Purchasing Managers

What purchasing managers do

Typical tasks

• 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.
• Control purchasing department budgets.
• Resolve vendor or contractor grievances and claims against suppliers.

Purchasing Managers salary

The median annual wage for purchasing managers is $148,080 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $92,490 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $223,280. The mean annual wage is $156,360.

The mean hourly wage of $75.00 is 10.3× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →

Pay by percentile

Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.

How median, percentiles and the pay range are defined →

Projected pay for Purchasing Managers (3, 5 and 10 years)est.

Today $148,080 → in 3 years $159,600 → in 5 years $167,700 → in 10 years $189,900 (10-year range $163,300–$220,500). The model assumes pay growth of +2.5% per year.

What drives the annual growth rate

Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →

Outlook score for Purchasing Managers

Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.

Will AI replace Purchasing Managers? AI replacement risk

How AI is changing this job

A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.

AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →

Labor demand for Purchasing Managers

Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.

Skills, education and requirements for Purchasing Managers

What the work involves

Important abilities

Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)

Difficulty of entry: ★★★★☆ Demanding (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)

How to become purchasing managers

A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.

Career path and how to earn more as purchasing managers

Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.

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