Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing Agents

Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations to use or resell. They evaluate suppliers, negotiate contracts, and review the quality of products. Purchasing managers oversee the work of buyers and purchasing agents and typically handle more complex procurement tasks.

Duties

Purchasing managers and buyers and purchasing agents typically do the following:

• Evaluate suppliers on the basis of the price, quality, and speed of delivery of their products and services
• Interview vendors and visit suppliers’ plants and distribution centers to examine and learn about products, services, and prices
• Attend meetings, trade shows, and conferences to learn about new industry trends and make contacts with suppliers
• Analyze price proposals, financial reports, and other information to determine reasonable prices
• Negotiate contracts on behalf of their organization
• Work out agreements with suppliers, such as when products will be delivered
• Meet with staff and vendors to discuss defective or unacceptable goods or services and determine corrective action
• Evaluate and monitor contracts to be sure that vendors and suppliers comply with the terms and conditions of the contract and to determine the need for changes
• Maintain and review records of items bought, costs, deliveries, product performance, and inventories

Purchasing managers and buying and purchasing agents focus on efficient acquisition of goods or services for their organization.

Purchasing managers plan and coordinate the work of buyers and purchasing agents and hire and train new staff. They also develop their organization’s procurement policies and procedures to help ensure that workers who handle procurement meet ethical standards and avoid potential conflicts of interest.

Buyers and purchasing agents study sales records and inventory levels of current stock, identify suppliers, and keep up to date with changes affecting both the supply of and demand for products and materials. They need to have a working knowledge of the goods or services they are purchasing.

Buyers who purchase items to resell to customers may determine which products their organization will sell. They need to be able to predict what will appeal to their customers.

To assess prospective suppliers’ capabilities, buyers and purchasing agents may visit plants and distribution centers. They enter into contracts with suppliers who meet the organization’s needs and then place orders.

The following are examples of types of buyers and purchasing agents:

Purchasing agents and buyers of farm products buy agricultural products for further processing or resale. Examples of these products are grain, cotton, and tobacco.

Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products buy items for the operation of an organization. Examples of these items are chemicals for a manufacturing plant and industrial equipment, machinery, and office supplies for operating an establishment.

Wholesale and retail buyers purchase goods for resale to consumers. Examples of these goods are clothing and electronics.

Buyers and purchasing agents held about 522,200 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of buyers and purchasing agents were as follows:

Purchasing managers held about 83,500 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of purchasing managers were as follows:

Most purchasing managers and buyers and purchasing agents work in an office setting. Travel is sometimes necessary to visit suppliers or review products.

Work Schedules

Most purchasing managers and buyers and purchasing agents work full time. Some work more than 40 hours per week. For others, part-time work may be common. 

Purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents typically need a bachelor’s degree, although some employers hire candidates who have a high school diploma. Purchasing managers also need several years of related work experience.

The median annual wage for buyers and purchasing agents was $75,650 in May 2024.

The median annual wage for purchasing managers was $139,510 in May 2024.

Overall employment of purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 58,700 openings for purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.