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The differences between purchasing managers and managers 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 manager. Additionally, a purchasing manager has an average salary of $98,118, which is higher than the $58,651 average annual salary of a manager.
The top three skills for a purchasing manager include supply chain, strategic sourcing and project management. The most important skills for a manager are customer service, payroll, and food safety.
| Purchasing Manager | Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $98,118 | $58,651 |
| Hourly rate | $47.17 | $28.20 |
| Growth rate | -6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 30,430 | 1,236,194 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 4.57 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 47 | 44 |
| 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.
Managers are responsible for a specific department, function, or employee group. They oversee their assigned departments and all the employees under the department. Managers are responsible that the department they are handling is functioning well. They set the department goals and the steps they must take to achieve the goals. They are also in charge of assessing the performance of their departments and their employees. Additionally, managers are responsible for interviewing prospective candidates for department vacancies and assessing their fit to the needs of the department. Managers also set the general working environment in the department, and they are expected to ensure that their employees remain motivated.
Purchasing managers and managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Purchasing Manager | Manager | |
| Average salary | $98,118 | $58,651 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $136,000 | Between $37,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | Maine | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | - |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a purchasing manager and a manager in terms of educational background:
| Purchasing Manager | Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between purchasing managers' and managers' demographics:
| Purchasing Manager | Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.0% Female, 33.0% | Male, 51.0% Female, 49.0% |
| 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, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 10% |