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The differences between strategic buyers and procurement 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 strategic buyer and a procurement agent. Additionally, a strategic buyer has an average salary of $74,725, which is higher than the $72,384 average annual salary of a procurement agent.
The top three skills for a strategic buyer include supply chain, purchase orders and strategic sourcing. The most important skills for a procurement agent are supply chain, strategic sourcing, and supplier performance.
| Strategic Buyer | Procurement Agent | |
| Yearly salary | $74,725 | $72,384 |
| Hourly rate | $35.93 | $34.80 |
| Growth rate | - | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 23,156 | 45,198 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A strategic buyer defines detailed plans and objectives for each project as per the organization and business unit purchasing strategies. Besides undertaking benchmarking and updating activity and project progress, strategic buyers also control the supply chain actions and supply chain risks to keep the supply chain secure. Also, these professionals negotiate favorable, effective, and precise terms and conditions as per the rules. Moreover, strategic buyers control the projects' risks and create an effective action plan to achieve all project objectives.
A procurement agent develops profitable measures to save the client money and ensure the quality of goods supplied. Procurement agents obtain the purchased items through suppliers, monitor them, and expedite the orders. They oversee the activities and performance of the suppliers for compliance. Their duties include the verification of item receipts, resolving shipment-related problems, and authorizing purchase payments through documentation. The necessary skills for this job include being accomplished, decisive, and strong communication skills.
Strategic buyers and procurement agents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Strategic Buyer | Procurement Agent | |
| Average salary | $74,725 | $72,384 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $109,000 | Between $49,000 And $106,000 |
| Highest paying City | Pleasanton, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Entegris | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a strategic buyer and a procurement agent in terms of educational background:
| Strategic Buyer | Procurement Agent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between strategic buyers' and procurement agents' demographics:
| Strategic Buyer | Procurement Agent | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.7% Female, 38.3% | Male, 51.4% Female, 48.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 7.7% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 7.6% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |