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.
Purchasing Agent, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products earn a median of $77,710 per year ($37.36/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 5.8% through 2034, with about 52,200 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
SOC 13-1023Business and Financial OperationsLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $77,710
- Projected growth
- +5.8%
- Openings a year
- 52,200
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Buyer, Contract Administrator (Contract Admin), Procurement and Contracting Administrator (Procurement and Contracting Admin), Procurement and Contracting Buyer, Procurement Official, Procurement Specialist.
How much do Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products make?
10th percentile$48,380
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$60,800
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$77,710
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$100,820
Upper quartile
90th percentile$128,870
Top-paid tenth
| 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 63% of the 923 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.
Which states pay Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $124,090 | $112,911 | 1,880 |
| New Jersey | $93,250 | $85,704 | 12,180 |
| Maryland | $90,900 | $86,605 | 8,900 |
| Virginia | $89,210 | $88,236 | 22,120 |
| Rhode Island | $86,240 | $84,318 | N/A |
| Massachusetts | $85,970 | $81,290 | 12,820 |
| Washington | $85,130 | $79,551 | 15,400 |
| Colorado | $83,590 | $81,114 | 10,080 |
| Alaska | $83,460 | $81,537 | 890 |
| Connecticut | $83,030 | $80,137 | 5,530 |
Is Purchasing Agent, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products a growing career?
Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products5.8%
All US occupations3.1%
+5.8% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products to change 5.8% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 30,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 52,200 openings are projected each year, 10.0% of the 522,200 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents will continue to be needed to help procure goods and services for business operations and for resale to customers. They also will be needed to oversee complex supply chains and to negotiate and manage contracts with suppliers. However, organizations will likely continue to automate some procurement tasks and may use artificial intelligence (AI) or other technology, which may limit growth.
In the public sector, employment demand may be impacted by the continued use of cooperative purchasing agreements. These agreements allow government agencies to share resources to buy supplies, which may limit the need for procurement officers.
How to become a Purchasing Agent, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products
Purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents typically need a bachelor’s degree, although some employers hire candidates who have a high school diploma. Purchasing managers also need several years of related work experience.
| Typical entry-level education | Bachelor's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Medium preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
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 Degree65.0%
- High School Diploma15.0%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)10.0%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate10.0%
What does a Purchasing Agent, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products do?
Purchase machinery, equipment, tools, parts, supplies, or services necessary for the operation of an establishment. Purchase raw or semifinished materials for manufacturing. May negotiate contracts.
Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations to use or resell. They evaluate suppliers, negotiate contracts, and review the quality of products. Purchasing managers oversee the work of buyers and purchasing agents and typically handle more complex procurement tasks.
Day-to-day tasks
- Monitor and follow applicable laws and regulations.
- Purchase the highest quality merchandise at the lowest possible price and in correct amounts.
- Formulate policies and procedures for bid proposals and procurement of goods and services.
- Prepare purchase orders, solicit bid proposals, and review requisitions for goods and services.
- Write and review product specifications, maintaining a working technical knowledge of the goods or services to be purchased.
- Analyze price proposals, financial reports, and other data and information to determine reasonable prices.
- Evaluate and monitor contract performance to ensure compliance with contractual obligations and to determine need for changes.
- Negotiate, renegotiate, and administer contracts with suppliers, vendors, and other representatives.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Where purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products work
| Manufacturing | 21% |
|---|---|
| Wholesale trade | 14% |
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | 13% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 8% |
| Retail trade | 8% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension4.1/5
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Writing4.0/5
- Speaking4.0/5
- Critical Thinking3.9/5
- Active Learning3.9/5
- Monitoring3.8/5
- Mathematics3.0/5
Transferable skills
- Negotiation4.3/5
- Complex Problem Solving4.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9/5
- Persuasion3.8/5
- Management of Financial Resources3.8/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.3/5
- Instructing3.3/5
- Time Management3.3/5
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.
What personality type suits a Purchasing Agent, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary3.5
Investigative1.8
Artistic1.2
Social1.9
Enterprisingprimary5.1
Conventionalprimary5.7
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
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.
Purchasing Agent, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products: frequently asked questions
How much do Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products make?
Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products earn a median of $77,710 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 52% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $37.36/hr. The middle half earn between $60,800 and $100,820. The top 10% earn $128,870 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Purchasing Agent, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products?
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 Purchasing Agent, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.8% over 2024–2034, faster than the 3.1% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 52,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Purchasing Agent, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products do?
Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations to use or resell. A core O*NET task: monitor and follow applicable laws and regulations. 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 Purchasing Agent, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products?
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 923 occupations in the bank.