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

Most people become a Procurement and Purchasing Specialist in Alaska 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 Alaska?

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

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

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

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), procurement and purchasing specialists in Alaska earned a median annual wage of approximately $83,460. Employment concentration in Alaska is roughly 0.87 of the national average, meaning fewer workers per capita than the U.S. as a whole.

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

Alaska currently employs approximately 890 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

Alaska employs about 890 procurement and purchasing specialists earning a median $83,460 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.

Alaska employs approximately 890 procurement and purchasing specialists according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $83,460 ¹. 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 Alaska, 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 (Alaska): $83,460 per year ¹

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

How to become a Procurement and Purchasing Specialist in Alaska? 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 Alaska? Licensing varies. See the licensing section below for the Alaska path.

What do procurement and purchasing specialists earn in Alaska? The median annual wage for procurement and purchasing specialists in Alaska is $83,460 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $60,860 and experienced professionals can earn $132,730 or more ¹.

How to Become a Procurement and Purchasing Specialist in Alaska

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 Alaska

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 Alaska

Purchasing Managers Wages by Metro Area in Alaska

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Anchorage	590	$90,487	$96,855	$64,097	$138,911
La Crosse-Onalaska	260	$76,122	$83,812	$51,778	$127,157
Fairbanks-College	130	$79,680	$86,410	$59,220	$131,060

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 Alaska? Alaska currently employs approximately 890 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 Alaska? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Alaska.

How much do procurement and purchasing specialists earn in Alaska compared to the national average? The median annual wage for procurement and purchasing specialists in Alaska is $83,460, which is $7,810 above the national median of $75,650 according to BLS data ¹.

In Alaska

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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)