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

Updated August 27, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Illinois employs about 19,660 procurement and purchasing specialists earning a median $78,470 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 Illinois

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.
#SchoolBOC Score (0–100)Tuition (published, per year)Median grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
166.2$4,560 in-state / $13,680 out-of-state$49,27345%Yes*64 mi
258.3$4,200 in-state / $16,385 out-of-state$48,98942%Yes*22 mi
354.9$5,070 in-state / $15,330 out-of-state$52,70129%Yes*85 mi
450.0$4,800 in-state / $12,150 out-of-state$55,05849%Yes*36 mi
539.0$17,408$63,17237%Yes*70 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.

Illinois employs approximately 19,660 procurement and purchasing specialists according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $78,470 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 Illinois, 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 (Illinois): $78,470 per year 1

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

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

What do procurement and purchasing specialists earn in Illinois? The median annual wage for procurement and purchasing specialists in Illinois is $78,470 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $50,710 and experienced professionals can earn $126,640 or more 1.

How to Become a Procurement and Purchasing Specialist in Illinois

  1. 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.
  2. Optional purchasing certificates. Industry purchasing certificates can help hiring. They are not a state occupational license.
  3. 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 Illinois

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

  1. Complete a short course or OJT.

  2. Optional purchasing certificates.

  3. 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 Illinois

Purchasing Managers Wages by Metro Area in Illinois

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

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)		Experienced
(90th pctile)
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin17,510$92,722$97,856$60,545$145,436
St. Louis5,300$81,485$87,260$53,717$129,856
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island1,510$92,641$96,683$59,425$138,081
Peoria930$114,391$115,903$65,837$189,492
Rockford520$82,936$86,478$54,390$126,068
Champaign-Urbana340$79,818$81,517$55,502$111,783
Bloomington260$75,420$80,440$48,250$108,920
Springfield250$81,766$86,699$52,066$128,794
Cape Girardeau140$57,790$60,610$43,320$79,980
Paducah120$59,990$65,470$39,740$90,880
Decatur100$73,780$83,410$49,450$137,390
Kankakee100$65,490$75,800$47,440$114,660

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 Illinois? Illinois currently employs approximately 19,660 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 Illinois? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Illinois.

How much do procurement and purchasing specialists earn in Illinois compared to the national average? The median annual wage for procurement and purchasing specialists in Illinois is $78,470, which is $2,820 above the national median of $75,650 according to BLS data 1.

In Illinois

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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

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

  2. 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.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / 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)