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The differences between senior sourcing specialists 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 specialist and a purchasing agent. Additionally, a senior sourcing specialist has an average salary of $79,213, which is higher than the $51,950 average annual salary of a purchasing agent.
The top three skills for a senior sourcing specialist include linkedin, HR and applicant tracking systems. The most important skills for a purchasing agent are purchase orders, customer service, and logistics.
| Senior Sourcing Specialist | Purchasing Agent | |
| Yearly salary | $79,213 | $51,950 |
| Hourly rate | $38.08 | $24.98 |
| Growth rate | -6% | - |
| Number of jobs | 7,764 | 45,856 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
The job of a senior sourcing specialist is to help companies implement more effective processes and systems to reduce costs and increase profitability. You will be responsible for negotiating with suppliers to procure materials, products, and services at the best possible price using your in-depth knowledge of their industry and strategic sourcing strategies. As a senior source specialist, you are expected to develop and implement inventory optimization strategies across the company. You will also need to find or develop solutions to improve company outsourcing and spending.
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 specialists and purchasing agents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Sourcing Specialist | Purchasing Agent | |
| Average salary | $79,213 | $51,950 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $103,000 | Between $37,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Maryland |
| Best paying company | PayPal | Abiomed |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior sourcing specialist and a purchasing agent in terms of educational background:
| Senior Sourcing Specialist | Purchasing Agent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | 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 specialists' and purchasing agents' demographics:
| Senior Sourcing Specialist | Purchasing Agent | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.8% Female, 48.2% | Male, 49.5% Female, 50.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 7.9% 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% |