Purchasing managers and directors: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time purchasing managers and directors in the UK earned a median £58,005 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 49% more than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
That ranks 24th of 382 occupations on this measure.
The middle half of full-time jobs paid between £44,801 and £82,749.
Median full-time pay: women £53,510 a year, men £61,767 a year.
ASHE counts roughly 64,000 employee jobs, 94% full-time.
From £47,110 in 2021, the median is up 23.1%, close to the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 61,700 people in this line of work, 19% of them in South East.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £36,511 | £700.10 | £17.92 | £29,877 | £602.60 | £16.58 |
| 20th percentile | £41,538 | £826.30 | £21.19 | £39,273 | £777.10 | £20.05 |
| 25th percentile | £44,801 | £884.60 | £23.39 | £41,543 | £831.10 | £22.87 |
| 30th percentile | £48,236 | £948.50 | £24.67 | £45,194 | £895.40 | £24.34 |
| 40th percentile | £52,749 | £1,042.20 | £28.04 | £51,088 | £1,016.80 | £27.17 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £58,005 | £1,149.90 | £30.91 | £56,779 | £1,139.60 | £30.19 |
| 60th percentile | £65,031 | £1,276.10 | £34.44 | £62,838 | £1,239.10 | £33.81 |
| 70th percentile | £77,616 | £1,455.30 | £38.15 | £74,424 | £1,407.50 | £37.79 |
| 75th percentile | £82,749 | £1,533.30 | £40.30 | £81,417 | £1,509.80 | £40.00 |
| 80th percentile | £87,150 | £1,637.70 | £42.68 | £86,088 | £1,625.50 | £42.45 |
| Mean | £64,733 | £1,235.00 | £32.47 | £62,148 | £1,192.10 | £32.17 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £47,110 | £905.10 | £23.86 | £46,517 | £890.90 | 66 |
| 2022 revised | £49,645 | £941.70 | £24.91 | £48,869 | £927.50 | 64 |
| 2023 revised | £51,183* | £1,014.10 | £26.81 | £50,021* | £980.90 | 60 |
| 2024 revised | £54,988 | £1,101.20 | £29.16 | £52,933 | £1,056.80 | 64 |
| 2025 provisional | £58,005 | £1,149.90 | £30.91 | £56,779 | £1,139.60 | 64 |
Purchasing managers and directors by region
UK: 61,700 (± 9,600), April 2025 to March 2026. 11 of the 12 regions and nations have samples too small to publish.
| Region or nation | People in employment | 95% confidence interval |
|---|---|---|
| South East | 11,900* | ± 4,300 |
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What purchasing managers and directors do
Purchasing managers and directors (not retail) plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the purchasing functions of industrial, commercial, government organisations and public agencies to ensure cost-effectiveness. (ONS SOC 2020, 1134)
Also covers: bid production manager, director of contracts, head of buying, purchasing manager, buying manager, estimating director, estimating manager, procurement director, procurement manager, purchasing director, sourcing manager, supplier manager, supplies manager, category manager (purchasing), contract manager (purchasing), contracts manager (purchasing), head of procurement and head of purchasing (20 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Determines what goods, services and equipment need to be sourced
- Devises purchasing policies, decides on whether orders should be put out to tender and evaluates suppliers’ bids
- Negotiates prices and contracts with suppliers and draws up contract documents
- Arranges for quality checks of incoming goods and ensures suppliers deliver on time
- Interviews suppliers’ representatives and visits trade fair
- Researches and identifies new products and suppliers
Although not restricted to a particular qualification, entry is most common with a degree or equivalent qualification but is also possible with A levels/H grades, a BTEC/SQA award, S/NVQs at level 3 or above, or an apprenticeship. Off and on-the-job training is provided, and professional qualifications are available. Chartered status may also be achieved.
Related
Functional managers and directors (median £75,264) · Public relations and communications directors · Charitable organisation managers and directors · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026