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The differences between senior agents and planner/buyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a senior agent and a planner/buyer. Additionally, a planner/buyer has an average salary of $54,261, which is higher than the $49,785 average annual salary of a senior agent.
The top three skills for a senior agent include right-of-way, real estate and SR. The most important skills for a planner/buyer are supply chain, purchase orders, and customer service.
| Senior Agent | Planner/Buyer | |
| Yearly salary | $49,785 | $54,261 |
| Hourly rate | $23.94 | $26.09 |
| Growth rate | 6% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 28,822 | 33,452 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A senior agent manages incoming calls, generates leads, and schedules appointments for important meetings. They must accurately track and respond to the internet leads and provide top quality customer service to the clients. Their job also requires them to travel to multiple countries to monitor company functions. They must also estimate the costs of infrastructure and construction projects.
The role of buyers/planners is to ensure that office materials and equipment are well-supplied within their organization. They decide and purchase the materials needed for use or resale by their organization. They are responsible for evaluating prospective suppliers based on their cost, product quality, and delivery times. They are also the ones who negotiate contracts specifying the payment terms, price, and delivery schedules. Most employers prefer their buyer to have earned a bachelor's degree with a major in operations management or business management.
Senior agents and planner/buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Agent | Planner/Buyer | |
| Average salary | $49,785 | $54,261 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $85,000 | Between $37,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Billerica, MA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | NV Energy | Edwards Lifesciences |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior agent and a planner/buyer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Agent | Planner/Buyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between senior agents' and planner/buyers' demographics:
| Senior Agent | Planner/Buyer | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1% | Male, 47.9% Female, 52.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 7.5% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 7.9% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |