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The differences between purchasing managers and planning managers 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 manager, becoming a planning manager takes usually requires 8-10 years. Additionally, a planning manager has an average salary of $98,486, 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 planning manager are project management, customer service, and strong analytical.
| Purchasing Manager | Planning Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $98,118 | $98,486 |
| Hourly rate | $47.17 | $47.35 |
| Growth rate | -6% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 30,430 | 137,190 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 47 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 10 |
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.
Planning managers perform various duties and responsibilities for an organization. These include planning and monitoring a project or department's budget, production schedule, and inventory, creating reports of new plans, programs, and regulations, and ensuring development proposals comply with requirements and regulations. Additionally, planning managers are expected to serve as an intermediary between developers, government entities, businesses, and communities. They also oversee site plans, rezoning, and special-use permits, set schedules for the project, and supervise other personnel such as developers and consultants.
Purchasing managers and planning managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Purchasing Manager | Planning Manager | |
| Average salary | $98,118 | $98,486 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $136,000 | Between $71,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maine | California |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | ZS |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a purchasing manager and a planning manager in terms of educational background:
| Purchasing Manager | Planning Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between purchasing managers' and planning managers' demographics:
| Purchasing Manager | Planning Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.0% Female, 33.0% | Male, 64.1% Female, 35.9% |
| 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, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 10% |