Pay, demand and where to work, from BLS data with the year on every table.
low → high: location quotient
Click a state. States: Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · District of Columbia · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Buyers and purchasing agents (SOC 13-1020) employed 491,430 people in May 2025. The median pay is $77,710 a year ($37.36 an hour); the lowest-paid 10% earn under $48,380 and the highest-paid 10% more than $128,870. BLS projects its employment to change by +6.0% between 2025 and 2035 (about 47,200 openings a year including replacements). The typical way in: Bachelor's degree.
Highest median pay: District of Columbia ($124,090), New Jersey ($93,250), Maryland ($90,900). Most jobs: California (48,010), Texas (44,030), New York (31,240).
| Measure ⇅ | Annual ⇅ | Hourly equivalent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $48,380 | $23.26 |
| 25th percentile | $60,800 | $29.23 |
| Median | $77,710 | $37.36 |
| Mean | $83,770 | $40.27 |
| 75th percentile | $100,820 | $48.47 |
| 90th percentile (experienced) | $128,870 | $61.96 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
Hourly equivalents divide by 2,080 hours. Pay above $239,200 is shown as "≥ $239,200" (BLS top code).
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Jobs 2025 | 516,100 |
| Jobs 2035 (projected) | 547,000 |
| Change in jobs | 30,800 |
| Percent change | +6.0% |
| Openings a year (growth + replacements) | 47,200 |
| Self-employed share | 3.4% |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
Licences and certifications are set by states and employers; the education shown is the usual entry requirement, not a legal one.
| State ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ | Yearly rent as % of median pay ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 8,960 | 1.34 | $74,030 | $45,190 | $127,620 | -5% | 17% |
| Alaska | 890 | 0.87 | $83,460 | $60,860 | $132,730 | +7% | 21% |
| Arizona | 10,870 | 1.06 | $75,340 | $49,790 | $117,900 | -3% | 27% |
| Arkansas | 4,510 | 1.09 | $75,870 | $42,710 | $135,830 | -2% | 16% |
| California | 48,010 | 0.83 | $82,720 | $52,690 | $134,310 | +6% | 31% |
| Colorado | 10,080 | 1.11 | $83,590 | $54,990 | $135,470 | +8% | 26% |
| Connecticut | 5,530 | 1.03 | $83,030 | $51,790 | $132,410 | +7% | 22% |
| Delaware | 1,400 | 0.91 | $82,920 | $57,530 | $128,040 | +7% | 22% |
| District of Columbia | 1,880 | 0.85 | $124,090 | $69,910 | $182,310 | +60% | 19% |
| Florida | 30,270 | 0.96 | $72,850 | $45,970 | $122,930 | -6% | 30% |
| Georgia | 15,710 | 1.02 | $74,530 | $48,070 | $129,000 | -4% | 24% |
| Hawaii | 1,720 | 0.87 | $74,240 | $47,920 | $120,270 | -4% | 31% |
| Idaho | 1,610 | 0.60 | $69,240 | $47,830 | $108,890 | -11% | 24% |
| Illinois | 19,660 | 1.02 | $78,470 | $50,710 | $126,640 | +1% | 20% |
| Indiana | 10,720 | 1.06 | $69,350 | $45,810 | $108,740 | -11% | 19% |
| Iowa | 4,570 | 0.93 | $70,360 | $46,850 | $106,910 | -9% | 17% |
| Kansas | 6,470 | 1.42 | $69,500 | $46,150 | $117,810 | -11% | 19% |
| Kentucky | 5,440 | 0.86 | $65,240 | $42,600 | $105,370 | -16% | 18% |
| Louisiana | 3,440 | 0.56 | $66,340 | $45,080 | $112,380 | -15% | 19% |
| Maine | 1,180 | 0.58 | $77,630 | $49,620 | $126,250 | -0% | 19% |
| Maryland | 8,900 | 1.02 | $90,900 | $56,310 | $148,700 | +17% | 23% |
| Massachusetts | 12,820 | 1.12 | $85,970 | $49,500 | $145,890 | +11% | 26% |
| Michigan | 16,680 | 1.20 | $75,900 | $47,260 | $126,330 | -2% | 18% |
| Minnesota | 10,960 | 1.18 | $80,370 | $52,680 | $125,590 | +3% | 19% |
| Mississippi | 2,240 | 0.61 | $71,850 | $43,370 | $117,960 | -8% | 17% |
| Missouri | 8,070 | 0.87 | $65,650 | $45,280 | $111,070 | -16% | 20% |
| Montana | 1,230 | 0.76 | $62,850 | $41,690 | $100,420 | -19% | 22% |
| Nebraska | 2,850 | 0.88 | $74,950 | $47,840 | $124,180 | -4% | 18% |
| Nevada | 2,310 | 0.47 | $72,990 | $50,120 | $104,730 | -6% | 28% |
| New Hampshire | 2,580 | 1.19 | $77,270 | $52,840 | $125,500 | -1% | 24% |
| New Jersey | 12,180 | 0.90 | $93,250 | $62,400 | $140,730 | +20% | 23% |
| New Mexico | 2,250 | 0.82 | $76,740 | $47,670 | $127,820 | -1% | 17% |
| New York | 31,240 | 1.02 | $79,460 | $51,820 | $132,080 | +2% | 25% |
| North Carolina | 14,290 | 0.92 | $75,880 | $48,440 | $127,860 | -2% | 21% |
| North Dakota | 880 | 0.65 | $76,400 | $52,630 | $106,070 | -2% | 15% |
| Ohio | 21,640 | 1.23 | $76,410 | $47,560 | $120,950 | -2% | 17% |
| Oklahoma | 4,750 | 0.88 | $71,850 | $45,510 | $118,140 | -8% | 17% |
| Oregon | 7,090 | 1.14 | $75,050 | $44,440 | $124,900 | -3% | 26% |
| Pennsylvania | 17,430 | 0.91 | $73,550 | $44,470 | $121,520 | -5% | 20% |
| South Carolina | 6,150 | 0.84 | $75,550 | $45,700 | $123,340 | -3% | 20% |
| South Dakota | 1,180 | 0.81 | $73,990 | $56,330 | $105,110 | -5% | 16% |
| Tennessee | 11,420 | 1.10 | $65,430 | $40,360 | $106,190 | -16% | 24% |
| Texas | 44,030 | 0.99 | $76,050 | $47,760 | $124,140 | -2% | 23% |
| Utah | 4,090 | 0.75 | $74,540 | $46,850 | $121,120 | -4% | 26% |
| Vermont | 1,010 | 1.05 | $65,330 | $45,230 | $166,520 | -16% | 24% |
| Virginia | 22,120 | 1.70 | $89,210 | $51,350 | $149,150 | +15% | 22% |
| Washington | 15,400 | 1.37 | $85,130 | $58,260 | $137,980 | +10% | 26% |
| West Virginia | 1,130 | 0.51 | $75,670 | $46,000 | $112,400 | -3% | 14% |
| Wisconsin | 9,240 | 0.99 | $70,880 | $47,530 | $102,720 | -9% | 19% |
| Wyoming | 570 | 0.64 | $72,200 | $46,340 | $109,650 | -7% | 17% |
Location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in the state than in the nation. "n/a" means BLS suppressed the figure. Rent uses the state median gross rent (ACS).
The 60 highest-paying metropolitan areas among those with at least 300 jobs in this occupation.
| Metropolitan area ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington Park, MD | 730 | $111,530 | $68,720 | $168,210 | 3.28 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 14,240 | $104,880 | $59,760 | $162,890 | 1.44 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 3,380 | $101,500 | $66,040 | $167,510 | 0.94 |
| Warner Robins, GA | 580 | $100,120 | $61,110 | $130,540 | 2.43 |
| Peoria, IL | 720 | $96,880 | $50,810 | $164,100 | 1.38 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 9,960 | $95,970 | $61,450 | $138,430 | 1.51 |
| Huntsville, AL | 2,740 | $94,990 | $57,700 | $149,070 | 3.26 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 520 | $94,790 | $56,580 | $135,350 | 1.26 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | 2,850 | $94,520 | $52,120 | $142,480 | 2.42 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | 1,240 | $94,280 | $57,480 | $142,290 | 0.97 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 6,300 | $93,600 | $59,320 | $151,440 | 0.84 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 750 | $93,060 | $64,680 | $131,470 | 0.99 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 10,090 | $93,010 | $53,080 | $153,340 | 1.18 |
| Ogden, UT | 1,030 | $89,630 | $52,040 | $133,470 | 1.20 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | 670 | $89,170 | $49,820 | $136,990 | 1.70 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 6,160 | $87,920 | $60,160 | $136,740 | 1.21 |
| Anchorage, AK | 510 | $86,380 | $61,290 | $134,640 | 0.92 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 1,320 | $84,730 | $52,000 | $126,120 | 2.32 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 4,360 | $84,590 | $53,740 | $140,670 | 1.02 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 2,410 | $84,590 | $50,940 | $121,760 | 1.07 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 1,200 | $84,370 | $49,190 | $140,610 | 1.20 |
| Boulder, CO | 770 | $83,480 | $56,150 | $138,770 | 1.27 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 1,160 | $83,360 | $47,350 | $130,750 | 1.50 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 29,360 | $83,350 | $55,780 | $136,590 | 0.98 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 440 | $83,100 | $57,260 | $134,790 | 1.50 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 4,710 | $83,090 | $54,200 | $134,150 | 0.97 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 2,020 | $83,030 | $50,180 | $132,410 | 1.07 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 8,090 | $82,710 | $57,010 | $128,180 | 1.31 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 18,270 | $82,500 | $51,540 | $129,750 | 0.92 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | 610 | $82,460 | $53,390 | $128,160 | 0.67 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | 550 | $82,450 | $57,740 | $132,590 | 1.39 |
| Richmond, VA | 4,000 | $82,370 | $51,860 | $128,700 | 1.92 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 1,300 | $82,240 | $49,440 | $135,180 | 1.04 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 490 | $82,040 | $53,290 | $128,070 | 0.77 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 9,170 | $81,470 | $52,030 | $131,600 | 1.00 |
| Salinas, CA | 350 | $80,500 | $51,010 | $127,490 | 0.59 |
| Vallejo, CA | 330 | $80,490 | $54,630 | $130,930 | 0.73 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 670 | $80,450 | $57,230 | $112,090 | 1.63 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 8,140 | $80,300 | $50,020 | $131,730 | 1.35 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 1,250 | $80,290 | $48,490 | $133,740 | 0.98 |
| New Haven, CT | 800 | $80,290 | $52,610 | $124,180 | 0.90 |
| Salem, OR | 730 | $80,220 | $43,680 | $112,580 | 1.23 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 670 | $80,120 | $50,120 | $136,170 | 0.62 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 2,250 | $80,090 | $52,090 | $130,920 | 0.66 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 520 | $79,800 | $48,880 | $132,060 | 0.96 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 460 | $79,700 | $54,600 | $119,140 | 0.71 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 1,220 | $79,620 | $55,870 | $131,830 | 1.12 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 3,780 | $79,550 | $47,650 | $125,720 | 1.06 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | 950 | $79,500 | $49,430 | $134,780 | 1.37 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 14,160 | $79,420 | $50,780 | $127,250 | 1.11 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 1,060 | $79,390 | $51,780 | $132,650 | 1.04 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 4,390 | $79,380 | $50,120 | $124,760 | 1.82 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | 860 | $79,120 | $52,890 | $130,210 | 1.37 |
| Springfield, MA | 620 | $79,040 | $46,660 | $124,260 | 0.98 |
| Modesto, CA | 410 | $78,970 | $51,470 | $124,570 | 0.67 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | 520 | $78,770 | $50,750 | $119,430 | 1.05 |
| Worcester, MA | 1,090 | $78,690 | $48,790 | $129,230 | 0.98 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 14,260 | $78,510 | $50,940 | $127,200 | 1.00 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 4,920 | $78,380 | $47,990 | $132,880 | 1.29 |
| Greeley, CO | 410 | $78,150 | $47,220 | $133,160 | 1.09 |
The median is $77,710 a year ($37.36 an hour); the lowest-paid tenth earn under $48,380 and the highest-paid tenth over $128,870 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
491,430 in May 2025, and BLS projects +6.0% growth to 2035.
The typical entry education is: Bachelor's degree (BLS).
District of Columbia, with a median of $124,090 (among states with published figures).