Buyers and Purchasing Agents Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for buyers and purchasing agents is $77,710, or $37.36 per hour. About 491,430 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $124,090 in District of Columbia to $62,850 in Montana.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $124,090 | $59.66 | 1,880 | 0.85 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $93,250 | $44.83 | 12,180 | 0.90 |
| 3 | Maryland | $90,900 | $43.70 | 8,900 | 1.02 |
| 4 | Virginia | $89,210 | $42.89 | 22,120 | 1.70 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $86,240 | $41.46 | — | — |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $85,970 | $41.33 | 12,820 | 1.12 |
| 7 | Washington | $85,130 | $40.93 | 15,400 | 1.37 |
| 8 | Colorado | $83,590 | $40.19 | 10,080 | 1.11 |
| 9 | Alaska | $83,460 | $40.13 | 890 | 0.87 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $83,030 | $39.92 | 5,530 | 1.03 |
| 11 | Delaware | $82,920 | $39.86 | 1,400 | 0.91 |
| 12 | California | $82,720 | $39.77 | 48,010 | 0.83 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $80,370 | $38.64 | 10,960 | 1.18 |
| 14 | New York | $79,460 | $38.20 | 31,240 | 1.02 |
| 15 | Illinois | $78,470 | $37.73 | 19,660 | 1.02 |
| 16 | Maine | $77,630 | $37.32 | 1,180 | 0.58 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $77,270 | $37.15 | 2,580 | 1.19 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $76,740 | $36.90 | 2,250 | 0.82 |
| 19 | Ohio | $76,410 | $36.74 | 21,640 | 1.23 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $76,400 | $36.73 | 880 | 0.65 |
| 21 | Texas | $76,050 | $36.56 | 44,030 | 0.99 |
| 22 | Michigan | $75,900 | $36.49 | 16,680 | 1.20 |
| 23 | North Carolina | $75,880 | $36.48 | 14,290 | 0.92 |
| 24 | Arkansas | $75,870 | $36.48 | 4,510 | 1.09 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $75,670 | $36.38 | 1,130 | 0.51 |
| 26 | South Carolina | $75,550 | $36.32 | 6,150 | 0.84 |
| 27 | Arizona | $75,340 | $36.22 | 10,870 | 1.06 |
| 28 | Oregon | $75,050 | $36.08 | 7,090 | 1.14 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $74,950 | $36.03 | 2,850 | 0.88 |
| 30 | Utah | $74,540 | $35.84 | 4,090 | 0.75 |
| 31 | Georgia | $74,530 | $35.83 | 15,710 | 1.02 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $74,240 | $35.69 | 1,720 | 0.87 |
| 33 | Alabama | $74,030 | $35.59 | 8,960 | 1.34 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $73,990 | $35.57 | 1,180 | 0.81 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $73,550 | $35.36 | 17,430 | 0.91 |
| 36 | Nevada | $72,990 | $35.09 | 2,310 | 0.47 |
| 37 | Florida | $72,850 | $35.02 | 30,270 | 0.96 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $72,200 | $34.71 | 570 | 0.64 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $71,850 | $34.54 | 4,750 | 0.88 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $71,850 | $34.54 | 2,240 | 0.61 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $70,880 | $34.08 | 9,240 | 0.99 |
| 42 | Iowa | $70,360 | $33.83 | 4,570 | 0.93 |
| 43 | Kansas | $69,500 | $33.41 | 6,470 | 1.42 |
| 44 | Indiana | $69,350 | $33.34 | 10,720 | 1.06 |
| 45 | Idaho | $69,240 | $33.29 | 1,610 | 0.60 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $66,340 | $31.90 | 3,440 | 0.56 |
| 47 | Missouri | $65,650 | $31.56 | 8,070 | 0.87 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $65,430 | $31.46 | 11,420 | 1.10 |
| 49 | Vermont | $65,330 | $31.41 | 1,010 | 1.05 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $65,240 | $31.36 | 5,440 | 0.86 |
| 51 | Montana | $62,850 | $30.22 | 1,230 | 0.76 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do buyers and purchasing agents make?
The median annual wage for buyers and purchasing agents in the United States is $77,710, or $37.36 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $48,380, and the top 10% earn $128,870.
How many buyers and purchasing agents are employed in the U.S.?
About 491,430 people work as buyers and purchasing agents nationwide.
Which state pays buyers and purchasing agents the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $124,090, followed by New Jersey ($93,250) and Maryland ($90,900).
Which state pays buyers and purchasing agents the least?
Montana has the lowest median at $62,850.
Where are buyers and purchasing agents jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Virginia at 1.70×.