CFChooseField
Management

Purchasing Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of buyers, purchasing officers, and related workers involved in purchasing materials, products, and services. Includes wholesale or retail trade merchandising managers and procurement managers.

Visual summary of pay, outlook, skills, interests, and preparation for Purchasing Managers
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Median pay

$139,510
Median annual pay for Purchasing Managers.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
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10-year growth

3.1%
Projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Annual openings

6,400
Projected annual openings, including growth and replacement demand.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Employment

83,500
Estimated U.S. employment for Purchasing Managers in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
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Jobs added or lost

+2,600
Projected numeric employment change from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Entry preparation

Bachelor's degree
Typical additional preparation: 5 years or more of related work experience.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024 profile
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O*NET occupation profile

What the work involves

Strongest O*NET signals first.

Essential skills

  1. 1Active Listening
  2. 2Speaking
  3. 3Monitoring
  4. 4Reading Comprehension
  5. 5Writing
  6. 6Critical Thinking

Knowledge areas

  1. 1Administration and Management
  2. 2Customer and Personal Service
  3. 3English Language
  4. 4Law and Government
  5. 5Economics and Accounting
  6. 6Computers and Electronics

Abilities

  1. 1Oral Comprehension
  2. 2Oral Expression
  3. 3Deductive Reasoning
  4. 4Fluency of Ideas
  5. 5Speech Clarity
  6. 6Speech Recognition

Career interests

  1. 1Enterprising
  2. 2Conventional
  3. 3Social
  4. 4Realistic
  5. 5Investigative
  6. 6Artistic

Work styles

  1. 1Dependability
  2. 2Attention to Detail
  3. 3Integrity
  4. 4Leadership Orientation
  5. 5Self-Confidence
  6. 6Cautiousness

Work activities

  1. 1Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  2. 2Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  3. 3Communicating with People Outside the Organization
  4. 4Getting Information
  5. 5Working with Computers
  6. 6Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships

Work context

  1. 1E-Mail
  2. 2Telephone Conversations
  3. 3Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
  4. 4Contact With Others
  5. 5Spend Time Sitting
  6. 6Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

Representative tasks

  • Develop and implement purchasing and contract management instructions, policies, and procedures.
  • Locate vendors of materials, equipment or supplies, and interview them to determine product availability and terms of sales.
  • Prepare bid awards requiring board approval.
  • Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in buying, selling, and distributing materials, equipment, machinery, and supplies.
  • Review purchase order claims and contracts for conformance to company policy.
  • Review, evaluate, and approve specifications for issuing and awarding bids.
  • Administer online purchasing systems.
  • Prepare and process requisitions and purchase orders for supplies and equipment.

Software and tools

SAP software · in demandMicrosoft PowerPoint · in demandMicrosoft Outlook · in demandMicrosoft Office software · in demandMicrosoft Excel · in demandPurchasing software · in demandMicrosoft SharePoint · hot technologyMicrosoft Word · hot technologyMicrosoft Visio · hot technologyOracle PeopleSoft · hot technologyMicrosoft Project · hot technologyOracle Database · hot technology

Sources

BLS provides national pay, employment, and projections. O*NET provides skills, interests, preparation, tasks, work context, and tools.

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