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The differences between supply chain specialists and purchasing managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a supply chain specialist and a purchasing manager. Additionally, a purchasing manager has an average salary of $98,118, which is higher than the $71,414 average annual salary of a supply chain specialist.
The top three skills for a supply chain specialist include supply chain, logistics and chain management. The most important skills for a purchasing manager are supply chain, strategic sourcing, and project management.
| Supply Chain Specialist | Purchasing Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $71,414 | $98,118 |
| Hourly rate | $34.33 | $47.17 |
| Growth rate | 28% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 25,129 | 30,430 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
It is the responsibility of the supply chain specialist to procure materials to manufacture and ship products. The supply chain specialist determines and orders the proper quantities and negotiates pricing and their shipment terms. They oversee the delivery of necessary materials for the fulfillment of orders made by customers. The specialists need to develop strong skills in project management, business ethics, problem-solving, understanding of financial statements, communication skills, and cost accounting skills.
A purchasing manager is responsible for organizing and managing products to order or sell. Purchasing managers review product specifications, negotiate pricing details with the vendors, evaluate and choose the best suppliers, and assist purchasing agents. Purchase managers are also responsible for resolving order processing issues and analyzing current market trends to determine which products to purchase. A purchasing manager must have excellent decision-making and strategical skills to examine effects, inspect defective items, and create an in-depth analysis of customers' needs to improve their performance and sales.
Supply chain specialists and purchasing managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Supply Chain Specialist | Purchasing Manager | |
| Average salary | $71,414 | $98,118 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $102,000 | Between $70,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Bruno, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Maine |
| Best paying company | Meta | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a supply chain specialist and a purchasing manager in terms of educational background:
| Supply Chain Specialist | Purchasing Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between supply chain specialists' and purchasing managers' demographics:
| Supply Chain Specialist | Purchasing Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.6% Female, 41.4% | Male, 67.0% Female, 33.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 8.8% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 7.5% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 11% |