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The differences between senior buyers and purchasing 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 buyer and a purchasing buyer. Additionally, a senior buyer has an average salary of $79,848, which is higher than the $47,471 average annual salary of a purchasing buyer.
The top three skills for a senior buyer include supply chain, purchase orders and MRP. The most important skills for a purchasing buyer are purchase orders, logistics, and cost savings.
| Senior Buyer | Purchasing Buyer | |
| Yearly salary | $79,848 | $47,471 |
| Hourly rate | $38.39 | $22.82 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 27,412 | 21,158 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| 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.
In a retail setting, a purchasing buyer is primarily responsible for devising strategies for procuring supplies, ensuring that it aligns with the company's needs and standards. They are also responsible for conducting thorough marketing research and analysis, coordinating with different departments to gather and process documentation, liaising and negotiating with vendors and suppliers, and keeping track of all purchasing orders to ensure accuracy and timeliness. Furthermore, as a purchasing buyer, it is essential to maintain records of all transactions and submit regular reports to supervisors.
Senior buyers and purchasing buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Buyer | Purchasing Buyer | |
| Average salary | $79,848 | $47,471 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $112,000 | Between $35,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Goleta, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Capgemini | Aramco Services Company |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior buyer and a purchasing buyer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Buyer | Purchasing Buyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between senior buyers' and purchasing buyers' demographics:
| Senior Buyer | Purchasing Buyer | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.7% Female, 42.3% | Male, 41.9% Female, 58.1% |
| 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, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |