How To Become A Procurement Specialist
Buys the goods and services an organization runs on: soliciting bids, writing specifications and placing purchase orders.
Procurement Specialist Salary Data
Procurement Specialist Salary: What BLS Data Shows
Buyers and purchasing agents, the BLS occupation that counts procurement specialists, earn a median of $77,710 a year. It is the largest supply chain occupation on this site, at 491,430 jobs (May 2025).
By the Supply Chain Degree Programs editorial team Updated
The Pay Figures At A Glance
- The median is $77,710. That is for buyers and purchasing agents; the average is $83,770.
- The 10th to 90th percentiles run $48,380 to $128,870. Hourly, the median works out to $37.36.
- District of Columbia pays the highest state median, $124,090. Montana pays the lowest, $62,850.
- The best-paying industry has a median of $108,220. The best-paying metro is Lexington Park, MD, at $111,530.
- Projected change through 2035: 6%. Annual openings: about 47,200.
How Much Does A Procurement Specialist Make?
Half of all buyers and purchasing agents earn more than $77,710 a year and half earn less. The average, $83,770, sits above the median, and the full range runs from $48,380 at the 10th percentile to $128,870 at the 90th. On an hourly basis the median works out to $37.36.
The middle half of the occupation earns between $60,800 and $100,820, a gap of $40,020. The sections below show how far location, industry and employer type each move the number.
| Percentile | Annual Pay |
|---|---|
| 10th | $48,380 |
| 25th | $60,800 |
| Median | $77,710 |
| 75th | $100,820 |
| 90th | $128,870 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, buyers and purchasing agents, national. Buyers and purchasing agents is a broad occupation, and BLS publishes wages only at that level, covering farm-product buyers, wholesale and retail buyers, and purchasing agents together. Read 2026-09-23.
Why Procurement Specialist Pay Comes From The Buyers And Purchasing Agents Figure
O*NET lists procurement specialist as a title under purchasing agents, code 13-1023.00, alongside buyer, contract administrator, procurement and contracting administrator, procurement and contracting buyer and procurement official. The wage survey stops a level above that. It gives pay only for the broad group, buyers and purchasing agents, which also counts wholesale and retail buyers and farm-product buyers.
So the figure is the pay of everyone whose job is buying for an organization, whether that means placing orders for a factory, a government agency or a chain of stores. That breadth is also why the industry table below spreads so widely.
Procurement Specialist Salary By State
15 of the 51 states in the table pay a median above the national $77,710. District of Columbia has the highest median, $124,090, on 1,880 jobs. Among states with at least 5,000 jobs in the occupation, New Jersey leads at $93,250. The lowest state median is $62,850, in Montana, so the top and bottom states sit $61,240 apart.
The biggest markets are California, with 48,010 jobs and a median of $82,720, and Texas, with 44,030 jobs at $76,050.
| State | Median | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $124,090 | $69,910 | $182,310 | 1,880 |
| New Jersey | $93,250 | $62,400 | $140,730 | 12,180 |
| Maryland | $90,900 | $56,310 | $148,700 | 8,900 |
| Virginia | $89,210 | $51,350 | $149,150 | 22,120 |
| Rhode Island | $86,240 | $52,000 | $121,760 | |
| Massachusetts | $85,970 | $49,500 | $145,890 | 12,820 |
| Washington | $85,130 | $58,260 | $137,980 | 15,400 |
| Colorado | $83,590 | $54,990 | $135,470 | 10,080 |
| Alaska | $83,460 | $60,860 | $132,730 | 890 |
| Connecticut | $83,030 | $51,790 | $132,410 | 5,530 |
| Delaware | $82,920 | $57,530 | $128,040 | 1,400 |
| California | $82,720 | $52,690 | $134,310 | 48,010 |
| Minnesota | $80,370 | $52,680 | $125,590 | 10,960 |
| New York | $79,460 | $51,820 | $132,080 | 31,240 |
| Illinois | $78,470 | $50,710 | $126,640 | 19,660 |
| Maine | $77,630 | $49,620 | $126,250 | 1,180 |
| New Hampshire | $77,270 | $52,840 | $125,500 | 2,580 |
| New Mexico | $76,740 | $47,670 | $127,820 | 2,250 |
| Ohio | $76,410 | $47,560 | $120,950 | 21,640 |
| North Dakota | $76,400 | $52,630 | $106,070 | 880 |
| Texas | $76,050 | $47,760 | $124,140 | 44,030 |
| Michigan | $75,900 | $47,260 | $126,330 | 16,680 |
| North Carolina | $75,880 | $48,440 | $127,860 | 14,290 |
| Arkansas | $75,870 | $42,710 | $135,830 | 4,510 |
| West Virginia | $75,670 | $46,000 | $112,400 | 1,130 |
| South Carolina | $75,550 | $45,700 | $123,340 | 6,150 |
| Arizona | $75,340 | $49,790 | $117,900 | 10,870 |
| Oregon | $75,050 | $44,440 | $124,900 | 7,090 |
| Nebraska | $74,950 | $47,840 | $124,180 | 2,850 |
| Utah | $74,540 | $46,850 | $121,120 | 4,090 |
| Georgia | $74,530 | $48,070 | $129,000 | 15,710 |
| Hawaii | $74,240 | $47,920 | $120,270 | 1,720 |
| Alabama | $74,030 | $45,190 | $127,620 | 8,960 |
| South Dakota | $73,990 | $56,330 | $105,110 | 1,180 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,550 | $44,470 | $121,520 | 17,430 |
| Nevada | $72,990 | $50,120 | $104,730 | 2,310 |
| Florida | $72,850 | $45,970 | $122,930 | 30,270 |
| Wyoming | $72,200 | $46,340 | $109,650 | 570 |
| Mississippi | $71,850 | $43,370 | $117,960 | 2,240 |
| Oklahoma | $71,850 | $45,510 | $118,140 | 4,750 |
| Wisconsin | $70,880 | $47,530 | $102,720 | 9,240 |
| Iowa | $70,360 | $46,850 | $106,910 | 4,570 |
| Kansas | $69,500 | $46,150 | $117,810 | 6,470 |
| Indiana | $69,350 | $45,810 | $108,740 | 10,720 |
| Idaho | $69,240 | $47,830 | $108,890 | 1,610 |
| Louisiana | $66,340 | $45,080 | $112,380 | 3,440 |
| Missouri | $65,650 | $45,280 | $111,070 | 8,070 |
| Tennessee | $65,430 | $40,360 | $106,190 | 11,420 |
| Vermont | $65,330 | $45,230 | $166,520 | 1,010 |
| Kentucky | $65,240 | $42,600 | $105,370 | 5,440 |
| Montana | $62,850 | $41,690 | $100,420 | 1,230 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, by state, sorted by median. A blank jobs cell means BLS withheld the employment estimate for that state (Rhode Island). Read 2026-09-23.
Procurement Specialist Salary By Metro Area
BLS publishes a median for buyers and purchasing agents in 391 metropolitan areas, and 135 of them have at least 500 jobs in the occupation, enough for the median to describe a real local market. Among those, Lexington Park, MD pays the most, at $111,530, followed by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at $104,880.
| Metro Area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Lexington Park, MD | $111,530 | 730 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $104,880 | 14,240 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $101,500 | 3,380 |
| Warner Robins, GA | $100,120 | 580 |
| Peoria, IL | $96,880 | 720 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $95,970 | 9,960 |
| Huntsville, AL | $94,990 | 2,740 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $94,790 | 520 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $94,520 | 2,850 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $94,280 | 1,240 |
The largest markets are a different list. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ has the most jobs, 29,360, at a median of $83,350, and the five biggest metros together hold 90,290 jobs, 18% of the occupation. The metros where the occupation is most concentrated relative to the local workforce are Lexington Park, MD (location quotient 3.28), Huntsville, AL (location quotient 3.26) and Warner Robins, GA (location quotient 2.43).
Treat the metro figures as nominal pay. OEWS wages are not adjusted for local living costs, so a high median in an expensive metro and a lower one in a cheaper metro can leave a worker with similar purchasing power. Housing and other costs vary enough between metros that the ranking above is a ranking of paychecks, not of standards of living.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, metropolitan area estimates. Ranked only among metros with at least 500 jobs in the occupation. A location quotient compares the occupation's share of local jobs with its share of jobs nationally. Read 2026-09-24.
Top-Paying Industries For Procurement Specialists
BLS publishes the occupation's pay in 226 industries. Among those employing at least 1,000 buyers and purchasing agents, the highest median is in federal executive branch, at $108,220, which is $30,510 above the national figure.
| Industry | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Executive Branch | $108,220 | 39,030 |
| Software Publishers | $108,090 | 1,130 |
| Credit Intermediation and Related Activities | $103,070 | 1,870 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $102,310 | 6,650 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $99,180 | 3,470 |
| Insurance Carriers | $98,760 | 3,940 |
Where The Jobs Are, And Where The Pay Is
The industries that pay the most are mostly not the ones that hire the most. The six top-paying industries above employ 56,090 buyers and purchasing agents between them, 11% of the occupation. The five largest employers hold 137,140, or 28%. One industry is on both lists: federal executive branch.
| Largest Employers | Jobs | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 46,080 | $83,990 |
| Federal Executive Branch | 39,030 | $108,220 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | 21,720 | $67,970 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals | 16,720 | $80,200 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 13,590 | $97,890 |
The single largest employer, management of companies and enterprises, pays a median of $83,990. That is $24,230 below the top-paying industry, which is the practical trade-off: most of the jobs sit in the big employers, and the highest pay sits in industries with far fewer of them.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry-specific estimates, by industry. Each figure is the median for buyers and purchasing agents working in that industry. Top-paying industries are ranked only among those with at least 1,000 jobs in the occupation. Read 2026-09-23.
What Moves Procurement Specialist Pay
The broad code covers very different buying jobs, from purchasing agents at a factory or a federal agency to retail buyers choosing what a store will sell and farm-product buyers purchasing grain or cotton. That breadth is most of the spread.
Employer Type
Buyers and purchasing agents at private employers earn a median of $76,440, and private employers hold 85% of the occupation's jobs. Among government employers, the federal government pays the highest median, $108,160, which is $31,720 above private pay.
| Employer | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Private employers | $76,440 | 416,630 |
| Federal government | $108,160 | 39,470 |
| State government | $70,350 | 13,320 |
| Local government | $77,950 | 22,010 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, national ownership estimates. State and local government include their schools and hospitals, and the federal row includes the Postal Service, as BLS defines them.
Location
The top and bottom states sit $61,240 apart at the median. Among metros with at least 500 jobs, the gap between the highest and lowest median is $77,340, wider than the state gap. Neither figure is adjusted for living costs.
Degree Level
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education for buyers and purchasing agents. That is an entry requirement, not a pay effect: the wage survey measures occupations, not degrees. For what a degree costs, see the rankings of bachelor’s in supply chain management and online supply chain management degrees.
Certification
The certifications that fit this work, and what each one requires, are covered in the procurement specialist career guide.
How Procurement Specialist Pay Compares With Other Supply Chain Jobs
A supply chain degree leads to more than one occupation, and they don't pay the same. Of the 9 BLS occupations below, buyers and purchasing agents have the number 7 median. The highest is purchasing managers, at $148,080.
| Occupation | Median | 10th To 90th | Typical Entry | Growth 2025-35 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purchasing Managers | $148,080 | $92,490 to $223,280 | Bachelor's degreeplus 5 years or more experience | 4% |
| Industrial Production Managers | $126,060 | $78,000 to $205,520 | Bachelor's degreeplus 5 years or more experience | 2.6% |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $107,230 | $65,120 to $194,900 | High school diploma or equivalentplus 5 years or more experience | 6.1% |
| Operations Research Analysts | $88,940 | $57,060 to $159,910 | Bachelor's degree | 11.9% |
| Logisticians | $82,320 | $50,890 to $133,160 | Bachelor's degree | 17.6% |
| Compliance Officers | $80,730 | $48,220 to $133,720 | Bachelor's degree | 3.8% |
| Buyers and Purchasing Agents | $77,710 | $48,380 to $128,870 | Bachelor's degree | 6% |
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $59,650 | $40,080 to $86,000 | High school diploma or equivalent | -1.3% |
| Cargo and Freight Agents | $52,260 | $38,340 to $79,810 | High school diploma or equivalent | 6.2% |
The spread follows seniority more than subject. The 3 highest medians belong to the 3 management occupations, and BLS says each of them typically needs 5 years or more of related work experience to enter. The other 6 are specialist occupations that BLS lists with no experience requirement at entry. The management jobs are also the ones the specialists move into: buyers become purchasing managers, and logisticians become supply chain managers, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Sources: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (pay); BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 (growth); EP Table 1.2 (typical entry education and experience).
Job Outlook For Procurement Specialists
BLS projects employment of buyers and purchasing agents to grow from 516,100 to 547,000 over 2025 to 2035, a change of 6%. That's 2.5 points faster than the 3.5% projected for all occupations.
Growth is the smaller part of the hiring. BLS expects about 47,200 openings a year, and it splits them three ways: people leaving the labor force, mostly to retire; people moving into a different occupation; and new jobs from growth.
| Source Of Openings, Per Year | Openings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Workers leaving the labor force | 18,100 | 38% |
| Workers moving to other occupations | 26,100 | 55% |
| New jobs from growth | 3,100 | 7% |
| Total openings | 47,200 | 100% |
Replacement demand dominates: 94% of openings come from people leaving the occupation, not from new positions. Transfers outnumber retirements, so more of the openings come from buyers and purchasing agents moving on to other jobs than from people leaving work. Each year BLS expects 8.3% of the occupation to leave it, against 9.7% across all occupations. About 3.4% of workers in the occupation are self-employed, which is why EP's employment count runs higher than OEWS's.
What Drives Demand
BLS expects buyers’ share of jobs to rise as supply chains grow more complex and organizations need more service contracts. In the public sector the Handbook expects cooperative purchasing agreements, which let agencies buy together, to limit the need for procurement officers.
BLS's own stated reasons behind the projection, from its industry-occupation matrix:
- Demand change - share increases as supply chains become more complex and additional service contracts are needed. (all industries)
- Productivity change - share decreases as new technology allows workers to be more efficient. In addition, the continued use of cooperative purchasing agreements in the public sector will allow localities to use fewer resources and staff to complete routine procurement functions. (elementary and secondary schools; state; elementary and secondary schools; local; junior colleges; state; junior colleges; local; colleges, universities, and professional schools; state; colleges, universities, and professional schools; local; technical and trade schools; state; technical and trade schools; local; postal service; federal government, excluding postal service; state government, excluding education and hospitals; local government, excluding education and hospitals)
Sources: BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35; EP tables 1.10 (separations and openings) and 1.12 (factors affecting occupational utilization). The growth row is total openings minus separations. Read 2026-09-23.
Does A Supply Chain Degree Raise Your Salary?
BLS reports what an occupation pays, not what a degree pays, so there's no federal figure for "procurement specialist salary with a master's." Use the numbers above as the pay for the job you're aiming at. A degree matters to the extent that it gets you hired into the occupation, or promoted within it.
Cost is the part of a degree you can pin down. These rankings list tuition read from each school’s own page, so you can set a real price against the salary range here: bachelor’s in supply chain management and online supply chain management degrees.
FAQ
How Much Does A Procurement Specialist Make?
The median is $77,710 a year for buyers and purchasing agents, the BLS occupation behind this page (May 2025). The middle half of the occupation earns between $60,800 and $100,820.
What Is The Hourly Pay For Procurement Specialists?
The median hourly wage for buyers and purchasing agents is $37.36 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How Much Do The Top-Paid Procurement Specialists Make?
The 90th percentile for buyers and purchasing agents is $128,870 a year, so one in ten earns more than that. The 75th percentile is $100,820.
Which State Pays Procurement Specialists The Most?
District of Columbia has the highest state median, $124,090, on 1,880 jobs. Among states with at least 5,000 jobs in the occupation, New Jersey is highest at $93,250.
Which City Pays Procurement Specialists The Most?
Among metro areas with at least 500 jobs in the occupation, Lexington Park, MD has the highest median, $111,530. The figure is not adjusted for living costs.
Which Industry Pays Procurement Specialists The Most?
Among industries employing at least 1,000 buyers and purchasing agents, federal executive branch pays the highest median, $108,220.
Do Government Procurement Specialists Earn More Than Private-Sector Ones?
Buyers and purchasing agents in the federal government earn a median of $108,160, against $76,440 at private employers (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Federal pay is higher at the median, but 85% of the occupation works for private employers.
Is The Procurement Specialist Job Market Growing?
BLS projects employment of buyers and purchasing agents to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 47,200 openings a year.
How Much Does A Purchasing Agent Make?
BLS publishes one figure for buyers and purchasing agents together: a median of $77,710 (May 2025). Purchasing agents, buyers and procurement specialists all fall inside it.
Keep Reading
Bachelor’s In Supply Chain Management, Ranked
Programs read from each school’s own page, with tuition where the school states it.
Online Supply Chain Management Degrees, Ranked
Programs read from each school’s own page, with tuition where the school states it.
All Supply Chain Salaries
The 9 BLS occupations behind supply chain work, side by side.
Sources
- 1 BLS OEWS, May 2025: Buyers and Purchasing Agents (SOC 13-1020), national and state profile Read .
- 2 BLS OEWS, May 2025: metropolitan area estimates Read .
- 3 BLS OEWS, May 2025: national industry-specific and ownership estimates Read .
- 4 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics home
- 5 BLS Employment Projections, National Employment Matrix, 2025-35 Read .
- 6 BLS Employment Projections, occupation tables 1.2, 1.10 and 1.12, 2025-35 Read .
- 7 O*NET OnLine, 13-1023.00 Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products Read .