Assistant Purchasing Agent Salary in the United States

How much does an Assistant Purchasing Agent make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Assistant Purchasing Agent in the United States is $66,563 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $32.

However, an Assistant Purchasing Agent's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $82,993
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $56,572 to $75,163
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $47,475

Key Factors That Influence Assistant Purchasing Agent Salaries

An Assistant Purchasing Agent's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Assistant Purchasing Agent Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Assistant Purchasing Agent's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $53,358
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $61,255
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $68,645
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $87,558
  • Expert (over 8 years): $100,104
Levels Salary
Purchasin... Level Assistant Purchasing Agent$53,358
Purchasin... Level Assistant Purchasing Agent$61,255
Assistant... Level Assistant Purchasing Agent$68,645
Purchasin... Level Assistant Purchasing Agent$87,558
Purchasin... Level Assistant Purchasing Agent$100,104

How Do Assistant Purchasing Agent Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Assistant Purchasing Agents. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $73,699.
  • California: $73,419.
  • Massachusetts: $72,441.

Top Paying Cities for Assistant Purchasing Agents

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $83,956
  • San Francisco: $83,037
  • Oakland: $81,287

What Skills Can Increase an Assistant Purchasing Agent's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 3.08% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Logistics (Mentioned in 1.42% Job Postings): In a general business sense, logistics is the management of the flow of things between the point of origin and the point of consumption to meet the requirements of customers or corporations.
  • MRP (Mentioned in 0.83% Job Postings): A system for calculating the materials and components needed to manufacture a product. Production planning, scheduling, and inventory control system used to manage manufacturing processes.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 3.08%
Logistics 1.42%
MRP 0.83%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Assistant Purchasing Agent's salary.

  • Strategic Sourcing: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Strategic Sourcing $75,882
14%
Leadership $73,885
11%
Project Management $73,220
10%

Assistant Purchasing Agent Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Assistant Purchasing Agent roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 53% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Financial Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Assistant Purchasing Agent positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Assistant Purchasing Agent as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Assistant Purchasing Agent

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals$86,532$42.030%
Financial Services$79,876$38.020%
Biotechnology$76,548$37.015%
Energy & Utilities$76,548$37.015%
Software & Networking$75,216$36.013%

How Education impacts an Assistant Purchasing Agent's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Assistant Purchasing Agents enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Assistant Purchasing Agent with a Bachelor's Degree is between $65,181 and $69,764).

Assistant Purchasing Agent Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Assistant Purchasing Agent
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.0%
High School 32.4%
Associates 15.6%
Bachelors 42.0%
Masters 8.8%
Doctorate 0.2%

Assistant Purchasing Agent Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Assistant Purchasing Agent's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$56,572
Average $66,563/year
$75,163
$4,714
Average $5,547/month
$6,264
$1,088
Average $1,280/week
$1,445
$27
Average $32/hour
$36
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $75,163 $6,264 $1,445 $36
Average $66,563 $5,547 $1,280 $32
25th Percentile $56,572 $4,714 $1,088 $27

Most common benefits for Assistant Purchasing Agent

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Assistant Purchasing Agent

Here are companies hiring for Assistant Purchasing Agent and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Assistant Purchasing Agent Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Assistant Purchasing Agent job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Assistant Purchasing Agent

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Assistant Purchasing Agent?

The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for Assistant Purchasing Agent roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst