Owns the buying strategy for a group of products or services, choosing suppliers, negotiating prices and managing costs. BLS does not publish separate figures for purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products; it counts them within purchasing agent, except wholesale, retail, and farm products (SOC 13-1023), whose median pay is $77,710 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 13-1023
- Business and Financial Operations
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Category Manager in four numbers
- Median pay
- $77,710a year, or $37.36/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $48KTop 10% $129K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +6.0%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 47,200516,100 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025516.1K
- Projected 2035547K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 516.1K Projected 2035 547K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school15%
- Associate's10%
- Bachelor's65%
- Post-bacc certificate10%
Highest education held by purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products Segment Value High school 15% Associate's 10% Bachelor's 65% Post-bacc certificate 10%
Also advertised as: Procurement Category Manager, Strategic Sourcing Manager, Retail Category Manager, Category Lead, Sourcing Category Manager.
Pay
How much do Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products make?
Every category manager in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$77,710
Middle half earn $60,800 to $100,820
- 10th
- $48,380
- 25th
- $60,800
- 75th
- $100,820
- 90th
- $128,870
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $48,380 |
| 25th | $60,800 |
| Median | $77,710 |
| 75th | $100,820 |
| 90th | $128,870 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $77,710
- Median hourly wage
- $37.36/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $83,770
- People employed
- 491,430
Versus all US occupations
At $77,710, Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products earn 52% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $26,730 a year.
Versus business and financial operations occupations
Inside the Business and Financial Operations group, where the middle occupation pays $80,730, this is 4% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $128,870 or more while the bottom 10% earn $48,380, a gap of 2.7×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 54% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
District of Columbia pays the most at $124,090, and still leads at $112,911 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1District of Columbia | $124,090 | $112,911 | 1,880 |
| 2New Jersey | $93,250 | $85,704 | 12,180 |
| 3Maryland | $90,900 | $86,605 | 8,900 |
| 4Virginia | $89,210 | $88,236 | 22,120 |
| 5Rhode Island | $86,240 | $84,318 | N/A |
| 6Massachusetts | $85,970 | $81,290 | 12,820 |
| 7Washington | $85,130 | $79,551 | 15,400 |
| 8Colorado | $83,590 | $81,114 | 10,080 |
| 9Alaska | $83,460 | $81,537 | 890 |
| 10Connecticut | $83,030 | $80,137 | 5,530 |
Job outlook
Is Category Manager a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +6.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products | +6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products to change 6.0% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 30,800 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 47,200 openings are projected each year, 9.1% of the 516,100 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Category Manager
A bachelor's degree in business, supply chain management, finance or economics is typical. Many category managers start as buyers, procurement analysts or sourcing specialists and move up after gaining negotiation experience.
The Certified Professional in Supply Management from the Institute for Supply Management and the CIPS qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply are widely recognized. Data analysis skills, negotiation training, and knowledge of the specific category, such as technology or chemicals, help candidates stand out.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products.
- Bachelor's Degree65%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)15%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree10%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate10%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 65% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 15% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 10% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 10% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Category Manager do?
Category managers take responsibility for a slice of what an organization buys or sells. In procurement, a category might be IT software, packaging, freight or marketing services; the category manager decides how to buy it, which suppliers to use, and how to cut cost and risk. In retail, a category manager decides which products appear on shelves, how they are priced and promoted, and which brands to stock.
The work includes analyzing spend and sales data, running supplier bids and requests for proposal, negotiating contracts, managing supplier performance, and working with finance, operations and marketing teams to hit cost or sales targets.
Day-to-day tasks
- Analyze spending and sales data for a product or service category
- Develop sourcing strategies and supplier plans
- Run requests for proposal and competitive bids
- Negotiate contracts, pricing and terms with suppliers
- Track supplier performance and risk
- Work with internal teams to forecast demand
- Report cost savings and category results to leadership
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Category managers work in corporate offices, often with hybrid schedules, for manufacturers, retailers, hospitals, governments and tech companies. Travel to supplier sites and trade shows is occasional. Hours are mostly regular, with busy periods around contract renewals and annual budgeting.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.1
- Active Listening4.0
- Writing4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Active Learning3.9
- Monitoring3.8
- Mathematics3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.1 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Writing | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.9 |
| Active Learning | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.8 |
| Mathematics | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Negotiation4.3
- Complex Problem Solving4.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Persuasion3.8
- Management of Financial Resources3.8
- Social Perceptiveness3.3
- Instructing3.3
- Time Management3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Negotiation | 4.3 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 |
| Persuasion | 3.8 |
| Management of Financial Resources | 3.8 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.3 |
| Instructing | 3.3 |
| Time Management | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Accounting software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Category Manager?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ECI) built on O*NET's Purchasing Agent, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Category Manager |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 4 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 5 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
- Conventional5.7
- Enterprising5.4
- Realistic3.5
- Investigative2.7
- Social1.9
- Artistic1.2
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Category Manager
O*NET related occupations
- Business and Financial Operations
Purchasing Agent, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products
$77,710median a year
Most earn $48K to $129K
+6.0%Bachelor's - Office and Administrative Support
- Management
- Business and Financial Operations
Wholesale and Retail Buyer, Except Farm Products
$77,710median a year
Most earn $48K to $129K
+6.0%Bachelor's - Business and Financial Operations
- Business and Financial Operations
More business and financial operations careers
Median annual pay, with purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products highlighted
- Financial Advisor$105,070
- Accountant$83,680
- Insurance Underwriter$81,370
- Coroner$80,730
- Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator$78,000
- Category Manager$77,710
- Loan Officer$76,690
- Human Resources Specialist$75,940
- Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate$67,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Financial Advisor | $105,070 |
| Accountant | $83,680 |
| Insurance Underwriter | $81,370 |
| Coroner | $80,730 |
| Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator | $78,000 |
| Category Manager | $77,710 |
| Loan Officer | $76,690 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $75,940 |
| Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate | $67,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Category Manager appears on
Questions
Category Manager: frequently asked questions
How much do Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products. It counts them within purchasing agent, except wholesale, retail, and farm products, whose median pay is $77,710 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $60,800 and $100,820, and the top 10% earn $128,870 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Category Manager?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 65.0% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Category Manager a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 6.0% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 47,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Category Manager do?
Category managers take responsibility for a slice of what an organization buys or sells. A typical task: analyze spending and sales data for a product or service category. Employers most often ask for Accounting software, Data base user interface and query software, Document management software.
Which states pay Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products the most?
The highest state medians for Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products are District of Columbia ($124,090), New Jersey ($93,250), Maryland ($90,900) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Category Manager?
O*NET scores Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products highest on the Conventional, Enterprising and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ESTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.