Purchasing Manager Salary

Created by Henry Steele

By Henry Steele - January 8, 2018
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The following article discusses the career path of Purchasing Manager. Learn about how to become one, education requirements, job duties, traits and qualities, national salary outlook as well as top national employers of Purchasing Managers.

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Job Duties

Purchasing managers are involved in every aspect of the company, from product development to identifying areas where cost savings can be made, and from developing corporate strategies to improving production. In order for them to be successful, they have to look through various project proposals very quickly and they must always interact with the organization’s marketing team to discuss new marketing strategies and sales proposals. They also have to be able to identify areas where cost savings can be made.

They are responsible for ensuring good rapport between the business, vendors, and clients, for negotiating contracts, and for providing purchasing agents with supervision. They aim to find the best vendors around, ensuring they offer a fantastic price.

Other job duties of a purchasing manager include:

  • Directing and line managunbg other employees who are involved in distribution, sales, or purchasing.
  • Implementing new processes for purchasing and analyzing their effectiveness on the overall delivery system.
  • Finding better prices on contracts and improving policies and procedures with suppliers.

Where We Work

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 520,400 purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents in 2016. The largest employers of these professionals were:

  • Manufacturing: 23%
  • Wholesale trade: 15%
  • Management of companies and enterprises: 10%
  • Retail trade: 9%
  • Federal government: 8%

How to Become

A bachelor’s degree and significant work experience are usually required to become a purchasing manager.

Education Requirements

A purchasing manager is almost always expected to hold a bachelor’s degree, although the size of the organization does play a role in this. The major of the degree should be in supply management, finance, or business. Work experience is very important, as it demonstrates that they have gained the required training.

A purchasing manager may also obtain various forms of certification, although this is generally not a legal requirement. Appropriate certifications include:

    • Certified Purchasing Professional (CPP) offered by the American Purchasing Society
    • Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) offered by the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS)
    • Senior Professional in Supply Chain Management (SPSM) offered by the Next Level Purchasing Association
    • Certified Public Purchasing Officer (CPPO) offered by the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council (UPPCC)
    • Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) offered by the UPPCC

All certifications are valid for a limited time only and must therefore be renewed through further training and examinations. Organizations such as the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) and the National Institute of Government Purchasing (NIGP) offer training for these courses.

A purchasing manager will typically have at least five years’ working experience in a relevant area. These professionals usually grow into their role through internal promotions. Others are brought in externally, in which case education weighs more heavily.

Traits & Qualities

The most effective purchasing managers have the following traits to some degree or other:

      • Strong analytical skill.
      • Excellent decision making skills
      • Very good mathematical skills
      • Negotiating skills
      • Computer skills, particularly in relation to inventory control software
      • Management and leadership skills to motivate employees across the board
      • Financial skills, particularly focusing on budget management
      • Strong communication skills, both verbal and written

Minimum Education

Bachelor’s Degree

National Salary

The national average salary estimate for Purchasing Manager was $70,974. This number is estimated from over 876,924 employees, users past and present job advertisements from Indeed.com. This equates to an hourly salary of $36.97 and monthly of $5,915.

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$21,000

$148,000

Salary Distribution

Salary by State

The following section lists Purchasing Manager salaries in each state around the country. The figures are based on the total number of job postings through Indeed.com. For example, DC had the largest quoted salary of $89,326 while Hawaii had the smallest quoted salary of $48,117.

AlabamaIowaMinnesotaOklahoma
ArkansasIdahoMissouriOregon
ArizonaIllinoisMississippiPennsylvania
CaliforniaIndianaNorth CarolinaSouth Carolina
ColoradoKentuckyNebraskaTennessee
ConnecticutLouisianaNew HampshireTexas
DCMassachusettsNew JerseyVirginia
FloridaMarylandNevadaVermont
GeorgiaMaineNew YorkWashington
HawaiiMichiganOhioWisconsin
Alabama – $71,303Rank: 14th
The average salary ranks 14th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like ITAC Solutions, LLC.

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$19,000

$155,000

Salary Distribution
Arkansas – $62,836Rank: 34th
The average salary ranks 34th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Carter Recruiting and Associates.

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$17,000

$135,000

Salary Distribution
Arizona – $66,004Rank: 25th
The average salary ranks 25th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Finance & Accounting, Kforce, GCI Technologies, Inc., and Affinity Resources.

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  • Most Reported
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$19,000

$141,000

Salary Distribution
California – $73,754Rank: 9th
The average salary ranks 9th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like SkillSet Group, INLAND EMPIRE HEALTH PLAN, JLM Staffing Solutions, and At-Tech.

