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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

13-1020 Buyers and Purchasing Agents

This occupation includes the 2018 and 2010 SOC occupations 13-1021 Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products; 13-1022 Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products; and 13-1023 Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products.


National estimates for Buyers and Purchasing Agents
Industry profile for Buyers and Purchasing Agents
Geographic profile for Buyers and Purchasing Agents

National estimates for Buyers and Purchasing Agents:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Buyers and Purchasing Agents:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
419,920 0.7 % $ 34.80 $ 72,370 0.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for Buyers and Purchasing Agents:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 19.14 $ 24.44 $ 32.06 $ 42.60 $ 53.93
Annual Wage (2) $ 39,810 $ 50,840 $ 66,690 $ 88,600 $ 112,170


Industry profile for Buyers and Purchasing Agents:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Buyers and Purchasing Agents are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Buyers and Purchasing Agents, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Buyers and Purchasing Agents:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Management of Companies and Enterprises 41,510 1.71 $ 38.81 $ 80,720
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 36,680 1.76 $ 43.83 $ 91,170
Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) 16,770 1.22 $ 31.71 $ 65,960
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 12,550 0.23 $ 32.93 $ 68,480
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 12,270 2.34 $ 40.65 $ 84,560

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Buyers and Purchasing Agents:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 12,270 2.34 $ 40.65 $ 84,560
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 7,810 1.86 $ 37.73 $ 78,470
Book Stores and News Dealers 1,000 1.78 (8) (8)
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 36,680 1.76 $ 43.83 $ 91,170
Management of Companies and Enterprises 41,510 1.71 $ 38.81 $ 80,720

Top paying industries for Buyers and Purchasing Agents:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil 50 0.37 $ 47.41 $ 98,620
Software Publishers 1,010 0.21 $ 46.24 $ 96,190
Oil and Gas Extraction 1,640 1.32 $ 45.41 $ 94,440
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 36,680 1.76 $ 43.83 $ 91,170
Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities 520 0.06 $ 42.14 $ 87,650


Geographic profile for Buyers and Purchasing Agents:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Buyers and Purchasing Agents are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Buyers and Purchasing Agents, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in Buyers and Purchasing Agents:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 44,210 2.69 0.89 $ 36.78 $ 76,490
Texas 36,490 3.01 1.00 $ 36.54 $ 76,010
New York 27,380 3.15 1.04 $ 38.32 $ 79,700
Florida 23,910 2.83 0.94 $ 31.35 $ 65,200
Virginia 17,450 4.71 1.56 $ 40.10 $ 83,400




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Buyers and Purchasing Agents:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington 15,440 4.83 1.60 $ 37.64 $ 78,280
Virginia 17,450 4.71 1.56 $ 40.10 $ 83,400
Kansas 5,050 3.80 1.26 $ 30.92 $ 64,310
Colorado 9,720 3.77 1.25 $ 34.82 $ 72,410
District of Columbia 2,570 3.74 1.24 $ 50.49 $ 105,020




Top paying states for Buyers and Purchasing Agents:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 2,570 3.74 1.24 $ 50.49 $ 105,020
New Jersey 11,200 2.96 0.98 $ 41.78 $ 86,890
Virginia 17,450 4.71 1.56 $ 40.10 $ 83,400
Maryland 9,370 3.71 1.23 $ 39.64 $ 82,450
New York 27,380 3.15 1.04 $ 38.32 $ 79,700





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Buyers and Purchasing Agents:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 28,760 3.26 1.08 $ 40.77 $ 84,800
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 17,460 3.00 0.99 $ 36.20 $ 75,300
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 14,230 4.71 1.56 $ 45.96 $ 95,600
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 12,330 3.44 1.14 $ 41.01 $ 85,300
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 11,860 6.06 2.01 $ 39.36 $ 81,860
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 11,050 2.53 0.84 $ 34.75 $ 72,280
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 10,310 3.47 1.15 $ 38.06 $ 79,170
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 8,730 3.24 1.07 $ 38.40 $ 79,870
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 8,600 3.26 1.08 $ 35.41 $ 73,640
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 8,200 3.15 1.04 $ 39.26 $ 81,660




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Buyers and Purchasing Agents:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California-Lexington Park, MD 680 14.96 4.96 $ 47.16 $ 98,100
Huntsville, AL 2,540 10.99 3.64 $ 40.66 $ 84,580
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO 2,020 8.17 2.71 $ 46.75 $ 97,240
Warner Robins, GA 520 7.14 2.36 $ 39.83 $ 82,850
Dayton, OH 2,270 6.34 2.10 $ 40.32 $ 83,860
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 11,860 6.06 2.01 $ 39.36 $ 81,860
Midland, TX 590 5.96 1.97 $ 42.83 $ 89,090
Boulder, CO 1,050 5.78 1.91 $ 34.88 $ 72,550
Columbus, IN 270 5.71 1.89 $ 40.17 $ 83,560
Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL 220 5.35 1.77 $ 28.71 $ 59,710




Top paying metropolitan areas for Buyers and Purchasing Agents:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California-Lexington Park, MD 680 14.96 4.96 $ 47.16 $ 98,100
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO 2,020 8.17 2.71 $ 46.75 $ 97,240
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 14,230 4.71 1.56 $ 45.96 $ 95,600
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 3,930 3.56 1.18 $ 45.73 $ 95,120
Midland, TX 590 5.96 1.97 $ 42.83 $ 89,090
Morgantown, WV 190 3.05 1.01 $ 42.28 $ 87,950
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 410 3.07 1.02 $ 41.73 $ 86,790
Trenton, NJ 700 3.03 1.00 $ 41.68 $ 86,700
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 12,330 3.44 1.14 $ 41.01 $ 85,300
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 28,760 3.26 1.08 $ 40.77 $ 84,800

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Buyers and Purchasing Agents:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 1,080 2.84 0.94 $ 26.52 $ 55,160
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 950 3.87 1.28 $ 27.76 $ 57,730
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 760 3.17 1.05 $ 29.02 $ 60,360
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 750 2.40 0.80 $ 29.94 $ 62,270
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 740 4.11 1.36 $ 31.75 $ 66,040

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Buyers and Purchasing Agents:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 460 4.64 1.54 $ 31.48 $ 65,480
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 740 4.11 1.36 $ 31.75 $ 66,040
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 190 4.03 1.34 $ 50.13 $ 104,270
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 950 3.87 1.28 $ 27.76 $ 57,730
East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 450 3.57 1.18 $ 31.26 $ 65,020

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Buyers and Purchasing Agents:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 190 4.03 1.34 $ 50.13 $ 104,270
Southwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 120 1.73 0.57 $ 37.07 $ 77,110
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 450 2.45 0.81 $ 33.80 $ 70,310
Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 260 2.04 0.68 $ 33.77 $ 70,240
Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 330 2.87 0.95 $ 33.59 $ 69,860


About May 2020 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021