Purchasing Managers vs Industrial Production Managers
Median pay is about $22k higher for Purchasing Managers. Both usually start with the same education: bachelor's.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Purchasing Managers | Industrial Production Managers |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $148,080, higher | $126,060 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $115,550, higher | $98,160 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $182,270, higher | $161,880 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +4.0% Growing fast, higher | +2.6% Growing |
| Openings a year | 6,400 | 17,000 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Bachelor's | Bachelor's |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.6 / 5 | 2.8 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | High | High |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 71st pct | 54th pct |
Skills
Both lean on the same top skills: active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, writing, monitoring, critical thinking.
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.