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Purchasing Agent / Buyer

$75,650
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Buy the goods and services an organization needs, negotiate contracts, and manage supplier relationships.

Where you work

Corporate offices and warehouses.

The hours

Regular full-time weekday schedule

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$75,650
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~52,200
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+6%
Faster than average
Working in the U.S.
522,200
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's degree.

License or certification

No license required to start in most places.

What it takes

NegotiationVendor managementCost analysisRecordkeeping

The honest take

A dependable business path that scales into supply-chain and management roles over time.

Standard Occupational Classification 13-1020. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.