11
Purchasing Managers is a notable career in the 11 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Purchasing Managers against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
Education Administrators, All Other
11
Personal Service Managers, All Other
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Managers, All Other
11
Buyers and Purchasing Agents
13
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
13
| soc | 11-3061 |
| title | Purchasing Managers |
| onet code | 11-3061.00 |
| description | 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. |
| job zone | 4 |
| major group | 11 |
| tot emp | 81,240 |
| a mean | 150,630 |
| a median | 139,510 |
| a pct10 | 85,500 |
| a pct25 | 107,430 |
| a pct75 | 175,460 |
| a pct90 | 219,140 |
| h mean | 72 |
| h median | 67 |
The day-to-day work of a purchasing managers typically centers on develop and implement purchasing and contract management instructions, policies, and procedures. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Active Listening, Speaking, and Management of Personnel Resources. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.90 out of 5 — highly rated for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working purchasing managers, the most common entry qualification is a Bachelor's Degree (52.6%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 63% of incumbents. This is a degree-heavy profession — most incumbents hold a four-year degree or beyond.
Median annual pay is highest in New Jersey at $173,130 and lowest in Nevada at $101,620 — a 1.7× spread. The top five states (New Jersey, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Washington, New York) average $168,810. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $173,130 | $185,390 | $122,270 | — | 2,830 |
| District of Columbia | $171,910 | $170,960 | $139,380 | $191,880 | 1,180 |
| Massachusetts | $168,890 | $176,990 | $105,520 | — | 2,370 |
| Washington | $165,170 | $169,580 | $111,090 | $234,070 | 2,150 |
| New York | $164,950 | $180,380 | $97,880 | — | 5,980 |
| Colorado | $163,610 | $193,240 | $113,520 | — | 1,250 |
| Virginia | $161,300 | $164,450 | $105,190 | $216,080 | 3,630 |
| Minnesota | $157,450 | $158,680 | $97,740 | $222,330 | 1,400 |
| Maryland | $153,320 | $148,870 | $93,870 | $191,880 | 2,520 |
| New Hampshire | $153,000 | $153,990 | $96,000 | $207,640 | 510 |
| California | $152,190 | $160,460 | $92,070 | $235,900 | 7,260 |
| West Virginia | $140,370 | $141,790 | $85,230 | $178,880 | 190 |
| Arizona | $139,370 | $150,810 | $91,230 | $213,650 | 1,840 |
| Illinois | $139,330 | $150,340 | $95,060 | $212,920 | 4,130 |
| Rhode Island | $138,300 | $139,680 | $91,320 | $180,430 | 210 |
| Michigan | $137,630 | $149,110 | $92,850 | $212,620 | 2,830 |
| Kansas | $135,760 | $145,050 | $92,050 | $209,740 | 720 |
| Georgia | $133,850 | $144,090 | $82,260 | $218,610 | 2,770 |
| Tennessee | $132,930 | $156,820 | $90,380 | — | 1,430 |
| Missouri | $132,370 | $139,660 | $76,590 | $209,480 | 1,000 |
| Texas | $132,270 | $141,350 | $82,730 | $208,660 | 8,100 |
| New Mexico | $131,710 | $132,410 | $78,010 | $188,800 | 190 |
| Connecticut | $131,230 | $147,560 | $85,280 | $219,630 | 1,650 |
| Maine | $130,880 | $135,360 | $86,050 | $180,610 | 220 |
| Oregon | $130,700 | $138,680 | $78,340 | $212,940 | 1,080 |
| North Carolina | $130,170 | $140,960 | $86,620 | $212,520 | 2,680 |
| Pennsylvania | $130,140 | $135,700 | $69,640 | $202,790 | 2,630 |
| Ohio | $129,200 | $139,200 | $84,610 | $209,340 | — |
| Montana | $129,000 | $135,760 | $83,300 | $174,720 | 210 |
| Alabama | $127,680 | $129,810 | $75,830 | $196,090 | 1,400 |
| South Carolina | $126,260 | $130,240 | $76,040 | $187,820 | 880 |
| North Dakota | $125,720 | $129,220 | $93,470 | $167,210 | 40 |
| Florida | $125,690 | $133,590 | $70,340 | $206,850 | 4,040 |
| Utah | $123,360 | $128,130 | $81,340 | $179,220 | 500 |
| Wisconsin | $122,780 | $131,010 | $83,680 | $197,300 | 1,480 |
| Nebraska | $121,290 | $125,970 | $72,510 | $176,470 | 450 |
| Indiana | $120,840 | $133,090 | $83,120 | $185,300 | 1,280 |
| Alaska | $120,060 | $120,600 | $73,690 | $172,270 | 130 |
| Idaho | $117,530 | $119,180 | $63,240 | $178,330 | 290 |
| Vermont | $116,130 | $135,480 | $98,890 | $199,970 | 130 |
| Arkansas | $116,060 | $135,590 | $59,740 | $219,140 | 760 |
| South Dakota | $115,730 | $126,890 | $87,140 | $176,940 | 80 |
| Kentucky | $113,910 | $121,270 | $69,990 | $171,190 | 810 |
| Oklahoma | $113,360 | $120,500 | $72,840 | $168,810 | 450 |
| Mississippi | $112,560 | $114,820 | $64,990 | $162,880 | 320 |
| Iowa | $111,250 | $121,980 | $75,150 | $179,540 | 730 |
| Louisiana | $105,980 | $116,880 | $74,990 | $173,930 | 450 |
| Hawaii | $103,710 | $112,480 | $75,910 | $148,620 | 230 |
| Nevada | $101,620 | $110,100 | $67,810 | $168,710 | 660 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for purchasing managers. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Category Purchasing Manager or Commissary Superintendent frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Purchasing Managers compares to others in the 11 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Purchasing Managers
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
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