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The differences between senior buyers and material analysts 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 buyer and a material analyst. Additionally, a senior buyer has an average salary of $79,848, which is higher than the $66,092 average annual salary of a material analyst.
The top three skills for a senior buyer include supply chain, purchase orders and MRP. The most important skills for a material analyst are supply chain, logistics, and MRP.
| Senior Buyer | Material Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $79,848 | $66,092 |
| Hourly rate | $38.39 | $31.77 |
| Growth rate | - | 28% |
| Number of jobs | 27,412 | 48,758 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
The job of senior buyers, or also known as purchasing agents, is to meet the material needs of an organization. They are responsible for finding suppliers, arranging the distribution to several retail outlets, and supervising other purchasing agents. They also look for new product streams and establish procurement strategies. Senior buyers typically begin their careers as assistant buyers or junior purchasing agents. Most employers usually prefer those with college degrees in marketing, business, and economics.
A materials analyst is responsible for managing the assets and materials of an organization, ensuring the adequacy of office inventories to support business operational functions. Materials analysts identify cost-reduction materials by coordinating with trusted suppliers and third-party vendors. They handle the distribution of goods and order processes according to the company's supply chain management. A materials analyst must have excellent organizational and analytical skills, especially in conducting data and statistical analysis to obtain high-quality materials that would meet the customers' demands.
Senior buyers and material analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Buyer | Material Analyst | |
| Average salary | $79,848 | $66,092 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $112,000 | Between $49,000 And $88,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Union City, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Capgemini | Micron Technology |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior buyer and a material analyst in terms of educational background:
| Senior Buyer | Material Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between senior buyers' and material analysts' demographics:
| Senior Buyer | Material Analyst | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.7% Female, 42.3% | Male, 53.4% Female, 46.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 7.6% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 7.8% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |