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The differences between strategic buyers and senior buyers 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 senior buyer. Additionally, a senior buyer has an average salary of $79,848, which is higher than the $74,725 average annual salary of a strategic buyer.
The top three skills for a strategic buyer include supply chain, purchase orders and strategic sourcing. The most important skills for a senior buyer are supply chain, purchase orders, and MRP.
| Strategic Buyer | Senior Buyer | |
| Yearly salary | $74,725 | $79,848 |
| Hourly rate | $35.93 | $38.39 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 23,156 | 27,412 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| 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.
The job of senior buyers, or also known as purchasing agents, is to meet the material needs of an organization. They are responsible for finding suppliers, arranging the distribution to several retail outlets, and supervising other purchasing agents. They also look for new product streams and establish procurement strategies. Senior buyers typically begin their careers as assistant buyers or junior purchasing agents. Most employers usually prefer those with college degrees in marketing, business, and economics.
Strategic buyers and senior buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Strategic Buyer | Senior Buyer | |
| Average salary | $74,725 | $79,848 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $109,000 | Between $56,000 And $112,000 |
| Highest paying City | Pleasanton, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Entegris | Capgemini |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a strategic buyer and a senior buyer in terms of educational background:
| Strategic Buyer | Senior Buyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between strategic buyers' and senior buyers' demographics:
| Strategic Buyer | Senior Buyer | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.7% Female, 38.3% | Male, 57.7% Female, 42.3% |
| 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, 12.1% Asian, 7.6% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |