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Purchasing Agents
purchase machinery, equipment, tools, parts, supplies, or services necessary for the operation of an establishment. Purchase raw or semi-finished materials for manufacturing.
Purchasing Agents
Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and More
Table of Contents
In this career summary, you will find out what the job of a Purchasing Agent is about and what it is like.
After reading this, you will have a good idea on what the job is about and decide if this is the right career for you.
Job description
Purchasing Agents purchase machinery, equipment, tools, parts, supplies, or services necessary for the operation of an establishment. Purchase raw or semi-finished materials for manufacturing.
Become one
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Read moreSalary
Purchasing Agents with little to no experience tend to make between $37080 and $47900 while the more experienced ones can earn over $82430 per year.
| Top 5 paying states | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| DC | $47 | $98,560 |
| NJ | $39 | $81,020 |
| VA | $37 | $77,840 |
| MD | $37 | $76,870 |
| MA | $36 | $74,200 |
One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as a Purchasing Agent is to move to a higher paying state like DC. Right now, the highest paying states for Purchasing Agents are DC, NJ, VA, MD and MA.
However a higher pay at DC doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at DC might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.
Three other factors that can increase your salary as a Purchasing Agent is the degree you hold, the industry you work in and lastly the company you work for.
Requirements
We asked other Purchasing Agents what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had a Bachelor’s Degree followed by a High School Diploma.
Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.
| Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations, General |
| General Merchandising, Sales, and Related Marketing Operations, Other |
Pros and Cons
Here are some of the pros and cons of being a Purchasing Agent.
| PROS |
|---|
| Suitable for people who likes to follow routines |
| Suitable for people who wants job security and a good working condition |
| This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors. |
| Very good salary |
| CONS |
|---|
| Not suitable for people who likes to work with designs |
| It is hard to get into this career. A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career. |
| Long working hours (More than 40 hours per week) |
What is the job like
65% of Purchasing Agents said they were satisfied with their job and 43% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.
Is this right for me
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tends to like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas..
They also like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
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