Buyers and Purchasing Agents Salary
In Hawaii, buyers and purchasing agents earn $74,240 at the median, or about $35.69 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $120K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.17), so that salary is closer to $67,387 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,240/month, about 46.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Hawaii. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $74K get you in Hawaii?
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What this looks like in Hawaii
Buyers and purchasing agents pay in Hawaii tracks closely to the national median, $74K locally vs. $78K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,240/month, which is 48.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 10% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.17), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hawaii
Entry-level buyers and purchasing agents (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $120K or more, a $72K spread from bottom to top.
Buyers and Purchasing Agents salary by metro in Hawaii
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu | $77K | +3% | 1,330 |
| Kahului-Wailuku | $68K | -8% | 150 |
Compare to other states
Track buyers and purchasing agents salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Hawaii numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a buyers and purchasing agent afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hawaii?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 48.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,240/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for buyers and purchasing agents in Hawaii?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new buyers and purchasing agents typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,875/month. At HUD’s $2,240/month FMR, rent would take 78% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is buyers and purchasing agent a high-paying job in Hawaii?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $74K locally vs. $78K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Hawaii compare to the national average for buyers and purchasing agents?
Hawaii pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — below the national median.
How much do buyers and purchasing agents make in Hawaii?
The median is $74,240 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,920, and experienced buyers and purchasing agents can clear $120,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Hawaii?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,618/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,240/month, which eats 48.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a buyers and purchasing agents salary go in Hawaii?
Hawaii has a Regional Price Parity of 110.17 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median buyers and purchasing agents salary is worth about $67,387 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do buyers and purchasing agents get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.