Purchasing Manager Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Purchasing Managers — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$148,080
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$71.19
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$223,280
entry level starts ~$92,490
Pay Grade
A+
elite pay · 84,000 employed

How much does a Purchasing Manager make?

A Purchasing Manager earns a median annual salary of $148,080 in the United States, which works out to roughly $71.19 per hour for full-time work. Most Purchasing Managers earn between $92,490 at the entry level and $223,280 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $115,550 and $182,270 a year.

That is $86,690 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Purchasing Manager salary range by percentile

Half of all Purchasing Managers earn between $115,550 and $182,270 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$92,490$44.47
25th percentile (early career)$115,550$55.55
50th percentile (median)$148,080$71.19
75th percentile (experienced)$182,270$87.63
90th percentile (top earners)$223,280$107.35

Highest-paying states for Purchasing Manager

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. District of Columbia leads the country for Purchasing Manager pay at $175,720 a year, followed by New Jersey ($174,520) and Colorado ($171,250). At the other end, Louisiana posts the lowest median at $109,630 — a gap of $66,090 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1District of Columbia$175,720$84.48+19%
2New Jersey$174,520$83.90+18%
3Colorado$171,250$82.33+16%
4Massachusetts$170,750$82.09+15%
5New York$166,300$79.95+12%

Workforce and education

About 84,000 people work as Purchasing Managers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $156,360 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Purchasing Manager make in the United States?
The median Purchasing Manager salary in the United States is $148,080 per year, or about $71.19 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $92,490, while the top 10% of earners make $223,280 or more.
How does Purchasing Manager pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of A+ (elite pay), the Purchasing Manager median of $148,080 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Purchasing Managers the most?
District of Columbia is the highest-paying state for Purchasing Managers, with a median salary of $175,720 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become a Purchasing Manager?
Becoming a Purchasing Manager typically requires about 4 years of college. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
How many Purchasing Managers work in the United States?
About 84,000 people were employed as Purchasing Managers in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.