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

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 Kentucky?

In Kentucky, registered apprenticeships are administered through the Kentucky Office of Apprenticeship and Training, 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 Kentucky (2026)

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

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), procurement and purchasing specialists in Kentucky earned a median annual wage of approximately $65,240. Employment concentration in Kentucky is roughly 0.86 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 Kentucky?

Kentucky currently employs approximately 5,440 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

Kentucky employs about 5,440 procurement and purchasing specialists earning a median $65,240 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 Kentucky.

Key Facts

Median wage (Kentucky): $65,240/yr (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Employed in Kentucky: 5,440 workers (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Location quotient: 0.86x 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 Kentucky

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	Roane State Community College	59.9	Contact school for pricing	$45,998	Not reported	Yes*	135 mi
2	Cincinnati State Technical and Community College	50.7	Contact school for pricing	$59,235	18%	Yes*	106 mi
3	Employment Solutions-College for Technical Education	35.9	Contact school for pricing	$25,640	63%	Yes*	49 mi
4	Interactive College of Technology-Newport	31.8	Contact school for pricing	$34,836	36%	Yes*	103 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.

Kentucky employs approximately 5,440 procurement and purchasing specialists according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $65,240 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 Kentucky, including requirements, training programs, and salary data.

Procurement and Purchasing Specialist Wages by Metro Area in Kentucky

Purchasing Managers Wages by Metro Area in Kentucky

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Cincinnati	5,310	$91,804	$96,125	$59,160	$143,577
Louisville/Jefferson County	1,940	$76,106	$82,358	$50,991	$118,079
Lexington-Fayette	1,050	$75,081	$80,735	$49,426	$120,824
Clarksville	390	$76,224	$81,223	$48,042	$124,104
Bowling Green	340	$72,913	$80,444	$47,887	$125,284
Huntington-Ashland	320	$70,972	$76,232	$47,419	$112,310
Elizabethtown	220	$73,730	$74,140	$41,660	$115,920
Owensboro	130	$63,690	$66,020	$41,170	$97,170
Paducah	120	$59,990	$65,470	$39,740	$90,880

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 (Kentucky): $65,240 per year ¹

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

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

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 Kentucky? The median annual wage for procurement and purchasing specialists in Kentucky is $65,240 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $42,600 and experienced professionals can earn $105,370 or more ¹.

How to Become a Procurement and Purchasing Specialist in Kentucky

Finish high school or earn a GED. Most Kentucky 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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky? Kentucky currently employs approximately 5,440 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 Kentucky? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and apprenticeship programs. Use the school finder above to search for accredited programs in Kentucky.

How much do procurement and purchasing specialists earn in Kentucky compared to the national average? The median annual wage for procurement and purchasing specialists in Kentucky is $65,240, which is $10,410 below the national median of $75,650 according to BLS data ¹.

In Kentucky

Best Trade Schools in Kentucky (2026)

Explore More Trades in Kentucky

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)