Marketing Managers vs Purchasing Managers: $167K vs $148K Median Pay

Marketing Managers vs Purchasing Managers: what changes?

Consider Marketing Managers if you want to plan, direct, or coordinate marketing policies and programs, such as determining the demand for products and services offered by a firm and its competitors, and identify potential customers. Consider Purchasing Managers if you would rather plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of buyers, purchasing officers, and related workers involved in purchasing materials, products, and services. Both list bachelor's degree; compare training and prior experience separately. Prior experience in a related occupation is typically needed for Marketing Managers (5 years or more) and Purchasing Managers (5 years or more).

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Marketing Managers and Purchasing Managers. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Marketing Managers

National median pay (2025): $166,790
Route into the job: Bachelor's degree; Prior related experience: 5 years or more
Prior related experience: Prior related experience: 5 years or more.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Identify, develop, or evaluate marketing strategy, based on knowledge of establishment objectives, market characteristics, and cost and markup factors.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 34,000

Know before you choose

BLS lists 5 years or more of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

See the full Marketing Managers brief

Purchasing Managers

National median pay (2025): $148,080
Route into the job: Bachelor's degree; Prior related experience: 5 years or more
Prior related experience: Prior related experience: 5 years or more.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Develop and implement purchasing and contract management instructions, policies, and procedures.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 6,400

Know before you choose

BLS lists 5 years or more of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

See the full Purchasing Managers brief

How the national numbers differ

Marketing Managers has the edge on annual openings

Marketing Managers is at 34,000 annual openings, compared with 6,400 annual openings for Purchasing Managers.

Marketing Managers has the edge on projected growth

Marketing Managers is at 6.9% projected growth, compared with 4% projected growth for Purchasing Managers.

Marketing Managers has the edge on median pay

Marketing Managers is at $166,790, compared with $148,080 for Purchasing Managers.

79.1/ 100

Marketing Managers

65.2/ 100

Purchasing Managers

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Marketing Managers vs Purchasing Managers

Dimension	Marketing Managers	Purchasing Managers
Median pay (2025)	$166,790	$148,080
Pay percentile	96.3 percentile	94.8 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	6.9%	4%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	34,000	6,400
2025 employment	421,600	88,300
How you qualify	Bachelor's degree; Prior related experience: 5 years or more	Bachelor's degree; Prior related experience: 5 years or more
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 4	Job Zone 4
Related work experience	Prior related experience: 5 years or more.	Prior related experience: 5 years or more.
On-the-job training	BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.	BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Marketing Managers brief Read Purchasing Managers brief

Marketing Managers vs Purchasing Managers: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Marketing Managers

Purchasing Managers

How the national numbers differ

Marketing Managers has the edge on annual openings

Marketing Managers has the edge on projected growth

Marketing Managers has the edge on median pay

Marketing Managers vs Purchasing Managers

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