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The differences between senior purchasing managers and senior 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 purchasing manager and a senior buyer. Additionally, a senior purchasing manager has an average salary of $109,837, which is higher than the $79,848 average annual salary of a senior buyer.
The top three skills for a senior purchasing manager include supply chain, purchase orders and logistics. The most important skills for a senior buyer are supply chain, purchase orders, and MRP.
| Senior Purchasing Manager | Senior Buyer | |
| Yearly salary | $109,837 | $79,848 |
| Hourly rate | $52.81 | $38.39 |
| Growth rate | -6% | - |
| Number of jobs | 19,183 | 27,412 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 47 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A senior purchasing manager is responsible for spearheading and overseeing the efforts in purchasing supplies for a company. They are in charge of managing purchasing teams, gathering purchase requests, identifying the company's needs, and setting goals in adherence to the budget. They must also liaise with vendors and suppliers, negotiate contracts, and build positive relationships with them. Furthermore, as a senior manager, it is essential to lead and encourage teams to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
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.
Senior purchasing managers and senior buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Purchasing Manager | Senior Buyer | |
| Average salary | $109,837 | $79,848 |
| Salary range | Between $79,000 And $152,000 | Between $56,000 And $112,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Tonix Pharmaceuticals | Capgemini |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a senior purchasing manager and a senior buyer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Purchasing Manager | Senior Buyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between senior purchasing managers' and senior buyers' demographics:
| Senior Purchasing Manager | Senior Buyer | |
| Average age | 47 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.0% Female, 32.0% | Male, 57.7% Female, 42.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 7.4% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 7% |