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The differences between senior buyers and materials planners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a senior buyer, becoming a materials planner takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a senior buyer has an average salary of $79,848, which is higher than the $58,467 average annual salary of a materials planner.
The top three skills for a senior buyer include supply chain, purchase orders and MRP. The most important skills for a materials planner are supply chain, MRP, and purchase orders.
| Senior Buyer | Materials Planner | |
| Yearly salary | $79,848 | $58,467 |
| Hourly rate | $38.39 | $28.11 |
| Growth rate | - | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 27,412 | 23,019 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 48 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
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.
Usually working in a manufacturing setting, a materials planner's role is to manage the supply flow and inventory of materials. Their responsibilities revolve around liaising with vendors and other external agencies, processing purchase orders, monitoring the quality of supplies to ensure it is according to the standards, and coordinating with various teams to learn their needs. Furthermore, as a planner, it is essential to devise strategies to resolve any issues, all while adhering to the company's policies and standards.
Senior buyers and materials planners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Buyer | Materials Planner | |
| Average salary | $79,848 | $58,467 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $112,000 | Between $45,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Capgemini | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior buyer and a materials planner in terms of educational background:
| Senior Buyer | Materials Planner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between senior buyers' and materials planners' demographics:
| Senior Buyer | Materials Planner | |
| Average age | 48 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.7% Female, 42.3% | Male, 52.7% Female, 47.3% |
| 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, 10.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 7.0% White, 60.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 11% |