Buyers and Purchasing Agents Salary
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, buyers and purchasing agents earn $104,880 at the median, or about $50.43 an hour. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $163K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $96,326 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 34.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $105K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About buyers and purchasing agents
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What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria sits well above the national pay line for buyers and purchasing agents, local pay runs about 35% higher than the U.S. median of $78K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 35.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for buyers and purchasing agents in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $79K | $81K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $85K | $81K |
| Richmond | $82K | $84K |
| Lexington Park | $112K | $111K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level buyers and purchasing agents (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $105K. Top earners bring in $163K or more, a $103K spread from bottom to top.
Buyers and Purchasing Agents pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Buyers and Purchasing Agents salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $124K | +60% | 1,880 |
| New Jersey | $93K | +20% | 12,180 |
| Maryland | $91K | +17% | 8,900 |
| Virginia | $89K | +15% | 22,120 |
| Rhode Island | $86K | +11% | N/A |
| Massachusetts | $86K | +11% | 12,820 |
| Washington | $85K | +10% | 15,400 |
| Colorado | $84K | +8% | 10,080 |
| Alaska | $83K | +7% | 890 |
| Connecticut | $83K | +7% | 5,530 |
| Delaware | $83K | +7% | 1,400 |
| California | $83K | +6% | 48,010 |
| Minnesota | $80K | +3% | 10,960 |
| New York | $79K | +2% | 31,240 |
| Illinois | $78K | +1% | 19,660 |
| Maine | $78K | -0% | 1,180 |
| New Hampshire | $77K | -1% | 2,580 |
| New Mexico | $77K | -1% | 2,250 |
| Ohio | $76K | -2% | 21,640 |
| North Dakota | $76K | -2% | 880 |
| Texas | $76K | -2% | 44,030 |
| Michigan | $76K | -2% | 16,680 |
| North Carolina | $76K | -2% | 14,290 |
| Arkansas | $76K | -2% | 4,510 |
| West Virginia | $76K | -3% | 1,130 |
| South Carolina | $76K | -3% | 6,150 |
| Arizona | $75K | -3% | 10,870 |
| Oregon | $75K | -3% | 7,090 |
| Nebraska | $75K | -4% | 2,850 |
| Utah | $75K | -4% | 4,090 |
| Georgia | $75K | -4% | 15,710 |
| Hawaii | $74K | -4% | 1,720 |
| Alabama | $74K | -5% | 8,960 |
| South Dakota | $74K | -5% | 1,180 |
| Pennsylvania | $74K | -5% | 17,430 |
| Nevada | $73K | -6% | 2,310 |
| Florida | $73K | -6% | 30,270 |
| Wyoming | $72K | -7% | 570 |
| Oklahoma | $72K | -8% | 4,750 |
| Mississippi | $72K | -8% | 2,240 |
| Wisconsin | $71K | -9% | 9,240 |
| Iowa | $70K | -9% | 4,570 |
| Kansas | $70K | -11% | 6,470 |
| Indiana | $69K | -11% | 10,720 |
| Idaho | $69K | -11% | 1,610 |
| Louisiana | $66K | -15% | 3,440 |
| Missouri | $66K | -16% | 8,070 |
| Tennessee | $65K | -16% | 11,420 |
| Vermont | $65K | -16% | 1,010 |
| Kentucky | $65K | -16% | 5,440 |
| Montana | $63K | -19% | 1,230 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track buyers and purchasing agents salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a buyers and purchasing agent afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $105K, rent takes 35.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,900/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new buyers and purchasing agents typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,586/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Local pay is 35% above the national median — $105K here vs. $78K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 9% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for buyers and purchasing agents?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $105K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s +35%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $96K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do buyers and purchasing agents make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $104,880 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,760, and experienced buyers and purchasing agents can clear $162,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $105K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,341/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 35.4% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (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 $96,326 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.