How long does procurement and purchasing specialist training take in Alabama?

Most people become a Procurement and Purchasing Specialist in Alabama through a short purchasing or supply-chain course plus workplace experience; most states do not license this role.

Do procurement and purchasing specialists need a license in Alabama?

No statewide license is required for procurement and purchasing specialists in Alabama. See the licensing section above for the credential path.

How to Become a Procurement and Purchasing Specialist in Alabama (2026)

Q: How much do procurement and purchasing specialists earn in Alabama?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), procurement and purchasing specialists in Alabama earned a median annual wage of approximately $74,030. Employment concentration in Alabama is about 1.34 times the national average for this occupation.

Q: What is the job outlook for procurement and purchasing specialists in Alabama?

Alabama currently employs approximately 8,960 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 5.8% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated August 27, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Alabama buyers and purchasing agents earn a median annual wage of $74,030 ($35.59/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 8,960 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately -4.7% below the national median of $77,710 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $74,030 ($35.59/hr)
25th percentile: $57,340 per year
75th percentile: $98,580 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $127,620 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $45,190 per year
Workers employed in Alabama: 8,960
Versus national median: -4.7% below the U.S. median of $77,710
Job concentration: Location quotient 1.34 - this occupation is more concentrated in Alabama than the national average

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Last reviewed August 27, 2026.

Alabama employs about 8,960 procurement and purchasing specialists earning a median $74,030 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Training as a Procurement and Purchasing Specialist here means completing a short purchasing or supply-chain course plus workplace experience; most states do not license this role.

Compare Procurement and Purchasing Specialist Schools in Alabama

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Tuition is the published annual figure for the latest reported year and excludes room, board, books and fees. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition (published, per year)	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Southern Crescent Technical College	54.3	$3,516 in-state / $6,084 out-of-state	$47,009	58%	Yes*	148 mi
2	Atlanta Technical College	47.9	$3,382 in-state / $5,950 out-of-state	$40,964	49%	Yes*	151 mi
3	Herzing University-Birmingham	46.8	$13,450	$58,575	12%	Yes*	46 mi
4	Atlanta Metropolitan State College	32.6	$3,248 in-state / $10,400 out-of-state	$40,965	17%	Yes*	151 mi
5	Interactive College of Technology-Morrow	31.8	$11,210	$34,836	41%	Yes*	151 mi
6	United Education Institute-Morrow	24.7	Contact school for pricing	$34,461	51%	—	151 mi

Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

Alabama employs approximately 8,960 procurement and purchasing specialists according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $74,030 ¹. The state’s concentration of procurement and purchasing specialist jobs is 1.34x the national average, indicating strong demand. Nationally, procurement and purchasing specialist employment is projected to grow 5.8% from 2024 to 2034, with about 52,200 openings per year ². This page covers how to become a Procurement and Purchasing Specialist in Alabama, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Training paths: short purchasing, procurement, or supply-chain course (find programs)
Typical timeline: a short purchasing or supply-chain course plus workplace experience; most states do not license this role
Median wage (Alabama): $74,030 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Procurement and Purchasing Specialist in Alabama

How to become a Procurement and Purchasing Specialist in Alabama? Complete a short purchasing or supply-chain course plus workplace experience; most states do not license this role. Confirm credential rules with the program and employer.

How long does it take? Most people finish a short purchasing or supply-chain course plus workplace experience; most states do not license this role. Confirm current hour totals with the program and employer.

Do I need a license in Alabama? Licensing varies. See the licensing section below for the Alabama path.

What do procurement and purchasing specialists earn in Alabama? The median annual wage for procurement and purchasing specialists in Alabama is $74,030 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $45,190 and experienced professionals can earn $127,620 or more ¹.

How to Become a Procurement and Purchasing Specialist in Alabama

Complete a short purchasing course or train on the job. Finish a procurement or supply-chain certificate, or learn inside a purchasing department. This is not a registered apprenticeship.
Optional purchasing certificates. Industry purchasing certificates can help hiring. They are not a state occupational license.
Most states do not license this role. Do not apply to a licensing board. Contractor licenses are a different credential.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.

Procurement and Purchasing Specialist License Requirements in Alabama

Most states do not license procurement or purchasing managers. The path is a short course or on-the-job training, not a licensing board.

Typical path

Complete a short course or OJT.
Optional purchasing certificates.
Do not apply to a licensing board for this role.

Hour totals, fees, and reciprocity rules change. Confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.

Procurement and Purchasing Specialist Wages by Metro Area in Alabama

Purchasing Managers Wages by Metro Area in Alabama

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), purchasing managers wages in Alabama vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Huntsville	3,260	$103,281	$106,119	$64,139	$156,144
Birmingham	2,010	$72,923	$82,831	$48,836	$127,044
Mobile	820	$77,055	$84,139	$50,263	$128,058
Montgomery	740	$73,413	$79,827	$48,242	$117,623
Columbus	400	$77,590	$84,076	$48,432	$124,326
Tuscaloosa	370	$74,275	$79,376	$47,952	$117,192
Decatur	270	$77,282	$83,127	$46,815	$118,834
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley	240	$65,370	$71,050	$41,840	$103,630
Auburn-Opelika	200	$59,010	$64,640	$37,340	$97,710
Anniston-Oxford	170	$64,300	$67,750	$36,250	$101,080
Florence-Muscle Shoals	160	$62,410	$70,450	$38,470	$110,430
Dothan	150	$59,450	$67,310	$39,990	$115,860
Gadsden	70	$49,920	$57,340	$32,580	$82,080

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for procurement and purchasing specialists in Alabama? Alabama currently employs approximately 8,960 procurement and purchasing specialists ¹. Nationally, procurement and purchasing specialist employment is projected to grow 5.8% from 2024 to 2034 ².

What training programs are available in Alabama? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Alabama.

How much do procurement and purchasing specialists earn in Alabama compared to the national average? The median annual wage for procurement and purchasing specialists in Alabama is $74,030, which is $1,620 below the national median of $75,650 according to BLS data ¹.

In Alabama

Best Trade Schools in Alabama (2026)

Explore More Trades in Alabama

Citations

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)	U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)	O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)