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The differences between senior sourcing analysts and purchasing 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 sourcing analyst and a purchasing agent. Additionally, a senior sourcing analyst has an average salary of $84,801, which is higher than the $51,950 average annual salary of a purchasing agent.
The top three skills for a senior sourcing analyst include DOD, CI and intelligence analysis. The most important skills for a purchasing agent are purchase orders, customer service, and logistics.
| Senior Sourcing Analyst | Purchasing Agent | |
| Yearly salary | $84,801 | $51,950 |
| Hourly rate | $40.77 | $24.98 |
| Growth rate | 3% | - |
| Number of jobs | 12,504 | 45,856 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A senior sourcing analyst is an individual who oversees the planning and purchasing process for specific commodities and who supports new product launches. He/She or she should be able to establish relationships with suppliers to help in the sourcing process and in the negotiation of deals and contracts to ensure compliance with budgetary requirements. The position requires core skills such as strong analytical, mathematical, and negotiating skills and deep knowledge of the industry the analyst is working in. The education requirements for the job include an associate or bachelor's degree in business, supply chain management, marketing, or a related field.
A purchasing agent's general task is keeping purchase records and making sure that there won't be any discrepancies with the handling of orders. The purchasing agent should be responsible for the order processing and payment collection. Purchasing agents should also be proficient in interpreting and evaluating data, researching on best marketing sources and alternatives, issuing required documentation for suppliers, as well as managing customer queries as needed. Being a purchasing agent requires critical-thinking skills in assessing concerns and providing solutions should there be any possible negotiation conflicts.
Senior sourcing analysts and purchasing agents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Sourcing Analyst | Purchasing Agent | |
| Average salary | $84,801 | $51,950 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $112,000 | Between $37,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Foster City, CA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Maryland |
| Best paying company | PayPal | Abiomed |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior sourcing analyst and a purchasing agent in terms of educational background:
| Senior Sourcing Analyst | Purchasing Agent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between senior sourcing analysts' and purchasing agents' demographics:
| Senior Sourcing Analyst | Purchasing Agent | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.8% Female, 37.2% | Male, 49.5% Female, 50.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 7.8% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |