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

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

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

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

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

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), procurement and purchasing specialists in Washington earned a median annual wage of approximately $85,130. Employment concentration in Washington is about 1.37 times the national average for this occupation.

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

Washington currently employs approximately 15,400 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

Washington buyers and purchasing agents earn a median annual wage of $85,130 ($40.93/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 15,400 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately 9.5% above the national median of $77,710 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $85,130 ($40.93/hr)
25th percentile: $68,820 per year
75th percentile: $108,240 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $137,980 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $58,260 per year
Workers employed in Washington: 15,400
Versus national median: 9.5% above the U.S. median of $77,710
Job concentration: Location quotient 1.37 - this occupation is more concentrated in Washington than the national average

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

Washington employs about 15,400 procurement and purchasing specialists earning a median $85,130 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 Washington

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	Bellevue College	73.6	$4,436 in-state / $10,502 out-of-state	$64,079	36%	Yes*	58 mi
2	Pierce College District	69.7	$5,418 in-state / $5,976 out-of-state	$53,333	31%	Yes*	67 mi
3	Lake Washington Institute of Technology	68.9	$5,997 in-state / $12,062 out-of-state	$55,891	37%	Yes*	64 mi
4	Highline College	68.6	$4,772 in-state / $5,332 out-of-state	$59,261	35%	Yes*	58 mi
5	Perry Technical Institute	65.3	Contact school for pricing	$63,923	79%	—	45 mi
6	Green River College	56.8	$4,711 in-state / $5,263 out-of-state	$60,643	39%	—	51 mi
7	Yakima Valley College	55.9	$5,312 in-state / $5,873 out-of-state	$51,006	29%	—	45 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.

Washington employs approximately 15,400 procurement and purchasing specialists according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $85,130 ¹. The state’s concentration of procurement and purchasing specialist jobs is 1.37x 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 Washington, 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 (Washington): $85,130 per year ¹

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

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

What do procurement and purchasing specialists earn in Washington? The median annual wage for procurement and purchasing specialists in Washington is $85,130 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $58,260 and experienced professionals can earn $137,980 or more ¹.

How to Become a Procurement and Purchasing Specialist in Washington

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 Washington

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 Washington

Purchasing Managers Wages by Metro Area in Washington

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), purchasing managers wages in Washington 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
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue	11,220	$103,770	$106,441	$67,968	$148,981
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro	5,660	$87,617	$93,802	$54,402	$143,552
Spokane-Spokane Valley	930	$79,763	$82,945	$55,182	$116,668
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater	740	$85,005	$88,151	$61,560	$118,533
Kennewick-Richland	580	$102,521	$102,395	$63,251	$143,680
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard	480	$89,005	$97,032	$61,427	$139,823
Bellingham	300	$76,030	$80,450	$50,400	$112,720
Yakima	230	$68,300	$72,520	$50,010	$100,200
Mount Vernon-Anacortes	190	$75,040	$79,370	$52,110	$105,000
Longview-Kelso	160	$76,920	$83,650	$51,650	$119,290
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee	160	$79,170	$79,160	$51,380	$104,510
Walla Walla	80	$74,640	$82,230	$49,620	$115,210
Lewiston	60	$70,100	$73,980	$49,030	$107,730

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 Washington? Washington currently employs approximately 15,400 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 Washington? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Washington.

How much do procurement and purchasing specialists earn in Washington compared to the national average? The median annual wage for procurement and purchasing specialists in Washington is $85,130, which is $9,480 above the national median of $75,650 according to BLS data ¹.

In Washington

Best Trade Schools in Washington (2026)

Explore More Trades in Washington

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)