The qualifications that you need to become a purchasing associate vary from employer to employer. Most employers prefer applicants with a bachelor’s degree, but may accept applicants with a high school diploma who have previous experience. Some companies have entry-level job options that include on-the-job training. In these positions, you develop skills by working under the supervision of a purchasing manager. In this career, you often have to know how to work with inventory and bookkeeping software. Depending on your job duties, you may need to communicate with suppliers and conduct negotiations to reduce the cost of materials.

If you are interested in a job related to Purchasing Associate, here are some popular related job searches with the most open positions on ZipRecruiter.

Top Types Of Purchasing Associate Jobs

List of the top 10 highest paying Purchasing Associate positions in 2026, with salary ranges, according to ZipRecruiter.

Full Time Adesa Auto Auctions
Salary range: $50,000 - $62,500
Full Time Adesa Auto Auctions is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Full Time Adesa Auto Auctions jobs pay between $50,000 (25th percentile) and $62,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Full Time Adesa Auto Auctions job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
Wholesale Car Buyer
Salary range: $50,000 - $58,500
Wholesale Car Buyer is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Wholesale Car Buyer jobs pay between $50,000 (25th percentile) and $58,500 (75th percentile) annually. Take a look at the variety of open positions nationwide for Wholesale Car Buyer job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.
Automotive Buyer
Salary range: $37,000 - $70,500
The job of an automotive buyer is to purchase vehicles throughout a region on behalf of a dealer or network of dealers. They may negotiate prices at an auction, examine a car to be sure it's in an acceptable state, help predict future inventory needs, analyze price trends, and help set a purchasing budget. An automotive buyer may also travel out of their market, help move vehicles to and from a staging area, meet with rebuilders, conduct multi-point vehicle inspections, record performance data, and test drive repaired cars. They frequently communicate with quality control inspectors and maintain professional relationships with sellers.
Echopark Automotive
Salary range: $42,500 - $52,500
Echopark Automotive is a typical job search query Most salaries for Echopark Automotive jobs pay between $42,500 (25th percentile) and $52,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Echopark Automotive job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
Dolan Automotive
Salary range: $38,500 - $62,000
Dolan Automotive is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Dolan Automotive jobs pay between $38,500 (25th percentile) and $62,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Dolan Automotive job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
Automotive Aftermarket Sales Manager
Salary range: $62,000 - $132,500
Automotive Aftermarket Sales Manager is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Automotive Aftermarket Sales Manager jobs pay between $62,000 (25th percentile) and $132,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Automotive Aftermarket Sales Manager job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
Rick Case Automotive Group
Salary range: $40,000 - $51,500
Rick Case Automotive Group is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Rick Case Automotive Group jobs pay between $40,000 (25th percentile) and $51,500 (75th percentile) annually. Take a look at the variety of open positions nationwide for Rick Case Automotive Group job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.
Adesa Car Auction
Salary range: $30,000 - $55,000
Adesa Car Auction is a typical job search query Most salaries for Adesa Car Auction jobs pay between $30,000 (25th percentile) and $55,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Adesa Car Auction job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
Fehrer Automotive
Salary range: $43,500 - $69,500
Fehrer Automotive is a typical job search query Most salaries for Fehrer Automotive jobs pay between $43,500 (25th percentile) and $69,500 (75th percentile) annually. Take a look at the variety of open positions nationwide for Fehrer Automotive job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.
Automotive Warranty
Salary range: $46,000 - $50,500
Automotive Warranty is a common job search query. Most salaries for Automotive Warranty jobs pay between $46,000 (25th percentile) and $50,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Automotive Warranty job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

All Jobs Purchasing Associate Jobs 10 of the Most Popular Types of Purchasing Associate Jobs in 2026