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The differences between senior sourcing analysts and purchasing assistants 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 assistant. Additionally, a senior sourcing analyst has an average salary of $84,801, which is higher than the $38,331 average annual salary of a purchasing assistant.
The top three skills for a senior sourcing analyst include DOD, CI and intelligence analysis. The most important skills for a purchasing assistant are purchase orders, purchase requisitions, and customer service.
| Senior Sourcing Analyst | Purchasing Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $84,801 | $38,331 |
| Hourly rate | $40.77 | $18.43 |
| Growth rate | 3% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 12,504 | 8,415 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| 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 assistant is responsible for obtaining raw materials and goods for a business or company. They primarily function to assist purchasing managers or supervisors by keeping records, maintaining inventory, reviewing purchase orders, and monitoring shipments and deliveries. Furthermore, a purchasing assistant may perform administrative support tasks ranging from arranging appointments and managing schedules, answering calls and inquiries, reaching out to vendors and suppliers, producing reports, and coordinating with various departments to ensure the smooth flow of products within the company.
Senior sourcing analysts and purchasing assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Sourcing Analyst | Purchasing Assistant | |
| Average salary | $84,801 | $38,331 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $112,000 | Between $31,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Foster City, CA | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | California | Maryland |
| Best paying company | PayPal | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior sourcing analyst and a purchasing assistant in terms of educational background:
| Senior Sourcing Analyst | Purchasing Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between senior sourcing analysts' and purchasing assistants' demographics:
| Senior Sourcing Analyst | Purchasing Assistant | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.8% Female, 37.2% | Male, 22.8% Female, 77.2% |
| 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, 9.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 7.8% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |