Job title · SOC 13-1020

Contract / Procurement Specialist

Also known as: contract specialist, procurement specialist

01

Overview

Not yet collected
74,800
in government (SOC 13-1020)
15%
of this occupation works for government
$89,920
median pay in government
Federal · State · Local
levels of government
How people usually get in Editorial
federal 1102 series: 24 business credit hrs. Requirements vary by employer; each employer page will list its exact rules.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership; GovJobsWiki job taxonomy v1 (research round R240) (editorial). Data captured September 30, 2026.

02

Requirements

Sourced
Typical entry requirements (BLS, SOC 13-1020)
Education needed to enter
Bachelor's degree
Related work experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — education and training assignments by detailed occupation (Tables 5.3, 5.4). Data captured September 30, 2026.

03

How to get hired

Sourced

Purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents typically need a bachelor's degree, although some employers hire candidates who have a high school diploma. Purchasing managers also need several years of related work experience.

From the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile “Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing Agents”, published August 27, 2026 · Read the full profile. National guidance; each employer runs its own hiring process.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–35 edition (XML compilation). Data captured September 30, 2026.

04

Academy and training

Sourced
Training to become competent (BLS)
SOC 13-1020
Moderate-term on-the-job training

Academy length, curriculum and paid-training policies are set by each employer and state; they are part of the employer collection stage.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — education and training assignments by detailed occupation (Tables 5.3, 5.4). Data captured September 30, 2026.

06

Promotion ladder

Editorial

Federal grade and step: federal grade × step (GS/FWS/agency bands: FAA ATC, TSA SV, VA nurse, LEO special rates). Typical structure for a federal general schedule; titles, steps and timing differ by employer.

  1. GS-5/7 entry (Pathways / recent grad)
  2. Career-ladder promotions to full-performance level (GS-9/11/12/13)
  3. GS-14/15 (competitive)
  4. Senior Executive Service
  5. within-grade steps 1–10 (steps 2–4 yearly, 5–7 every 2 yrs, 8–10 every 3 yrs)
  6. special rates: LEO (LEAP 25%), FAA ATC AT-bands, TSA SV bands, VA Nurse I–V

Source: GovJobsWiki job taxonomy v1 (research round R240) (editorial).

07

Pay

Sourced
Federal
$108,160
State
$70,350
Local
$77,950
All government
$89,920
Private sector
$76,440

Median annual wage by employer type, national, May 2025. Federal includes the U.S. Postal Service; state and local include public schools and hospitals.

Employer typeWorkers10th pct.25thMedian75th90th
Federal39,470$63,440$86,200$108,160$128,420$148,700
State13,320$49,610$59,590$70,350$83,760$101,770
Local22,010$49,630$61,920$77,950$96,860$108,430
All government74,800$54,890$67,010$89,920$115,150$136,450
Private sector416,630$47,590$59,930$76,440$98,690$126,980

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.

State government pay plans

Official pay ranges for the job classes that match Contract / Procurement Specialist in 37 state civil-service plans. They cover state employees only, not cities, counties or school districts.

