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.
- O*NET-SOC code
11-3061.00 - Preparation Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Wages
Median annual wage, U.S.$148,080
Employment, U.S.84,320
Median hourly wage$71.19
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $92,490 | $115,550 | $148,080 | $182,270 | $223,280 |
By state (51)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1,520 | $130,710 | 1.32 |
| Alaska | 140 | $114,650 | 0.80 |
| Arizona | 1,630 | $138,940 | 0.93 |
| Arkansas | 930 | $156,450 | 1.32 |
| California | 7,470 | $159,830 | 0.76 |
| Colorado | 1,320 | $171,250 | 0.85 |
| Connecticut | 1,420 | $138,680 | 1.54 |
| Delaware | 150 | Not available | 0.59 |
| District of Columbia | 1,110 | $175,720 | 2.92 |
| Florida | 3,960 | $133,410 | 0.74 |
| Georgia | 3,430 | $155,360 | 1.29 |
| Hawaii | 220 | $113,490 | 0.66 |
| Idaho | 270 | $136,970 | 0.59 |
| Illinois | 4,160 | $153,370 | 1.26 |
| Indiana | 1,190 | $126,880 | 0.69 |
| Iowa | 610 | $121,580 | 0.72 |
| Kansas | 920 | $159,850 | 1.19 |
| Kentucky | 920 | $124,350 | 0.85 |
| Louisiana | 470 | $109,630 | 0.45 |
| Maine | 170 | $135,970 | 0.48 |
| Maryland | 2,380 | $161,470 | 1.59 |
| Massachusetts | 2,160 | $170,750 | 1.10 |
| Michigan | 2,780 | $142,120 | 1.16 |
| Minnesota | 1,340 | $144,810 | 0.84 |
| Mississippi | 320 | $122,940 | 0.51 |
| Missouri | 960 | $132,100 | 0.60 |
| Montana | 160 | $123,480 | 0.59 |
| Nebraska | 440 | $124,010 | 0.79 |
| Nevada | 450 | $120,270 | 0.53 |
| New Hampshire | 540 | $162,900 | 1.46 |
| New Jersey | 3,430 | $174,520 | 1.47 |
| New Mexico | 240 | $134,790 | 0.50 |
| New York | 6,930 | $166,300 | 1.32 |
| North Carolina | 2,670 | $138,710 | 1.00 |
| North Dakota | 50 | $130,110 | 0.22 |
| Ohio | 3,490 | $134,580 | 1.16 |
| Oklahoma | 480 | $119,310 | 0.52 |
| Oregon | 980 | $137,190 | 0.92 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,530 | $141,790 | 0.77 |
| Rhode Island | 220 | $134,560 | 0.82 |
| South Carolina | 830 | $131,720 | 0.66 |
| South Dakota | 70 | $128,670 | 0.26 |
| Tennessee | 1,460 | $137,060 | 0.82 |
| Texas | 9,640 | $134,670 | 1.26 |
| Utah | 510 | $125,940 | 0.54 |
| Vermont | 90 | $135,720 | 0.56 |
| Virginia | 3,540 | $166,230 | 1.59 |
| Washington | 1,770 | $162,730 | 0.92 |
| West Virginia | 180 | $147,220 | 0.47 |
| Wisconsin | 1,610 | $124,990 | 1.01 |
| Wyoming | 40 | $123,380 | 0.26 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
| # | Occupation | Job Zone | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products | 4 | 0.980 |
| 2 | Project Management Specialists | 4 | 0.976 |
| 3 | General and Operations Managers | 4 | 0.976 |
| 4 | First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 3 | 0.976 |
| 5 | First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | 4 | 0.976 |
| 6 | Medical and Health Services Managers | 4 | 0.975 |
| 7 | Administrative Services Managers | 3 | 0.974 |
| 8 | Information Technology Project Managers | 4 | 0.974 |
| 9 | Gambling Managers | 1-2 | 0.973 |
| 10 | Chief Executives | 5 | 0.973 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Purchasing Managers, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical and Health Services Managers | Operations Analysis | 1.13 | 0.975 |
| Management Analysts | Operations Analysis | 1.13 | 0.966 |
| Logisticians | Operations Analysis | 1.25 | 0.963 |
| Marketing Managers | Operations Analysis | 0.87 | 0.962 |
| Business Continuity Planners | Complex Problem Solving | 1.63 | 0.952 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Purchasing Managers, excluding software Purchasing Managers already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Dynamics GP | 11 of 20 | 10.4x |
| IBM Cognos Impromptu | 11 of 20 | 9.6x |
| 11 of 20 | 9.6x | |
| Sage 50 Accounting | 10 of 20 | 11.0x |
| Oracle Hyperion | 10 of 20 | 9.0x |
| Delphi Technology | 9 of 20 | 9.7x |
| Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge | 9 of 20 | 9.4x |
| Human resource management software HRMS | 9 of 20 | 9.4x |
| Intuit QuickBooks | 11 of 20 | 6.0x |
| Google Drive | 10 of 20 | 7.2x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.75 | 4.00 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 3.62 | 4.12 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 3.50 | 3.88 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 3.50 | 3.88 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 3.50 | 3.25 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 3.38 | 3.88 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 3.25 | 3.88 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 3.25 | 3.75 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 3.25 | 3.62 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.75 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.75 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.75 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.75 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.12 |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.38 |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.25 |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Science | Essential skill | 1.00 | not rated |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Administration and Management | 4.26 | 4.89 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 4.00 | 5.05 |