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  • Most Reported
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$22,000

$156,000

Salary Distribution
Colorado – $64,448Rank: 31st
The average salary ranks 31st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like CITY OF THORNTON, University of Colorado, Poudre School District, and GCI Technologies, Inc..

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$18,000

$139,000

Salary Distribution
Connecticut – $76,491Rank: 6th
The average salary ranks 6th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Finance & Accounting, Mack Recruiting LLC, and Bohan & Bradstreet, Inc..

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$28,000

$149,000

Salary Distribution
DC – $89,326Rank: 1st
The average salary ranks 1st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like GCI Technologies, Inc..

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  • Most Reported
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$41,000

$155,000

Salary Distribution
Florida – $59,291Rank: 35th
The average salary ranks 35th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Ascendo Resources, The Judge Group, NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement, and GCI Technologies, Inc..

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$18,000

$123,000

Salary Distribution
Georgia – $76,539Rank: 5th
The average salary ranks 5th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Cook Residential, The HTW Group, Plastic Executives, and OSI.

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$29,000

$146,000

Salary Distribution
Hawaii – $48,117Rank: 40th
The average salary ranks 40th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Finance & Accounting, Express Employment Professionals, and Noble.

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$24,000

$77,000

Salary Distribution
Iowa – $64,417Rank: 32nd
The average salary ranks 32nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like CAPITAL CITY FRUIT and Robert Half Finance & Accounting.

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$24,000

$124,000

Salary Distribution
Idaho – $55,493Rank: 38th
The average salary ranks 38th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Atlas Staffing.

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$22,000

$103,000

Salary Distribution
Illinois – $72,834Rank: 11th
The average salary ranks 11th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like fulltimeGiGS, Select Advantage, Michael Page, and Robert Half Finance & Accounting.

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$23,000

$149,000

Salary Distribution
Indiana – $66,524Rank: 24th
The average salary ranks 24th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Cummins, JMJ Talent Solutions Inc., GCI Technologies, Inc., and Robert Half Finance & Accounting.

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$23,000

$131,000

Salary Distribution
Kentucky – $71,187Rank: 15th
The average salary ranks 15th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Talis Group Inc..

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$23,000

$146,000

Salary Distribution
Louisiana – $65,583Rank: 27th
The average salary ranks 27th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Associated Staffing Consultants,Inc., French America Line, Robert Half Finance & Accounting, and Meador Staffing Services.

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$18,000

$142,000

Salary Distribution
Massachusetts – $88,644Rank: 2nd
The average salary ranks 2nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Michael Page, KBW Financial, GCI Technologies, Inc., and MedicalRecruiting.com.

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$32,000

$173,000

Salary Distribution
Maryland – $65,874Rank: 26th
The average salary ranks 26th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Home Building Company.

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$21,000

$135,000

Salary Distribution
Maine – $74,677Rank: 8th
The average salary ranks 8th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like SnapDragon Associates, LLC.

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$23,000

$155,000

Salary Distribution
Michigan – $81,594Rank: 4th
The average salary ranks 4th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like fulltimeGiGS, DEP Staffing, LLC, Revolution Technologies, and FPC National.

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$24,000

$173,000

Salary Distribution
Minnesota – $73,697Rank: 10th
The average salary ranks 10th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Feggestad & Hill, Inc., Konik PrimeStaff, Service First Staffing, and United Staffing, Inc..

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$27,000

$141,000

Salary Distribution
Missouri – $71,303Rank: 13th
The average salary ranks 13th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Beacon Hill Staffing.

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$30,000

$129,000

Salary Distribution
Mississippi – $53,320Rank: 39th
The average salary ranks 39th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Express Employment Professionals and Turner Industries.

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$14,000

$116,000

Salary Distribution
North Carolina – $65,123Rank: 29th
The average salary ranks 29th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like GCI Technologies, Inc., Robert Half Finance & Accounting, Executive Recruiters, and Hagood Homes Inc.

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$20,000

$134,000

Salary Distribution
Nebraska – $63,766Rank: 33rd
The average salary ranks 33rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like CyberCoders and Networks-ss.com.

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$28,000

$114,000

Salary Distribution
New Hampshire – $65,440Rank: 28th
The average salary ranks 28th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Randstad.

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$22,000

$131,000

Salary Distribution
New Jersey – $72,067Rank: 12th
The average salary ranks 12th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Parker+Lynch, Parker and Lynch, Ajilon, and Robert Half Finance & Accounting.

