whether in a film, a television show, or a theatre production. They are responsible for bringing the material to life. They work with the writers to get a clear vision of how the production should look. They lead the production team in planning for the production, identifying filming or rehearsing schedules, casting for roles, and other aspects that need to be decided upon. Directors provide direction to the actors to ensure that the actors understand their role and will be able to effectively convey emotions to the audience. They also manage all other crew members and communicate their expectations clearly so that everyone on the set is working towards one vision.
Purchasing managers and directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Purchasing Manager | Director | |
| Average salary | $98,118 | $113,489 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $136,000 | Between $66,000 And $192,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Maine | New York |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a purchasing manager and a director in terms of educational background:
| Purchasing Manager | Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between purchasing managers' and directors' demographics:
| Purchasing Manager | Director | |
| Average age | 47 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.0% Female, 33.0% | Male, 53.2% Female, 46.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 7.5% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 14% |