Headline risk
2%
Very Low RiskPurchasing managers
United States AI Work Index tracks this occupation on the shared structural baseline and then layers on local demand resilience, wages, and confidence.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of buyers, purchasing officers, and related workers involved in purchasing materials, products, and services. Includes wholesale or retail trade merchandising managers and procurement managers.
Task evidence
100% weighted task match · 19% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 139,510
Employment 2024
83.5K
Projected Change (2024–34)
3.1%
Openings (2024–34)
6.4K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Overall employment of purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Develop and implement purchasing and contract management instructions, policies, and procedures. AI use: 0%
- 2. Locate vendors of materials, equipment or supplies, and interview them to determine product availability and terms of sales. AI use: 90%
- 3. Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in buying, selling, and distributing materials, equipment, machinery, and supplies. AI use: 0%
- 4. Control purchasing department budgets. AI use: 0%
- 5. Develop cost reduction strategies and savings plans. AI use: 0%
- 6. Analyze market and delivery systems to assess present and future material availability. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 46.2 · 222K employed
Under 25: 2% · 25–54: 75% · 55+: 23%
Related
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Mapping quality
major_group_fallback · employment series present
Narrative & sources
Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations. Purchasing managers oversee the work of buyers and purchasing agents.
Purchasing managers and buyers and purchasing agents usually work in an office setting. Most work full time. Travel may be required.
Purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents typically need a bachelor’s degree, although some employers hire candidates who have a high school diploma. Purchasing managers also need several years of related work experience.
The median annual wage for buyers and purchasing agents was $75,650 in May 2024.
Overall employment of purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
Published limitations
This page shows the local country layer, not realised individual job outcomes. The global structural baseline is shared across countries; only the local demand and wage layer changes here.
Built from O*NET occupation descriptions, task statements, technology skills, work context, Job Zones, Anthropic task penetration, BLS OEWS wages, BLS projection tables, BLS ORS requirements, BLS OOH narrative content, BLS skills data, and BLS CPS occupation age tables.