Purchasing agents and buyers, farm products
November 2004 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 527,000 jobs in 2002. Forty-two percent worked in the wholesale trade and manufacturing industries, and another 15 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 | 245,000 |
| Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products | 155,000 |
| Purchasing managers | 108,000 |
| Purchasing agents and buyers, farm products | 19,000 |
Median annual earnings of purchasing managers were $59,890 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $43,670 and $81,950 a year. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than $32,330, and the highest-paid 10 percent earned more than $108,140 a year.
Median annual earnings for purchasing agents and buyers, farm products were $40,900 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $31,390 and $55,440 a year. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than $23,850, and the highest-paid 10 percent earned more than $76,740 a year.
Median annual earnings for wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products, were $40,780 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $30,040 and $55,670 a year. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than $23,270, and the highest-paid 10 percent earned more than $76,070 a year. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products, in 2002 were as follows:
| Management of companies and enterprises | $49,150 |
| Grocery and related product wholesalers | 42,850 |
| Machinery, equipment, and supplies merchant wholesalers | 37,920 |
| Building material and supplies dealers | 35,910 |
Median annual earnings for purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products, were $45,090 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $34,820 and $58,780 a year. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than $27,950, and the highest-paid 10 percent earned more than $73,990 a year. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of purchasing agents, except of wholesale, retail, and farm products, in 2002 were as follows:
| Federal Government | $58,410 |
| Aerospace product and parts manufacturing | 52,900 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 50,790 |
| Local government | 42,450 |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 34,420 |
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.
November 2004 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: 80 mean earnings: $51,710 (def) (IG) | $21,010 | $39,750 | $50,060 | $66,850 | $77,880 |
| Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry employment: 50 mean earnings: $57,070 | $38,650 | $43,460 | $55,530 | $71,010 | $80,710 |
| Mining employment: n.a. mean earnings: $32,510 (EC) (def) (IG) | $19,390 | $21,450 | $32,340 | $36,170 | $48,370 |
| Utilities employment: 40 mean earnings: $60,650 (EC) (def) (IG) | $31,550 | $42,260 | $58,030 | $71,530 | $102,990 |
| Utilities employment: 40 mean earnings: $60,650 | $31,550 | $42,260 | $58,030 | $71,530 | $102,990 |
| Construction employment: 70 mean earnings: $40,380 (EC) (def) (IG) | $22,810 | $30,890 | $38,850 | $47,150 | $57,480 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors employment: 50 mean earnings: $40,360 | $22,780 | $29,570 | $35,800 | $48,220 | $65,070 |
| Manufacturing employment: 2,320 mean earnings: $58,070 (EC) (def) (IG) | $29,750 | $37,610 | $49,170 | $67,950 | $100,230 |
| Food Manufacturing employment: 1,410 mean earnings: $50,420 | $28,890 | $36,210 | $46,050 | $60,430 | $78,460 |
| Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing employment: 120 mean earnings: $62,030 | $31,420 | $36,300 | $57,610 | $85,740 | $101,760 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing employment: 80 mean earnings: $55,080 | $28,650 | $38,520 | $53,740 | $74,790 | $86,250 |
| Chemical Manufacturing employment: 120 mean earnings: $51,930 | $30,490 | $37,560 | $45,480 | $66,200 | $85,190 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing employment: 100 mean earnings: $50,120 | $28,520 | $42,220 | $51,260 | $60,700 | $69,190 |
