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.
Also called: Category Purchasing Manager · Commodity Manager · Materials Director · Materials Manager · Procurement Director · Procurement Manager
Median pay (national)
$139,510
$85,500–$219,140 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
81,240
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+3.1%
~6,400 openings/yr
Typical entry
Bachelor's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for purchasing managers shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $219,140 versus $85,500 at the bottom 10% — 2.6x. The median of $139,510 leaves roughly 57% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +3.1% from 2024 to 2034 — about as fast as the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 6,400 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 51 states with released data, New Jersey pays the most for this role (median $173,130, +24% vs the national median), while Guam sits lowest at $67,380 — a 157% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint as in-demand technologies for this role.
Tailor your resume to Purchasing Managers
Honest tailoring
See how your resume lines up with Purchasing Managers
Refit re-angles your real experience toward this role using the skills above — and never invents skills you don't have. A no-fabrication gate checks every change before you see it.
Free. No account needed to see your first re-fit.
Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Mathematics
- Learning Strategies
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- 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.
- Interview and hire staff, and oversee staff training.
- Develop cost reduction strategies and savings plans.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Purchasing software
- SAP software
- Microsoft Visio
- Oracle Database
- Oracle PeopleSoft
- Automated purchase order software
- Bottomline Technologies Bottomline Sprinter Purchasing Manager
- Bowen & Groves M1 ERP
- Corel Paradox
- Database software
- Epicor Vantage ERP
- IBM Lotus Notes
Knowledge areas
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Law and Government
- Economics and Accounting
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- Administrative