Buyers and Purchasing Agents Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for buyers and purchasing agentss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $83,770 ≈ $40/hr
National median salary $77,710
Total employment 491,430 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +5.8%
Faster than average
Annual openings 52,200 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 522,200 → 552,300 (+30,100)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$122,620
- New Jersey$97,390
- Maryland$97,050
- Virginia$95,090
- Massachusetts$94,180
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $122,620 | $124,090 | $59 | +46.4% | 1,880 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $97,390 | $93,250 | $47 | +16.3% | 12,180 |
| 3 | Maryland | $97,050 | $90,900 | $47 | +15.9% | 8,900 |
| 4 | Virginia | $95,090 | $89,210 | $46 | +13.5% | 22,120 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $94,180 | $85,970 | $45 | +12.4% | 12,820 |
| 6 | Washington | $92,620 | $85,130 | $45 | +10.6% | 15,400 |
| 7 | Colorado | $91,410 | $83,590 | $44 | +9.1% | 10,080 |
| 8 | Alaska | $91,040 | $83,460 | $44 | +8.7% | 890 |
| 9 | California | $90,900 | $82,720 | $44 | +8.5% | 48,010 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $89,370 | $83,030 | $43 | +6.7% | 5,530 |
| 11 | Delaware | $87,860 | $82,920 | $42 | +4.9% | 1,400 |
| 12 | New York | $87,150 | $79,460 | $42 | +4% | 31,240 |
| 13 | Arkansas | $86,180 | $75,870 | $41 | +2.9% | 4,510 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $84,820 | $86,240 | $41 | +1.3% | — |
| 15 | Minnesota | $84,710 | $80,370 | $41 | +1.1% | 10,960 |
| 16 | New Mexico | $83,950 | $76,740 | $40 | +0.2% | 2,250 |
| 17 | Illinois | $83,220 | $78,470 | $40 | -0.7% | 19,660 |
| 18 | Georgia | $82,840 | $74,530 | $40 | -1.1% | 15,710 |
| 19 | Maine | $82,410 | $77,630 | $40 | -1.6% | 1,180 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $82,170 | $75,880 | $40 | -1.9% | 14,290 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $81,820 | $77,270 | $39 | -2.3% | 2,580 |
| 22 | Vermont | $81,780 | $65,330 | $39 | -2.4% | 1,010 |
| 23 | South Carolina | $81,310 | $75,550 | $39 | -2.9% | 6,150 |
| 24 | Texas | $80,830 | $76,050 | $39 | -3.5% | 44,030 |
| 25 | Michigan | $80,810 | $75,900 | $39 | -3.5% | 16,680 |
| 26 | Alabama | $80,360 | $74,030 | $39 | -4.1% | 8,960 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $80,290 | $74,950 | $39 | -4.2% | 2,850 |
| 28 | Oregon | $80,140 | $75,050 | $39 | -4.3% | 7,090 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $80,050 | $74,240 | $38 | -4.4% | 1,720 |
| 30 | Ohio | $79,920 | $76,410 | $38 | -4.6% | 21,640 |
| 31 | Arizona | $79,830 | $75,340 | $38 | -4.7% | 10,870 |
| 32 | Utah | $78,730 | $74,540 | $38 | -6% | 4,090 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $78,690 | $73,990 | $38 | -6.1% | 1,180 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $78,100 | $73,550 | $38 | -6.8% | 17,430 |
| 35 | Florida | $78,050 | $72,850 | $38 | -6.8% | 30,270 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $77,900 | $76,400 | $37 | -7% | 880 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $77,740 | $75,670 | $37 | -7.2% | 1,130 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $77,290 | $71,850 | $37 | -7.7% | 4,750 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $76,670 | $71,850 | $37 | -8.5% | 2,240 |
| 40 | Nevada | $75,600 | $72,990 | $36 | -9.8% | 2,310 |
| 41 | Kansas | $75,500 | $69,500 | $36 | -9.9% | 6,470 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $75,140 | $72,200 | $36 | -10.3% | 570 |
| 43 | Indiana | $75,080 | $69,350 | $36 | -10.4% | 10,720 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $74,850 | $66,340 | $36 | -10.6% | 3,440 |
| 45 | Idaho | $74,720 | $69,240 | $36 | -10.8% | 1,610 |
| 46 | Wisconsin | $74,450 | $70,880 | $36 | -11.1% | 9,240 |
| 47 | Iowa | $74,190 | $70,360 | $36 | -11.4% | 4,570 |
| 48 | Missouri | $73,600 | $65,650 | $35 | -12.1% | 8,070 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $71,190 | $65,430 | $34 | -15% | 11,420 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $70,810 | $65,240 | $34 | -15.5% | 5,440 |
| 51 | Montana | $67,550 | $62,850 | $32 | -19.4% | 1,230 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 520 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lexington Park, MD | $111,530 | $114,770 | 730 |
| 2 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $104,880 | $109,790 | 14,240 |
| 3 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $101,500 | $111,320 | 3,380 |
| 4 | Warner Robins, GA | $100,120 | $99,650 | 580 |
| 5 | Peoria, IL | $96,880 | $96,540 | 720 |
| 6 | Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $96,510 | $103,070 | 270 |
| 7 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $95,970 | $97,900 | 9,960 |
| 8 | Huntsville, AL | $94,990 | $98,080 | 2,740 |
| 9 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $94,790 | $94,080 | 520 |
| 10 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $94,520 | $95,900 | 2,850 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do buyers and purchasing agents make in the U.S.?
The median buyers and purchasing agents salary in the United States is $77,710 per year (mean $83,770), and about 80% earn between $48,380 and $128,870.
How much do buyers and purchasing agents make per hour?
Roughly $40 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $83,770 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays buyers and purchasing agents the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for buyers and purchasing agents at $122,620 per year (median $124,090).
What is the job outlook for buyers and purchasing agents?
Employment is projected to change +5.8% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 52,200 openings per year.