Vendor Operations Specialist Salary in the United States

How much does a Vendor Operations Specialist make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Vendor Operations Specialist in the United States is $68,455 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $33.

However, a Vendor Operations Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $82,123
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $63,582 to $75,609
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $59,145

Key Factors That Influence Vendor Operations Specialist Salaries

A Vendor Operations Specialist'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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Vendor Operations Specialist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Vendor Operations Specialist'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): $56,034
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $67,929
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $89,644
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $90,704
  • Expert (over 8 years): $110,275
Levels Salary
Vendor Ma... Level Vendor Operations Specialist$56,034
Vendor Op... Level Vendor Operations Specialist$67,929
Vendor Ma... Level Vendor Operations Specialist$89,644
Vendor Ma... Level Vendor Operations Specialist$90,704
Vendor Ma... Level Vendor Operations Specialist$110,275

How Do Vendor Operations Specialist 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 Vendor Operations Specialists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $75,794.
  • California: $75,506.
  • Massachusetts: $74,500.

Top Paying Cities for Vendor Operations Specialists

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: $86,343
  • San Francisco: $85,397
  • Oakland: $83,598

What Skills Can Increase a Vendor Operations Specialist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 12.77% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Customer Satisfaction (Mentioned in 2.13% Job Postings): Customer satisfaction (often abbreviated as CSAT, more correctly CSat) is a term frequently used in marketing. It is a measure of how products and services supplied by a company meet or surpass customer expectation. Customer satisfaction is defined as "the number of customers, or percentage of total customers, whose reported experience with a firm, its products, or its services (ratings) exceeds specified satisfaction goals." The Marketing Accountability Standards Board (MASB) endorses the definitions, purposes, and constructs of classes of measures that appear in Marketing Metrics as part of its ongoing Common Language in Marketing Project. In a survey of nearly 200 senior marketing managers, 71 percent responded that they found a customer satisfaction metric very useful in managing and monitoring their businesses. It is seen as a key performance indicator within business and is often part of a Balanced Scorecard. In a competitive marketplace where businesses compete for customers, customer satisfaction is seen as a key differentiator and increasingly has become a key element of business strategy.
  • Sales and Marketing (Mentioned in 2.13% Job Postings): Marketing consists of the strategies your company employs to generate interest in your business. Sales are the methods by which you convert that interest into a transaction.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 12.77%
Customer Satisfaction 2.13%
Sales and Marketing 2.13%

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 a Vendor Operations Specialist's salary.

  • Inventory Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 24%.
  • Analytical Skills: Can increase your salary by up to 20%.
  • Process Management: Can increase your salary by up to 18%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Inventory Analysis $84,885
24%
Analytical Skills $82,146
20%
Process Management $80,777
18%

Vendor Operations Specialist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Vendor Operations Specialist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 78% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Media sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 40% above the average. In contrast, Vendor Operations Specialist positions in Transportation or MFG Durable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Vendor Operations Specialist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Vendor Operations Specialist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities$95,838$46.040%
Media$92,415$44.035%
Aerospace & Defense$88,992$43.030%
Biotechnology$85,569$41.025%
Chemicals$82,146$39.020%

Vendor Operations Specialist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Vendor Operations Specialist'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
$63,582
Average $68,455/year
$75,609
$5,298
Average $5,705/month
$6,301
$1,223
Average $1,316/week
$1,454
$31
Average $33/hour
$36
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $75,609 $6,301 $1,454 $36
Average $68,455 $5,705 $1,316 $33
25th Percentile $63,582 $5,298 $1,223 $31

Most common benefits for Vendor Operations Specialist

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

Common company salaries for Vendor Operations Specialist

Here are companies hiring for Vendor Operations Specialist and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Vendor Operations Specialist

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Vendor Operations Specialist?

The Energy & Utilities industry offers the highest average compensation for Vendor Operations Specialist roles, with salaries approximately 40% 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.)

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