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The differences between purchasing program managers and material 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 program manager and a material manager. Additionally, a material manager has an average salary of $96,125, which is higher than the $76,255 average annual salary of a purchasing program manager.
The top three skills for a purchasing program manager include supply chain, logistics and RFQ. The most important skills for a material manager are supply chain, logistics, and customer service.
| Purchasing Program Manager | Material Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $76,255 | $96,125 |
| Hourly rate | $36.66 | $46.21 |
| Growth rate | -6% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 98,769 | 43,759 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Purchasing Program Managers will need a bachelor's degree in this field with certification options in the Institute for Supply Management, American Purchasing Society, Association for Operations Management, or other such organizations. They must also have cultivated skills in understanding supply chains, supplier performance, and logistics. Paying out at around $103K per year on average, they will be called to design, plan, and implement strategies for sourcing and purchasing, work with the suppliers and manufacturers, maintain databases of suppliers, negotiate price lowering, and focus on building and maintaining relationships with the necessary suppliers and vendors.
A material manager is responsible for monitoring inventories and stock supplies, ensuring the adequacy of materials needed for manufacturing or other operations, depending on the organization's industry. Material managers meet with suppliers and third-party vendors, negotiating contracts that would fit the budget goals of the company without compromising quality. They manage the distribution of resources throughout the organizations' department and provide purchase reports for the management. A material manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to address the needs of an organization for smooth operations.
Purchasing program managers and material managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Purchasing Program Manager | Material Manager | |
| Average salary | $76,255 | $96,125 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $171,000 | Between $72,000 And $126,000 |
| Highest paying City | Ridgecrest, CA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Safran | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a purchasing program manager and a material manager in terms of educational background:
| Purchasing Program Manager | Material Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between purchasing program managers' and material managers' demographics:
| Purchasing Program Manager | Material Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.3% Female, 40.7% | Male, 77.7% Female, 22.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 7.5% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 7.4% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |