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The differences between purchasing program managers and senior purchasing 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 senior purchasing manager. Additionally, a senior purchasing manager has an average salary of $109,837, 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 senior purchasing manager are supply chain, purchase orders, and logistics.
| Purchasing Program Manager | Senior Purchasing Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $76,255 | $109,837 |
| Hourly rate | $36.66 | $52.81 |
| Growth rate | -6% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 98,769 | 19,183 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| 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 senior purchasing manager is responsible for spearheading and overseeing the efforts in purchasing supplies for a company. They are in charge of managing purchasing teams, gathering purchase requests, identifying the company's needs, and setting goals in adherence to the budget. They must also liaise with vendors and suppliers, negotiate contracts, and build positive relationships with them. Furthermore, as a senior manager, it is essential to lead and encourage teams to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Purchasing program managers and senior purchasing managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Purchasing Program Manager | Senior Purchasing Manager | |
| Average salary | $76,255 | $109,837 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $171,000 | Between $79,000 And $152,000 |
| Highest paying City | Ridgecrest, CA | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Safran | Tonix Pharmaceuticals |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a purchasing program manager and a senior purchasing manager in terms of educational background:
| Purchasing Program Manager | Senior Purchasing Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between purchasing program managers' and senior purchasing managers' demographics:
| Purchasing Program Manager | Senior Purchasing Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.3% Female, 40.7% | Male, 68.0% Female, 32.0% |
| 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, 8.9% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 7.4% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |