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

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

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

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

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

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), procurement and purchasing specialists in Virginia earned a median annual wage of approximately $89,210. Employment concentration in Virginia is about 1.70 times the national average for this occupation.

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

Virginia currently employs approximately 22,120 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

Virginia buyers and purchasing agents earn a median annual wage of $89,210 ($42.89/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 22,120 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately 14.8% above the national median of $77,710 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $89,210 ($42.89/hr)
25th percentile: $65,100 per year
75th percentile: $120,390 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $149,150 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $51,350 per year
Workers employed in Virginia: 22,120
Versus national median: 14.8% above the U.S. median of $77,710
Job concentration: Location quotient 1.70 - this occupation is more concentrated in Virginia than the national average

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

Virginia employs about 22,120 procurement and purchasing specialists earning a median $89,210 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 Virginia

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	Piedmont Virginia Community College	62.2	$5,072 in-state / $11,510 out-of-state	$51,090	39%	Yes*	53 mi
2	Patrick & Henry Community College	56.2	$5,002 in-state / $11,440 out-of-state	$44,016	42%	Yes*	75 mi
3	Brightpoint Community College	54.3	$5,082 in-state / $11,520 out-of-state	$50,344	38%	Yes*	71 mi
4	Virginia Western Community College	54.1	$5,400 in-state / $11,838 out-of-state	$48,004	40%	Yes*	70 mi
5	J Sargeant Reynolds Community College	52.7	$5,280 in-state / $11,718 out-of-state	$54,140	32%	Yes*	71 mi
6	Central Virginia Community College	50.4	$5,157 in-state / $11,595 out-of-state	$45,157	45%	Yes*	28 mi
7	Blue Ridge Community College	49.2	$5,646 in-state / $12,084 out-of-state	$51,042	40%	Yes*	70 mi
8	Southside Virginia Community College	47.9	$5,007 in-state / $11,445 out-of-state	$43,979	42%	Yes*	52 mi
9	Danville Community College	46.4	$4,992 in-state / $11,430 out-of-state	$40,486	39%	Yes*	63 mi
10	Mountain Gateway Community College	42.0	$5,022 in-state / $11,460 out-of-state	$44,085	38%	—	74 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.

Virginia employs approximately 22,120 procurement and purchasing specialists according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $89,210 ¹. The state’s concentration of procurement and purchasing specialist jobs is 1.70x the national average, indicating strong demand. 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 Virginia, 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 (Virginia): $89,210 per year ¹

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

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

What do procurement and purchasing specialists earn in Virginia? The median annual wage for procurement and purchasing specialists in Virginia is $89,210 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $51,350 and experienced professionals can earn $149,150 or more ¹.

How to Become a Procurement and Purchasing Specialist in Virginia

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 Virginia

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 Virginia

Purchasing Managers Wages by Metro Area in Virginia

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), purchasing managers wages in Virginia 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
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk	4,890	$85,909	$93,429	$55,656	$132,556
Richmond	4,490	$89,468	$95,080	$57,092	$138,276
Roanoke	650	$71,298	$78,443	$47,821	$120,511
Kingsport-Bristol	510	$76,445	$85,089	$46,661	$135,873
Charlottesville	420	$90,060	$92,303	$55,937	$132,367
Lynchburg	350	$75,419	$78,219	$47,745	$112,724
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford	220	$67,000	$72,740	$44,460	$106,100
Winchester	190	$66,060	$75,120	$40,700	$123,710
Staunton-Stuarts Draft	170	$63,250	$68,050	$41,240	$101,950
Harrisonburg	140	$62,240	$69,810	$39,560	$114,370

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 Virginia? Virginia currently employs approximately 22,120 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 Virginia? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Virginia.

How much do procurement and purchasing specialists earn in Virginia compared to the national average? The median annual wage for procurement and purchasing specialists in Virginia is $89,210, which is $13,560 above the national median of $75,650 according to BLS data ¹.

In Virginia

Best Trade Schools in Virginia (2026)

Explore More Trades in Virginia

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)