Purchasing agents and buyers, farm products
May 2005 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers
Purchasing Agents and Buyers, Farm Products: Purchase farm products either for further processing or resale. Include Christmas tree contractors, grain brokers and market operators, grain buyers, and tobacco buyers.
Purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents held about 520,000 jobs in 2004. Forty-three percent worked in the wholesale trade and manufacturing industries, and another twelve percent worked in retail trade. The remainder worked mostly in service establishments, such as hospitals, or different levels of government. A small number were self-employed.
The following tabulation shows the distribution of employment by occupational specialty:
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products | 273,000 |
| Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products | 156,000 |
| Purchasing managers | 75,000 |
| Purchasing agents and buyers, farm products | 16,000 |
Median annual earnings of purchasing managers were $72,450 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $54,150 and $94,970 a year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $41,300, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $121,600 a year.
Median annual earnings for purchasing agents and buyers, farm products were $43,720 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $33,100 and $59,420 a year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $25,260, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $82,330 a year.
Median annual earnings for wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products, were $42,230 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $31,550 and $57,010 a year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $24,380, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $79,340 a year. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products, in May 2004 were:
| Management of companies and enterprises | $49,770 |
| Grocery and related product wholesalers | 43,910 |
| Wholesale electronic markets and agents and brokers | 43,860 |
| Building material and supplies dealers | 35,850 |
| Grocery stores | 32,790 |
Median annual earnings for purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products, were $47,680 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $36,760 and $62,600 a year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,640, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $79,710 a year. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of purchasing agents, except of wholesale, retail, and farm products, in May 2004 were:
| Federal executive branch and United States Postal Service | $63,940 |
| Aerospace product and parts manufacturing | 55,820 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 53,750 |
| Local government | 44,730 |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 37,090 |
Purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents receive the same benefits package as other workers, including vacations, sick leave, life and health insurance, and pension plans. In addition to receiving standard benefits, retail buyers often earn cash bonuses based on their performance and may receive discounts on merchandise bought from their employer.
(from the Occupational Outlook Handbook: Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing Agents)
See more recent statistics for employed workers below.
May 2005 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers
National Occupational Employment and Earnings by Industry (NAICS sector and 3-digit industry group)
| Purchasing agents and buyers, farm products | |||||
| Percentile earnings distribution | |||||
| 10th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 90th | |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting employment: 100 mean earnings: $48,040 (def) (IG) | $23,380 | $27,020 | $47,970 | $61,700 | $70,690 |
| Forestry and Logging employment: 30 mean earnings: $40,950 | $20,790 | $24,310 | $39,430 | $51,130 | $61,590 |
| Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry employment: 70 mean earnings: $51,600 | $24,710 | $28,260 | $53,430 | $65,100 | $71,980 |
| Utilities employment: 30 mean earnings: $60,070 (EC) (def) (IG) | $30,310 | $40,920 | $58,140 | $72,860 | $103,200 |
| Utilities employment: 30 mean earnings: $60,070 | $30,310 | $40,920 | $58,140 | $72,860 | $103,200 |
| Construction employment: 80 mean earnings: $42,240 (EC) (def) (IG) | $23,930 | $26,950 | $38,030 | $48,550 | $68,040 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors employment: 60 mean earnings: $41,500 | $23,810 | $26,250 | $34,730 | $48,490 | $67,240 |
| Manufacturing employment: 2,220 mean earnings: $59,540 (EC) (def) (IG) | $30,370 | $38,340 | $49,920 | $69,940 | $106,190 |
| Food Manufacturing employment: 1,410 mean earnings: $51,700 | $29,840 | $37,290 | $46,370 | $62,320 | $80,780 |
| Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing employment: 100 mean earnings: $65,050 | $31,520 | $38,960 | $65,250 | $87,940 | $104,600 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing employment: 40 mean earnings: $53,270 | $24,420 | $28,770 | $46,230 | $81,830 | $90,210 |
| Chemical Manufacturing employment: n.a. mean earnings: $53,340 | $29,900 | $37,480 | $47,560 | $70,810 | $86,730 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing employment: 90 mean earnings: $48,480 | $27,660 | $39,480 | $49,160 | $57,810 | $69,160 |
| Machinery Manufacturing employment: 70 mean earnings: $52,950 | $33,930 | $39,860 | $46,160 | $57,740 | $84,490 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing employment: 40 mean earnings: $48,150 | $30,840 | $39,860 | $48,870 | $55,540 | $65,940 |
| Wholesale Trade employment: 6,930 mean earnings: $53,420 (EC) (def) (IG) | $26,680 | $36,440 | $48,000 | $64,290 | $85,670 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods employment: 330 mean earnings: $62,560 | $26,090 | $36,900 | $50,070 | $79,970 | $123,620 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods employment: 5,670 mean earnings: $52,920 | $26,950 | $36,930 | $47,660 | $63,780 | $84,000 |
| Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers employment: 940 mean earnings: $53,200 | $25,730 | $33,610 | $49,220 | $64,090 | $85,870 |
| Retail Trade employment: 1,810 mean earnings: $41,400 (EC) (def) (IG) | $21,130 | $27,350 | $36,530 | $49,690 | $71,620 |
| Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers employment: 600 mean earnings: $43,130 | $25,070 | $31,190 | $38,520 | $48,960 | $67,020 |
| Food and Beverage Stores employment: 1,040 mean earnings: $39,090 | $19,660 | $24,810 | $33,960 | $47,380 | $71,860 |
| Miscellaneous Store Retailers employment: 30 mean earnings: $40,890 | $26,750 | $33,360 | $40,930 | $48,820 | $56,560 |
| Nonstore Retailers employment: n.a. mean earnings: $51,150 | $32,110 | $34,770 | $52,400 | $68,190 | $73,890 |
| Transportation and Warehousing employment: 90 mean earnings: $50,740 (EC) (def) (IG) | $27,260 | $35,540 | $48,610 | $58,610 | $80,690 |
| Truck Transportation employment: 30 mean earnings: $38,760 | $21,540 | $30,490 | $34,420 | $40,060 | $58,380 |
| Warehousing and Storage employment: 50 mean earnings: $55,920 | $37,440 | $46,370 | $53,710 | $64,780 | $82,020 |
| Finance and Insurance employment: 150 mean earnings: $56,540 (EC) (def) (IG) | $31,680 | $37,890 | $51,110 | $66,590 | $89,860 |
| Insurance Carriers and Related Activities employment: 100 mean earnings: $56,510 | $32,600 | $39,020 | $50,650 | $63,690 | $88,380 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing employment: 40 mean earnings: $59,100 (EC) (def) (IG) | $37,050 | $45,870 | $58,940 | $70,090 | $84,690 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services employment: 260 mean earnings: $52,150 (EC) (def) (IG) | $30,970 | $35,510 | $48,160 | $61,720 | $71,340 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises employment: 650 mean earnings: $66,010 (EC) (def) (IG) | $35,290 | $46,010 | $57,520 | $77,550 | $115,490 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises employment: 650 mean earnings: $66,010 | $35,290 | $46,010 | $57,520 | $77,550 | $115,490 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services employment: 120 mean earnings: $46,890 (EC) (def) (IG) | $33,360 | $37,790 | $42,360 | $52,010 | $74,440 |
| Administrative and Support Services employment: 120 mean earnings: $45,840 | $33,140 | $37,660 | $42,090 | $50,350 | $72,510 |
| Educational Services employment: 100 mean earnings: $41,110 (EC) (def) (IG) | $21,950 | $27,830 | $34,480 | $49,890 | $68,900 |
| Educational Services employment: 100 mean earnings: $41,110 | $21,950 | $27,830 | $34,480 | $49,890 | $68,900 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance employment: 120 mean earnings: $46,280 (EC) (def) (IG) | $25,590 | $30,910 | $42,600 | $54,940 | $67,930 |
| Hospitals employment: 100 mean earnings: $48,110 | $25,090 | $30,620 | $46,770 | $56,470 | $70,460 |
| Accomodation and Food Service employment: 40 mean earnings: $46,280 (EC) (def) (IG) | $23,980 | $27,930 | $36,200 | $63,690 | $80,240 |
| Accommodation employment: 30 mean earnings: $46,400 | $25,090 | $29,460 | $37,450 | $61,550 | $71,540 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation) employment: 150 mean earnings: $44,950 (def) (IG) | $29,690 | $34,900 | $42,090 | $53,190 | $67,390 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation) employment: 150 mean earnings: $44,950 | $29,690 | $34,900 | $42,090 | $53,190 | $67,390 |
source: Occupational Employment Statistics Program; about these estimates
The (EC) links lead to data from the Economic Census from the Census Bureau.
The (def) links lead to 2002 NAICS industry definitions from the Census Bureau.
The (IG) links lead to Industry at a Glance industry profiles from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.