StateJob classes in the state planAnnual range
AlabamaBuyer, Buyer, Senior
2 classes · effective September 1, 2026 · Alabama State Personnel Department
$42,094 – $90,295
ArizonaBuyer 2–4, Procurement Specialist, Procurement Specialist Senior, Procurement Officer, Chief$31,909 – $110,235
ArkansasProcurement Specialist$47,397 – $70,148
ColoradoPurchasing Agent I–VII, Contract Administrator I–VI$46,584 – $170,856
ConnecticutContract Specialist$99,580 – $127,777
FloridaPurchasing Agent I–III, Purchasing Agent III - Ses, Purchasing Specialist, Purchasing Specialist - Ses$34,760 – $111,189
HawaiiPurchasing SPCLT I–VI, Contracts SPCLT, Contracts SPCLT (Med-Quest)$52,416 – $114,912
IdahoBuyer, Buyer Senior, Purchasing Agent
3 classes · effective June 8, 2025 · Idaho Division of Human Resources
$44,200 – $112,840
IllinoisContract Specialist I–III, Buyer
4 classes · effective July 1, 2026 · Illinois Department of Central Management Services
$54,816 – $111,684
IndianaProcurement Specialist$59,800 – $92,690
IowaProcurement Specialist 1–5
5 classes · effective June 19, 2026 · Iowa Department of Administrative Services
$45,718 – $124,883
KentuckyPurchasing Agent I–II
2 classes · effective September 16, 2026 · Kentucky Personnel Cabinet
$44,074 – $51,715
LouisianaProcurement Specialist
1 class · effective March 3, 2025 · Louisiana Department of State Civil Service
$45,968 – $90,210
MaineBuyer II$43,118 – $59,758
MarylandProcurement Officer Trainee, Procurement Officer I–IV
5 classes · effective July 1, 2026 · Maryland Department of Budget and Management (DBM)
$59,305 – $156,822
MassachusettsContract Specialist I–III, Buyer I–IV
10 classes · effective July 12, 2026 · Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Human Resources Division (HRD)
$55,557 – $117,590
MichiganBuyer-E, Buyer Trainee-E, Buyer-A
3 classes · effective October 1, 2025 · Michigan Civil Service Commission
$51,834 – $90,958
MinnesotaBuyer 1–3, Contract Specialist - Const
4 classes · effective July 2, 2026 · Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB)
$50,752 – $90,875
MississippiProcurement Officer I–II
2 classes · effective July 1, 2026 · Mississippi State Personnel Board
$36,624 – $76,465
MissouriProcurement Specialist$41,208 – $86,712
NebraskaProcurement Specialist, Procurement Officer$49,993 – $85,164
NevadaBuyer, Senior Buyer$56,689 – $91,496
New JerseyAssistant Buyer, Buyer, Contract Administrator 1–3, Senior Buyer
9 classes · effective July 11, 2026 · New Jersey Civil Service Commission
$58,222 – $141,386
New MexicoProcurement Specialist$75,775 – $113,663
New YorkPurchasing Agent
1 class · effective April 1, 2026 · New York State Department of Civil Service
$69,964 – $88,970
North CarolinaProcurement Specialist I–III, Contract Specialist I–II
5 classes · effective February 1, 2026 · North Carolina Office of State Human Resources (OSHR)
$41,206 – $106,544
PennsylvaniaPurchasing Agent, Procurement Specialist 1–5, Procurement Specialist, PHIEA
7 classes · effective July 1, 2026 · Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Office of Administration
$46,827 – $145,965
South CarolinaProcurement Specialist I–II$40,086 – $78,540
South DakotaPurchasing Specialist$49,005 – $73,486
TennesseeProcurement Officer 1–3
3 classes · effective September 1, 2026 · Tennessee Department of Human Resources
$43,572 – $91,752
TexasPurchaser I–VII, Contract Specialist I–V
12 classes · effective September 1, 2025 · Texas State Auditor's Office (SAO), State Classification Team
$35,439 – $114,099
UtahPurchasing Agent I–III$42,349 – $87,984
VirginiaProcurement Officer I–III
3 classes · effective July 25, 2026 · Virginia Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM)
$45,739 – $251,443
WashingtonContracts Specialist 1–3$51,600 – $93,288
West VirginiaProcurement Specialist, Buyer, Procurement Specialist, Senior, Buyer, Senior$37,536 – $75,789
WisconsinContracts Specialist, Contracts Specialist-Senior, Procurement Specialist, +5 more$36,234 – $157,893
WyomingAssociate Buyer, Buyer, Purchasing Agent$55,016 – $105,810

Lowest class minimum to highest class maximum. Hourly rates are converted at 2,080 hours a year, and other rates at the plan's pay periods; the plans publish the exact rates. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).

Sources: 37 official state pay plans, linked in each row.

13Derived
16

By state

Sourced

Median annual wage for Buyers and Purchasing Agents (SOC 13-1020) in each state, all employers (BLS state estimates do not separate government from private). Highest first.

