Management
Purchasing manager
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.
Median pay
$148,080
Growth to 2035
+4%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
6,400
Time to qualify*
5 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Purchasing manager
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- 5 years or more
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Purchasing manager: 47% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core 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.
Also called: Category Purchasing Manager · Commodity Manager · Materials Director · Materials Manager · Procurement Director · Procurement Manager · Purchasing Director · Purchasing Manager
Outlook and AI
Purchasing managers held 88,300 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 91,800 by 2035 (+4%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Purchasing manager vs. Procurement clerk
- Purchasing manager vs. Buyers and purchasing agents
- Purchasing manager vs. Logistician
- Purchasing manager vs. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Purchasing manager vs. Sales manager
- Purchasing manager vs. Marketing manager
- Purchasing manager vs. Management analyst