Also called: Purchasing Agent, Procurement Specialist
Orders the materials and parts a plant needs at the right price and time.
You check the system, see the plant will run out of a key resin in two weeks and get quotes from three suppliers. You chase a late truck, approve invoices and keep an eye on prices so you can buy before they go up.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in business or supply chain; some move up from production or warehouse jobs.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training, Certification. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Supply Chain Management, Business Administration.
Shrinking (about -1% over 10 years). BLS projects little change.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. AI procurement tools auto-reorder, compare suppliers and draft POs, cutting routine buying jobs.
Classes: Business class, Economics, Statistics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 13-1023.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.