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The differences between site acquisition 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 site acquisition specialist and a purchasing agent. Additionally, a site acquisition specialist has an average salary of $53,120, which is higher than the $51,950 average annual salary of a purchasing agent.
The top three skills for a site acquisition specialist include customer service, real estate and construction drawings. The most important skills for a purchasing agent are purchase orders, customer service, and logistics.
| Site Acquisition Specialist | Purchasing Agent | |
| Yearly salary | $53,120 | $51,950 |
| Hourly rate | $25.54 | $24.98 |
| Growth rate | 8% | - |
| Number of jobs | 24,685 | 45,856 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Site acquisition specialists are professionals who are responsible for researching and negotiating lease contracts for wireless telecommunications sites. These specialists must negotiate lease acquisitions and amendments complying with the jurisdictional Zoning and Land Use regulations that are required for telecommunications installations. They must serve as the focal point of contact between the community and government agencies to ensure they agree with the lease contract. Site acquisition specialists must also coordinate schedules and track site visits for the technical team with the various departments.
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.
Site acquisition specialists and purchasing agents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Site Acquisition Specialist | Purchasing Agent | |
| Average salary | $53,120 | $51,950 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $86,000 | Between $37,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hoboken, NJ | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Novo Nordisk | Abiomed |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Technology |
There are a few differences between a site acquisition specialist and a purchasing agent in terms of educational background:
| Site Acquisition Specialist | Purchasing Agent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between site acquisition specialists' and purchasing agents' demographics:
| Site Acquisition Specialist | Purchasing Agent | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.0% Female, 43.0% | Male, 49.5% Female, 50.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 7.5% White, 65.8% 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% |