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$26,000

$141,000

Salary Distribution
Nevada – $58,244Rank: 36th
The average salary ranks 36th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Finance & Accounting.

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$19,000

$118,000

Salary Distribution
New York – $69,384Rank: 19th
The average salary ranks 19th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Integrated Staffing, Robert Half Finance & Accounting, GCI Technologies, Inc., and Access Staffing LLC.

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$22,000

$141,000

Salary Distribution
Ohio – $70,117Rank: 18th
The average salary ranks 18th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like The Judge Group, Alliance Search Solutions, Endevis, and Cameron Craig Group.

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$25,000

$137,000

Salary Distribution
Oklahoma – $69,036Rank: 21st
The average salary ranks 21st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Rowland Group, The.

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$28,000

$128,000

Salary Distribution
Oregon – $70,636Rank: 17th
The average salary ranks 17th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like LIT Workshop and Personnel Source, Inc.

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$29,000

$130,000

Salary Distribution
Pennsylvania – $75,360Rank: 7th
The average salary ranks 7th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like ACCU Staffing Services, fulltimeGiGS, Aerotek, and Randstad.

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$30,000

$141,000

Salary Distribution
South Carolina – $68,947Rank: 22nd
The average salary ranks 22nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Finance & Accounting and PREMIER MANUFACTURING.

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$22,000

$141,000

Salary Distribution
Tennessee – $71,039Rank: 16th
The average salary ranks 16th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Terry Young & Associates, Resource Accounting, GCI Technologies, Inc., and Arthur Rutenberg Homes.

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$16,000

$163,000

Salary Distribution
Texas – $69,234Rank: 20th
The average salary ranks 20th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Mackenzie Stuart plc, Joseph Michaels International, The Judge Group, and its-transport.

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$17,000

$157,000

Salary Distribution
Virginia – $64,653Rank: 30th
The average salary ranks 30th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like R & W Group LLC, Ajilon Suppy Chain and Logistics, CTR Group, and McGuire/Bock.

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$20,000

$134,000

Salary Distribution
Vermont – $58,227Rank: 37th
The average salary ranks 37th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Finance & Accounting.

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$21,000

$114,000

Salary Distribution
Washington – $68,928Rank: 23rd
The average salary ranks 23rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like AppleOne, GCI Technologies, Inc., Matrix Finance and Accounting, and Business Talent Solutions.

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$22,000

$140,000

Salary Distribution
Wisconsin – $82,509Rank: 3rd
The average salary ranks 3rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Cameron Craig Group, Downs Associates, Helffrich International, and Systematic business consulting.

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$32,000

$154,000

Salary Distribution

Top 20 National Employers

According to Indeed.com, the following states had employers looking to hire a Purchasing Manager. The quoted salary figure represents the average salary from all job postings by this employer.

Employer NameLocationAverage Salary
Apple Purchasing ManagerCalifornia$143,701
Crossfire Purchasing ManagerCalifornia$137,200
Meador Staffing Services Purchasing ManagerLouisiana$132,288
CyberCoders Purchasing ManagerMassachusetts$130,000
City Of Mountain View Purchasing ManagerCalifornia$126,663
Salsbury Industries Purchasing ManagerCalifornia$120,819
Mack Recruiting LLC Purchasing ManagerConnecticut$117,184
The Judge Group Purchasing ManagerTennessee$116,662
PSI Purchasing ManagerMassachusetts$116,572
AccessSourceGroup Purchasing ManagerMichigan$116,094
MVP Staffing Purchasing ManagerIllinois$115,000
DSJ Global Purchasing ManagerMassachusetts$114,759
Hamilton Mayer Purchasing ManagerCalifornia$109,548
Gabriele & Company Purchasing ManagerMassachusetts$106,621
Matrix Executive Search Purchasing ManagerNew York$106,247
Bohan & Bradstreet, Inc. Purchasing ManagerConnecticut$103,943
Global Technology Associates Purchasing ManagerMichigan$102,127
Mangrum Career Solutions, LLC Purchasing ManagerWisconsin$101,111
[email protected] Purchasing ManagerNew York$100,000
SnapDragon Associates, LLC Purchasing ManagerMaine$100,000

Learn More

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Henry Steele
Managing Editor
Henry is Managing Editor of BusinessStudent.com. He is a seasoned business professional who regularly consults with local business's throughout Southern California. Henry pursued his undergrad in Business and Economics at the University of San Diego and gained valuable life changing experience through a unique internship upon graduation.

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