How much does a buyer make?
Answer: A typical buyer in the United States makes $77,710 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 491,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Buyer pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $48,380 | $77,710 | $128,870 | about 491,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $124,090 | about 2,000 |
| New Jersey | $93,250 | about 12,000 |
| Maryland | $90,900 | about 9,000 |
| Virginia | $89,210 | about 22,000 |
| Massachusetts | $85,970 | about 13,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay varies by location and employer industry: government and retail buyers, for example, earn different amounts. Experience can lead to management roles with different pay, and optional procurement or supply-chain certificates show extra skills.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a buyer do?
What's a typical day like?
Buyers check sales and stock records, compare suppliers’ prices, quality, and delivery speed, then negotiate a deal. They place orders, track deliveries, and update purchase records—sometimes visiting a supplier’s factory.
How to get this job
In the U.S., most buyers earn a bachelor’s degree, often in business, finance, or supply chain; some employers hire high-school graduates. There’s no set starting age; new hires train on the job for a few months, and certificates are optional.
Did you know?
Some U.S. buyers shop for crops like grain and cotton, which will be processed or sold again—not just finished products.
Earn more in the same field
Business and Financial Operations jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/OOH/business-and-financial/purchasing-managers-buyers-and-purchasing
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/13-1023.00
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/13-1022.00
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/13-1021.00
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY