How long does procurement and purchasing specialist training take in District of Columbia?

Most paths into the procurement and purchasing specialist field take 1 to 5 years, depending on whether you complete a trade school program, a registered apprenticeship, or a combination of both.

What apprenticeships are available for procurement and purchasing specialists in District of Columbia?

In District of Columbia, registered apprenticeships are administered through the Department of Employment Services, which works with employers and trade union locals to register programs. See the apprenticeship section above for office contact details.

How to Become a Procurement and Purchasing Specialist in District of Columbia (2026)

Q: How much do procurement and purchasing specialists earn in District of Columbia?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), procurement and purchasing specialists in District of Columbia earned a median annual wage of approximately $124,090. Employment concentration in District of Columbia is roughly 0.85 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 District of Columbia?

District of Columbia currently employs approximately 1,880 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

District of Columbia employs about 1,880 procurement and purchasing specialists earning a median $124,090 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most procurement and purchasing specialists train through a trade school program or a registered apprenticeship before entering the field in District of Columbia.

Key Facts

Median wage (District of Columbia): $124,090/yr (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Employed in District of Columbia: 1,880 workers (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Location quotient: 0.85x U.S. average (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Projected growth: 5.8% (2024-2034) (Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024)

Compare Procurement and Purchasing Specialist Schools in District of Columbia

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. 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	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	University of the Potomac-Washington DC Campus	70.3	$6,660	$107,963	39%	Yes*	1 mi
2	University of the District of Columbia	57.2	Contact school for pricing	$66,946	Not reported	Yes*	4 mi
3	Career Technical Institute	Not rated	Contact school for pricing	$35,827	63%	Yes*	1 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.

District of Columbia employs approximately 1,880 procurement and purchasing specialists according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $124,090 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 District of Columbia, including requirements, training programs, and salary data.

Procurement and Purchasing Specialist Wages by Metro Area in District of Columbia

Purchasing Managers Wages by Metro Area in District of Columbia

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria	18,420	$120,145	$125,040	$76,355	$175,348

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 .

At a Glance

Training paths: trade school, community college, or apprenticeship
Typical timeline: 1 to 5 years depending on the path
Median wage (District of Columbia): $124,090 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Procurement and Purchasing Specialist in District of Columbia

How to become a procurement and purchasing specialist in District of Columbia? Complete a training program or apprenticeship, gain work experience, and meet any state or employer requirements for procurement and purchasing specialists in District of Columbia.

How long does it take? Most paths take 1 to 5 years depending on whether you choose trade school, an apprenticeship, or a combination of both.

What do procurement and purchasing specialists earn in District of Columbia? The median annual wage for procurement and purchasing specialists in District of Columbia is $124,090 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $69,910 and experienced professionals can earn $182,310 or more ¹.

How to Become a Procurement and Purchasing Specialist in District of Columbia

Finish high school or earn a GED. Most District of Columbia training programs and registered apprenticeships require a high school diploma or GED to enroll.
Complete a training program or apprenticeship. Enroll in an accredited trade school program or a registered apprenticeship in District of Columbia that combines classroom instruction with supervised hands-on hours.
Gain supervised work experience. Build documented on-the-job hours under a qualified supervisor; confirm the exact total currently required with the licensing board.
Meet state and employer requirements. Confirm any registration, certification, or employer requirements that apply to procurement and purchasing specialists in District of Columbia before you start working.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the state board before you apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for procurement and purchasing specialists in District of Columbia? District of Columbia currently employs approximately 1,880 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 District of Columbia? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and apprenticeship programs. Use the school finder above to search for accredited programs in District of Columbia.

How much do procurement and purchasing specialists earn in District of Columbia compared to the national average? The median annual wage for procurement and purchasing specialists in District of Columbia is $124,090, which is $48,440 above the national median of $75,650 according to BLS data ¹.

In District of Columbia

Best Trade Schools in Washington, DC (2026)

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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)