Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products: Career Overview
Purchase machinery, equipment, tools, parts, supplies, or services necessary for the operation of an establishment. Purchase raw or semifinished materials for manufacturing. May negotiate contracts.
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The Daily Work of Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products Take On?
The core tasks performed by purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products span:
- Monitor and follow applicable laws and regulations.
- Purchase the highest quality merchandise at the lowest possible price and in correct amounts.
- Formulate policies and procedures for bid proposals and procurement of goods and services.
- Prepare purchase orders, solicit bid proposals, and review requisitions for goods and services.
- Write and review product specifications, maintaining a working technical knowledge of the goods or services to be purchased.
- Analyze price proposals, financial reports, and other data and information to determine reasonable prices.
- Hire, train, or supervise purchasing clerks, buyers, and expediters.
- Research and evaluate suppliers, based on price, quality, selection, service, support, availability, reliability, production and distribution capabilities, and the supplier's reputation and history.
What Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products Need to Know
Successful purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Buyer
- Contract Administrator (Contract Admin)
- Contract Analyst
- Contract Specialist
- Contractor Buyer
- Contracts Manager
- Equipment, Supplies, and Tools Purchasing Agent
- Fuel Agent
How Many Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products Are There?
There are roughly 540,785 purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +5.6% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $45,048 |
| Hourly median | $21.66 |
| 10th percentile | $30,256 |
| 25th percentile | $37,652 |
| 75th percentile | $52,444 |
| 90th percentile | $59,840 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Software Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products Use
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
- Accounting software: Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Document management software: Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Process mapping and design software: Microsoft Visio (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
Getting Started in This Career
Most purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Purchasing Managers (Primary-Short)
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (Supplemental)
- Supply Chain Managers (Primary-Long)
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers (Supplemental)
- Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products (Primary-Short)
- Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products (Primary-Short)
- Customs Brokers (Supplemental)
- Cost Estimators (Primary-Long)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products commonly pursue programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
3 programs across 2 majors
References
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 13-1023.00 (Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products).
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