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The differences between senior buyers 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 senior buyer and a material manager. Additionally, a material manager has an average salary of $96,125, which is higher than the $79,848 average annual salary of a senior buyer.
The top three skills for a senior buyer include supply chain, purchase orders and MRP. The most important skills for a material manager are supply chain, logistics, and customer service.
| Senior Buyer | Material Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $79,848 | $96,125 |
| Hourly rate | $38.39 | $46.21 |
| Growth rate | - | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 27,412 | 43,759 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| 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 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.
Senior buyers and material managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Buyer | Material Manager | |
| Average salary | $79,848 | $96,125 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $112,000 | Between $72,000 And $126,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Capgemini | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior buyer and a material manager in terms of educational background:
| Senior Buyer | Material Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between senior buyers' and material managers' demographics:
| Senior Buyer | Material Manager | |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.7% Female, 42.3% | Male, 77.7% Female, 22.3% |
| 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, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 7.4% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 11% |