National Salary Info » Buyers and Purchasing Agents

Highest Paying Industries for Buyers and Purchasing Agents

The top 100 highest paying industries for buyers and purchasing agents (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $80,140, wireless telecommunications carriers (except satellite) is the highest paying industry for buyers and purchasing agents. It is followed by monetary authorities-central bank industry (average annual salary $80,050). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of buyers and purchasing agents in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Buyers and Purchasing Agents

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite)	$80,140	$51,120	610
2	Monetary Authorities-Central Bank	$80,050	$49,550	70
3	Oil and Gas Extraction	$79,490	$42,230	1,320
4	Wired Telecommunications Carriers	$79,030	$47,950	2,670
5	Federal government, including USPS	$78,760	$50,920	34,240
6	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$78,760	$50,670	33,690
7	Telecommunications	$77,470	$47,360	3,650
8	Natural Gas Distribution	$76,880	$47,330	400
9	Postal Service (federal government)	$75,940	$55,560	550
10	Software Publishers	$75,250	$43,780	830
11	Activities Related to Credit Intermediation	$74,800	$47,390	260
12	Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	$73,560	$46,330	11,640
13	Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil	$73,370	$45,270	70
14	Information	$73,240	$43,680	6,390
15	Specialty hospitals - State government owned	$73,230	$47,410	70
16	Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers	$73,200	$41,500	490
17	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$73,130	$42,860	49,680
18	Federal, State, and Local Government	$73,130	$42,860	49,680
19	Rail Transportation	$72,920	$47,350	230
20	Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage	$72,850	$34,640	250
21	Utilities	$72,390	$45,300	2,960
22	Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	$71,990	$45,270	2,500
23	Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing	$71,070	$44,610	3,250
24	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$69,730	$41,170	58,260
25	Other Information Services	$69,520	$42,110	200
26	Radio and Television Broadcasting	$69,010	$39,380	n/a
27	Pipeline Transportation	$68,920	$40,940	290
28	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$68,740	$42,160	4,510
29	Scientific Research and Development Services	$68,670	$42,100	4,660
30	Motion Picture and Video Industries	$68,630	$39,060	210
31	Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media	$68,280	$44,180	80
32	Publishing Industries (except Internet)	$67,710	$41,300	1,520
33	Insurance Carriers	$67,560	$41,710	1,980
34	Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing	$67,530	$41,670	200
35	Engineering Services	$67,340	$41,820	5,440
36	Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers	$67,280	$41,510	870
37	Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$67,110	$38,020	6,090
38	Television Broadcasting	$66,910	$37,700	n/a
39	Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities	$66,680	$40,400	150
40	Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing	$66,530	$40,940	550
41	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$66,500	$40,760	19,500
42	Metal Ore Mining	$66,420	$49,840	210
43	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$66,140	$40,550	6,300
44	Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services	$66,070	$42,820	n/a
45	Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing	$65,710	$39,650	720
46	Waste Treatment and Disposal	$65,420	$42,570	220
47	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	$65,340	$40,320	6,840
48	Couriers and Express Delivery Services	$65,140	$50,100	130
49	Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas	$65,130	$38,920	200
50	Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction	$65,120	$39,010	360
51	Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries	$65,000	$38,960	250
52	Insurance Carriers and Related Activities	$64,820	$40,400	2,470
53	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	$64,720	$40,330	16,660
54	Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities	$64,620	$29,290	590
55	Other Telecommunications	$64,510	$40,940	330
56	Telephone Call Centers	$64,480	$35,820	340
57	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$64,410	$39,010	5,950
58	Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing	$64,220	$42,290	1,140
59	Finance and Insurance	$64,140	$37,650	5,340
60	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$63,850	$38,330	29,940
61	Broadcasting (except Internet)	$63,850	$40,900	n/a
62	Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	$63,850	$36,410	2,210
63	Waste Management and Remediation Services	$63,480	$39,950	470
64	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - State government owned	$63,450	$37,640	630
65	Logging	$63,290	$34,950	80
66	Forestry and Logging	$63,290	$34,950	80
67	Scheduled Air Transportation	$63,260	$36,800	810
68	Spectator Sports	$63,240	$33,210	110
69	Utility System Construction	$63,220	$37,330	880
70	Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing	$63,080	$40,050	280
71	Support Activities for Water Transportation	$63,040	$40,580	120
72	Painting and Wall Covering Contractors	$63,020	$38,790	100
73	Communications Equipment Manufacturing	$62,910	$39,760	1,370
74	Basic Chemical Manufacturing	$62,910	$39,230	1,110
75	Remediation and Other Waste Management Services	$62,820	$39,130	200
76	Depository Credit Intermediation	$62,760	$40,140	900
77	Credit Intermediation and Related Activities	$62,760	$36,600	2,190
78	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$62,240	$38,450	39,090
79	Motor Vehicle Manufacturing	$62,120	$42,250	530
80	Air Transportation	$62,040	$36,380	930
81	Hospitals - State government owned	$61,940	$37,500	780
82	Mining (except Oil and Gas)	$61,940	$39,340	620
83	Cable and Other Subscription Programming	$61,900	$41,640	110
84	Chemical Manufacturing	$61,760	$37,680	6,020
85	Department Stores	$61,670	$40,880	740
86	Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$61,470	$35,230	240
87	Couriers and Messengers	$61,440	$42,050	170
88	Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing	$61,350	$36,270	1,830
89	Grantmaking and Giving Services	$61,330	$31,520	110
90	Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills	$61,270	$36,490	580
91	Nonresidential Building Construction	$61,220	$38,930	1,660
92	Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers	$61,140	$30,210	2,020
93	Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing	$61,140	$38,200	1,400
94	Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works)	$61,130	$36,270	90
95	Activities Related to Real Estate	$60,900	$32,570	100
96	Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing	$60,730	$34,710	510
97	Ship and Boat Building	$60,620	$38,060	1,380
98	Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers	$60,460	$40,030	690
99	Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing	$60,460	$37,690	4,850
100	Nondepository Credit Intermediation	$60,390	$33,110	1,030