StateWorkers10th pct.Median90th pct.
District of Columbia1,880$69,910$124,090$182,310
New Jersey12,180$62,400$93,250$140,730
Maryland8,900$56,310$90,900$148,700
Virginia22,120$51,350$89,210$149,150
Rhode IslandNot published$52,000$86,240$121,760
Massachusetts12,820$49,500$85,970$145,890
Washington15,400$58,260$85,130$137,980
Colorado10,080$54,990$83,590$135,470
Alaska890$60,860$83,460$132,730
Connecticut5,530$51,790$83,030$132,410
Delaware1,400$57,530$82,920$128,040
California48,010$52,690$82,720$134,310
Minnesota10,960$52,680$80,370$125,590
New York31,240$51,820$79,460$132,080
Illinois19,660$50,710$78,470$126,640
Maine1,180$49,620$77,630$126,250
New Hampshire2,580$52,840$77,270$125,500
New Mexico2,250$47,670$76,740$127,820
Ohio21,640$47,560$76,410$120,950
North Dakota880$52,630$76,400$106,070
Texas44,030$47,760$76,050$124,140
Michigan16,680$47,260$75,900$126,330
North Carolina14,290$48,440$75,880$127,860
Arkansas4,510$42,710$75,870$135,830
West Virginia1,130$46,000$75,670$112,400
South Carolina6,150$45,700$75,550$123,340
Arizona10,870$49,790$75,340$117,900
Oregon7,090$44,440$75,050$124,900
Nebraska2,850$47,840$74,950$124,180
Utah4,090$46,850$74,540$121,120
Georgia15,710$48,070$74,530$129,000
Hawaii1,720$47,920$74,240$120,270
Alabama8,960$45,190$74,030$127,620
South Dakota1,180$56,330$73,990$105,110
Pennsylvania17,430$44,470$73,550$121,520
Nevada2,310$50,120$72,990$104,730
Florida30,270$45,970$72,850$122,930
Wyoming570$46,340$72,200$109,650
Mississippi2,240$43,370$71,850$117,960
Oklahoma4,750$45,510$71,850$118,140
Wisconsin9,240$47,530$70,880$102,720
Iowa4,570$46,850$70,360$106,910
Kansas6,470$46,150$69,500$117,810
Indiana10,720$45,810$69,350$108,740
Idaho1,610$47,830$69,240$108,890
Louisiana3,440$45,080$66,340$112,380
Missouri8,070$45,280$65,650$111,070
Tennessee11,420$40,360$65,430$106,190
Vermont1,010$45,230$65,330$166,520
Kentucky5,440$42,600$65,240$105,370
Montana1,230$41,690$62,850$100,420

51 states with published estimates.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Not yet collected

These dimensions are part of every job page. We publish them only once they are sourced from official documents such as job postings, pay plans, union contracts and state standards.

  • 01 Overview
    What the job is; who hires (F/S/L employer types and counts); headcount (OEWS)
    Not yet collected
  • 05 Probation
    Probation length and what ends it
    Not yet collected
  • 08 Schedule
    Shift patterns (24/48, 4/10, 5/8, split), seniority bidding, holidays, mandatory OT
    Not yet collected
  • 09 Benefits and pension
    Pension plan/tier and formula, retirement age/years, DROP, retiree health, Social Security coverage, 457(b), PSLF eligibility
    Not yet collected
  • 10 Union contracts
    Bargaining unit, union, current CBA (source link, effective dates)
    Not yet collected
  • 11 Transfers and lateral entry
    Lateral policy, certification reciprocity, lateral bonus, inter-agency moves
    Not yet collected
  • 12 Day-to-day work
    Sourced description; later: insider contributions (the wiki layer)
    Not yet collected
  • 14 Exam practice
    Named exams → OpenExamPrep practice
    Not yet collected
  • 15 Employer directory
    L4 directory: every employer that hires this job, each with its own facet values
    Not yet collected