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The differences between strategic buyers and purchasers 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 purchaser. Additionally, a strategic buyer has an average salary of $74,725, which is higher than the $50,031 average annual salary of a purchaser.
The top three skills for a strategic buyer include supply chain, purchase orders and strategic sourcing. The most important skills for a purchaser are purchase orders, FDA, and POS.
| Strategic Buyer | Purchaser | |
| Yearly salary | $74,725 | $50,031 |
| Hourly rate | $35.93 | $24.05 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 23,156 | 6,852 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| 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 Purchaser is responsible for buying goods and services from distribution centers to sell to customers or other companies. They conduct data analysis and research current market trends to identify public demands and generate resources that would increase the company's revenues and profitability. They also ensure the adequacy of supply inventories for deliveries, respond to customers' inquiries and concerns, and recommend products according to their needs and budget requirements. A Purchaser must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in documenting purchase transactions and negotiating contracts with suppliers and vendors.
Strategic buyers and purchasers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Strategic Buyer | Purchaser | |
| Average salary | $74,725 | $50,031 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $109,000 | Between $36,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Pleasanton, CA | Atlantic City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Entegris | Barnes Group |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a strategic buyer and a purchaser in terms of educational background:
| Strategic Buyer | Purchaser | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between strategic buyers' and purchasers' demographics:
| Strategic Buyer | Purchaser | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.7% Female, 38.3% | Male, 49.2% Female, 50.8% |
| 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, 7.7% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |