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The differences between senior buyers and senior 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 buyer and a senior agent. Additionally, a senior buyer has an average salary of $79,848, which is higher than the $49,785 average annual salary of a senior agent.
The top three skills for a senior buyer include supply chain, purchase orders and MRP. The most important skills for a senior agent are right-of-way, real estate, and SR.
| Senior Buyer | Senior Agent | |
| Yearly salary | $79,848 | $49,785 |
| Hourly rate | $38.39 | $23.94 |
| Growth rate | - | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 27,412 | 28,822 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| 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 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.
Senior buyers and senior agents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Buyer | Senior Agent | |
| Average salary | $79,848 | $49,785 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $112,000 | Between $29,000 And $85,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Capgemini | NV Energy |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Energy |
There are a few differences between a senior buyer and a senior agent in terms of educational background:
| Senior Buyer | Senior Agent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between senior buyers' and senior agents' demographics:
| Senior Buyer | Senior Agent | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.7% Female, 42.3% | Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1% |
| 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, 7.5% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |