Senior agent vs purchasing agent

The differences between senior agents and purchasing agents 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 purchasing agent. Additionally, a purchasing agent has an average salary of $51,950, 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 purchasing agent are purchase orders, customer service, and logistics.

Senior agent vs purchasing agent overview

	Senior Agent	Purchasing Agent
Yearly salary	$49,785	$51,950
Hourly rate	$23.94	$24.98
Growth rate	6%	-
Number of jobs	28,822	45,856
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	6	6

What does a senior agent do?

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.

What does a purchasing agent do?

A purchasing agent's general task is keeping purchase records and making sure that there won't be any discrepancies with the handling of orders. The purchasing agent should be responsible for the order processing and payment collection. Purchasing agents should also be proficient in interpreting and evaluating data, researching on best marketing sources and alternatives, issuing required documentation for suppliers, as well as managing customer queries as needed. Being a purchasing agent requires critical-thinking skills in assessing concerns and providing solutions should there be any possible negotiation conflicts.

Senior agent vs purchasing agent salary

Senior agents and purchasing agents have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Senior Agent	Purchasing Agent
Average salary	$49,785	$51,950
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $85,000	Between $37,000 And $72,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Maryland
Best paying company	NV Energy	Abiomed
Best paying industry	Energy	Technology

Differences between senior agent and purchasing agent education

There are a few differences between a senior agent and a purchasing agent in terms of educational background:

	Senior Agent	Purchasing Agent
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Senior agent vs purchasing agent demographics

Here are the differences between senior agents' and purchasing agents' demographics:

	Senior Agent	Purchasing Agent
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1%	Male, 49.5% Female, 50.5%
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, 9.3% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between senior agent and purchasing agent duties and responsibilities

Senior agent example responsibilities.

Manage and supervise a daily safe operation on compliance with FAA regulations and airport guidelines.
Manage for multiple medical clients performing tasks such as medical billing, submitting insurance and verifying insurance including Medicare and Medicaid.
Prepare and submit RFP's, RFQ's, RFI's and RFX's to prospective vendors/contractors for complex projects.
Improve company operations as a lead agent working cooperatively with management, subordinates, TSA and FAA ;.
Provide and supervise services including check-in documentation and baggage, and reservations.
Provide quality professional customer service: check- in, reservations and confirmations.

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Purchasing agent example responsibilities.

Reorganize MRO to manage inventory more efficiently.
Utilize MaCola ERP system to process and manage purchase requisitions and purchase orders in coordination with manufacturing forecast.
Process purchase orders from electronically generate RFQ'S.
Develop programs with suppliers to ensure that commodities meet engineering and quality specifications while maintaining on-time delivery.
Prepare purchase orders, RFP's and RFB's, advertise solicitations, review responses and approve contract acceptance.
Send out RFQ's and award orders to the best fit and price vendor to ensure manufacturing meets critical due dates.

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Senior agent vs purchasing agent skills

Common senior agent skills

Right-of-Way, 13%
Real Estate, 10%
SR, 10%
Work Ethic, 8%
PowerPoint, 6%
Customer Satisfaction, 6%

Common purchasing agent skills

Purchase Orders, 30%
Customer Service, 12%
Logistics, 5%
Inventory Control, 4%
MRP, 3%
Cost Savings, 3%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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