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

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

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

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

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

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), procurement and purchasing specialists in Louisiana earned a median annual wage of approximately $66,340. Employment concentration in Louisiana is roughly 0.56 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 Louisiana?

Louisiana currently employs approximately 3,440 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

Louisiana buyers and purchasing agents earn a median annual wage of $66,340 ($31.90/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 3,440 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately -14.6% below the national median of $77,710 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $66,340 ($31.90/hr)
25th percentile: $55,550 per year
75th percentile: $88,610 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $112,380 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $45,080 per year
Workers employed in Louisiana: 3,440
Versus national median: -14.6% below the U.S. median of $77,710
Job concentration: Location quotient 0.56 - this occupation is less concentrated in Louisiana than the national average

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

Louisiana employs about 3,440 procurement and purchasing specialists earning a median $66,340 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 Louisiana

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	ITI Technical College	65.6	$11,711	$67,004	59%	—	55 mi
2	Panola College	50.4	$2,352 in-state / $5,232 out-of-state	$29,299	43%	Yes*	173 mi
3	Louisiana Delta Community College	41.3	$4,159	$37,409	30%	Yes*	106 mi
4	Texarkana College	38.5	$2,476 in-state / $5,332 out-of-state	$41,406	47%	—	218 mi
5	Herzing University-New Orleans	37.5	$13,450	$58,575	15%	Yes*	116 mi
6	Interactive College of Technology	34.7	$10,970	Not reported	23%	Yes*	224 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.

Louisiana employs approximately 3,440 procurement and purchasing specialists according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $66,340 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 Louisiana, 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 (Louisiana): $66,340 per year ¹

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

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

What do procurement and purchasing specialists earn in Louisiana? The median annual wage for procurement and purchasing specialists in Louisiana is $66,340 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $45,080 and experienced professionals can earn $112,380 or more ¹.

How to Become a Procurement and Purchasing Specialist in Louisiana

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 Louisiana

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 Louisiana

Purchasing Managers Wages by Metro Area in Louisiana

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Baton Rouge	980	$79,826	$86,428	$53,980	$133,947
New Orleans-Metairie	970	$77,222	$84,225	$51,619	$127,040
Lafayette	320	$65,929	$74,865	$46,353	$113,235
Shreveport-Bossier City	280	$63,770	$72,470	$44,340	$108,600
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux	210	$59,010	$65,720	$42,360	$90,040
Lake Charles	160	$67,050	$78,120	$43,680	$116,750
Slidell-Mandeville-Covington	160	$66,540	$73,320	$44,440	$107,490
Monroe	90	$57,770	$63,050	$41,030	$89,910
Hammond	70	$59,420	$69,460	$39,510	$117,040
Alexandria	60	$57,740	$68,780	$38,480	$114,360

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 Louisiana? Louisiana currently employs approximately 3,440 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 Louisiana? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Louisiana.

How much do procurement and purchasing specialists earn in Louisiana compared to the national average? The median annual wage for procurement and purchasing specialists in Louisiana is $66,340, which is $9,310 below the national median of $75,650 according to BLS data ¹.

In Louisiana

Best Trade Schools in Louisiana (2026)

Explore More Trades in Louisiana

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)