| Machinery Manufacturing employment: 90 mean earnings: $48,710 | $29,870 | $38,010 | $44,230 | $54,040 | $75,860 |
| Wholesale Trade employment: 6,870 mean earnings: $51,050 (EC) (def) (IG) | $24,620 | $33,170 | $44,350 | $60,340 | $85,430 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods employment: 620 mean earnings: $53,180 | $25,910 | $31,080 | $42,420 | $63,920 | $96,510 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods employment: 5,390 mean earnings: $50,740 | $24,710 | $34,110 | $44,780 | $59,880 | $82,040 |
| Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers employment: 860 mean earnings: $51,420 | $22,220 | $30,570 | $42,180 | $62,860 | $91,070 |
| Retail Trade employment: 1,860 mean earnings: $41,890 (EC) (def) (IG) | $23,570 | $28,940 | $37,380 | $50,890 | $69,160 |
| Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers employment: 710 mean earnings: $42,800 | $27,740 | $32,310 | $39,730 | $49,690 | $62,870 |
| Food and Beverage Stores employment: 900 mean earnings: $39,390 | $21,930 | $26,190 | $33,890 | $48,950 | $70,110 |
| Miscellaneous Store Retailers employment: 60 mean earnings: $39,730 | $22,200 | $28,490 | $39,930 | $48,390 | $61,840 |
| Nonstore Retailers employment: n.a. mean earnings: $49,200 | $31,720 | $34,040 | $38,760 | $67,080 | $73,210 |
| Transportation and Warehousing employment: 130 mean earnings: $46,790 (EC) (def) (IG) | $25,070 | $33,150 | $43,280 | $55,470 | $72,260 |
| Truck Transportation employment: n.a. mean earnings: $34,930 | $21,680 | $30,460 | $33,250 | $36,050 | $44,610 |
| Warehousing and Storage employment: 80 mean earnings: $50,090 | $26,690 | $40,590 | $49,600 | $57,490 | $72,830 |
| Finance and Insurance employment: 140 mean earnings: $59,340 (EC) (def) (IG) | $32,200 | $38,950 | $52,700 | $74,180 | $91,390 |
| Insurance Carriers and Related Activities employment: 80 mean earnings: $59,100 | $31,500 | $36,760 | $50,780 | $67,870 | $96,910 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing employment: 50 mean earnings: $62,130 (EC) (def) (IG) | $37,110 | $49,030 | $63,360 | $71,570 | $99,170 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services employment: 200 mean earnings: $56,750 (EC) (def) (IG) | $29,010 | $32,370 | $44,030 | $60,950 | $125,160 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services employment: 200 mean earnings: $56,750 | $29,010 | $32,370 | $44,030 | $60,950 | $125,160 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises employment: 770 mean earnings: $67,200 (EC) (def) (IG) | $34,040 | $44,110 | $59,320 | $80,450 | $120,950 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises employment: 770 mean earnings: $67,200 | $34,040 | $44,110 | $59,320 | $80,450 | $120,950 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services employment: 90 mean earnings: $45,530 (EC) (def) (IG) | $29,220 | $34,980 | $42,170 | $54,520 | $68,890 |
| Administrative and Support Services employment: 90 mean earnings: $44,760 | $29,770 | $35,080 | $41,760 | $52,920 | $67,180 |
| Educational Services employment: 100 mean earnings: $41,120 (EC) (def) (IG) | $22,180 | $28,150 | $34,540 | $48,070 | $70,970 |
| Educational Services employment: 100 mean earnings: $41,120 | $22,180 | $28,150 | $34,540 | $48,070 | $70,970 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance employment: 130 mean earnings: $41,200 (EC) (def) (IG) | $23,480 | $27,850 | $36,920 | $51,200 | $60,590 |
| Hospitals employment: 110 mean earnings: $41,640 | $22,970 | $27,340 | $36,450 | $52,240 | $62,620 |
| Accomodation and Food Service employment: 70 mean earnings: $39,460 (EC) (def) (IG) | $20,550 | $22,690 | $32,870 | $55,170 | $61,350 |
| Public Administration employment: 180 mean earnings: $41,460 (def) (IG) | $24,740 | $31,500 | $38,920 | $49,420 | $64,880 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation) employment: 180 mean earnings: $41,460 | $24,740 | $31,500 | $38,920 | $49,420 | $64,880 |
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.
source: Occupational Employment Statistics Program; about these estimates