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The differences between subcontract administrators and media 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 subcontract administrator and a media buyer. Additionally, a media buyer has an average salary of $74,390, which is higher than the $65,686 average annual salary of a subcontract administrator.
The top three skills for a subcontract administrator include price analysis, purchase orders and program management. The most important skills for a media buyer are digital marketing, campaign performance, and media buying.
| Subcontract Administrator | Media Buyer | |
| Yearly salary | $65,686 | $74,390 |
| Hourly rate | $31.58 | $35.76 |
| Growth rate | -6% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 51,285 | 20,884 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 87% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
As a subcontract administrator, you will be responsible for identifying the needs of a company and implement measures and initiatives to fulfill those needs. This role will require you to perform a few tasks, including responding to purchase requisitions, soliciting bids and proposals from new and existing sources, and evaluating terms and awarding the subcontract. You are then expected to monitor the subcontract terms, including plans, progress, and payments. You will also be responsible for negotiating additions, modifications, and deletions of subcontracts.
Media Buyers are marketing professionals who manage the company's advertisements. They create the company's media plan to determine the advertising needs of the company. They negotiate with external providers to get the best advertisement placement values. To do this, Media Buyers are expected to conduct thorough research on the different advertising companies, networks, media, size of placement, and length of advertisement. Their research must consider the target market and determine the best media to reach their target market. Media Buyers should have good negotiation skills and must be able to maintain good working relationships with providers.
Subcontract administrators and media buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Subcontract Administrator | Media Buyer | |
| Average salary | $65,686 | $74,390 |
| Salary range | Between $42,000 And $102,000 | Between $56,000 And $98,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Burlington, VT |
| Highest paying state | California | Vermont |
| Best paying company | Urban Institute | Bloomberg |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Professional |
There are a few differences between a subcontract administrator and a media buyer in terms of educational background:
| Subcontract Administrator | Media Buyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 87% |
| Most common major | Business | Communication |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between subcontract administrators' and media buyers' demographics:
| Subcontract Administrator | Media Buyer | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.7% Female, 48.3% | Male, 30.1% Female, 69.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 7.8% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 8.9% 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% |