| English Language | 3.94 | 4.05 |
| Law and Government | 3.84 | 3.95 |
| Economics and Accounting | 3.74 | 3.74 |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.50 | 4.21 |
| Mathematics | 3.47 | 4.05 |
| Administrative | 3.39 | 5.37 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 3.37 | 4.11 |
| Education and Training | 3.00 | 3.79 |
| Communications and Media | 2.84 | 2.95 |
| Sales and Marketing | 2.83 | 3.61 |
| Production and Processing | 2.78 | 2.95 |
| Public Safety and Security | 2.68 | 2.79 |
| Telecommunications | 2.58 | 1.44 |
| Building and Construction | 2.53 | 2.32 |
| Transportation | 2.47 | 2.58 |
| Engineering and Technology | 2.37 | 1.89 |
| Design | 2.17 | 1.95 |
| Psychology | 2.00 | 1.79 |
| Geography | 1.89 | 2.05 |
| Mechanical | 1.89 | 1.58 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.78 | 1.79 |
| Chemistry | 1.67 | 1.37 |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.63 | 1.53 |
| Food Production | 1.58 | 1.05 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1.53 | 0.95 |
| History and Archeology | 1.47 | 0.89 |
| Physics | 1.42 | 0.84 |
| Foreign Language | 1.42 | 0.68 |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.37 | 0.89 |
| Biology | 1.37 | 0.68 |
| Fine Arts | 1.26 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Oral Expression | 4.00 | 4.12 |
| Oral Comprehension | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Written Comprehension | 3.88 | 4.12 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Speech Clarity | 3.88 | 3.75 |
| Written Expression | 3.75 | 4.00 |
| Information Ordering | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.62 | 3.88 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.62 | 3.88 |
| Originality | 3.50 | 3.75 |
| Near Vision | 3.25 | 3.75 |
| Number Facility | 3.25 | 3.38 |
| Selective Attention | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 3.12 | 3.62 |
| Category Flexibility | 3.12 | 3.50 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 2.75 | 3.00 |
| Perceptual Speed | 2.75 | 3.00 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Memorization | 2.62 | 2.75 |
| Time Sharing | 2.62 | 2.62 |
| Far Vision | 2.62 | 2.50 |
| Auditory Attention | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Visualization | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Depth Perception | 2.00 | 1.12 |
| Trunk Strength | 1.75 | 1.12 |
| Dynamic Strength | 1.50 | 0.62 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 1.38 | 0.50 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 1.00 | not rated |
| Control Precision | 1.00 | not rated |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.00 | not rated |
| Explosive Strength | 1.00 | not rated |
| Extent Flexibility | 1.00 | not rated |
| Finger Dexterity | 1.00 | not rated |
| Glare Sensitivity | 1.00 | not rated |
| Gross Body Coordination | 1.00 | not rated |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 1.00 | not rated |
| Manual Dexterity | 1.00 | not rated |
| Multilimb Coordination | 1.00 | not rated |
| Night Vision | 1.00 | not rated |
| Peripheral Vision | 1.00 | not rated |
| Rate Control | 1.00 | not rated |
| Reaction Time | 1.00 | not rated |
| Response Orientation | 1.00 | not rated |
| Sound Localization | 1.00 | not rated |
| Spatial Orientation | 1.00 | not rated |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.00 | not rated |
| Stamina | 1.00 | not rated |
| Static Strength | 1.00 | not rated |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Microsoft Excel in demand
- Microsoft Office software in demand
- Microsoft Outlook in demand
- Microsoft PowerPoint in demand
- SAP software in demand
- Purchasing software in demand
- Microsoft Access hot
- Microsoft Project hot
- Microsoft SharePoint hot
- Microsoft Visio hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- Oracle Database hot
- Oracle PeopleSoft hot
- Automated purchase order software
- Bottomline Technologies Bottomline Sprinter Purchasing Manager
- Bowen & Groves M1 ERP
- Corel Paradox
- Database software
- Epicor Vantage ERP
- IBM Lotus Notes
- Infor Lawson Supply Chain Management
- Materials requirement planning MRP software
- Microsoft Dynamics
- NetSuite ERP
- Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
- Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise Financial Management Solutions
- Oracle PeopleSoft Financials
- Oracle Primavera P6 Enterprise Portfolio Project Management
- PurchasingNet eProcurement
- Qlik Tech QlikView
All 34
- SAP Ariba
- SAP BusinessObjects Crystal Reports
- Scheduling software
- Web browser software
Where it concentrates
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville, AL | 520 | 3.60 | $146,970 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | 410 | 2.74 | $176,300 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 640 | 2.61 | $106,440 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 330 | 2.53 | $180,340 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 4,180 | 2.46 | $172,150 |
| Peoria, IL | 210 | 2.37 | $174,430 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 160 | 2.27 | $130,510 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | 240 | 2.20 | $165,870 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 190 | 1.99 | $147,600 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 1,070 | 1.79 | $150,190 |