Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012

13-1022 Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products

Buy merchandise or commodities, other than farm products, for resale to consumers at the wholesale or retail level, including both durable and nondurable goods. Analyze past buying trends, sales records, price, and quality of merchandise to determine value and yield. Select, order, and authorize payment for merchandise according to contractual agreements. May conduct meetings with sales personnel and introduce new products. Includes assistant wholesale and retail buyers of nonfarm products.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
108,670 1.6 % $27.60 $57,420 0.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $14.00 $18.58 $24.75 $33.43 $44.53
Annual Wage (2) $29,120 $38,640 $51,470 $69,540 $92,630

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Management of Companies and Enterprises 19,890 0.99 $31.20 $64,890
Grocery and Related Product Merchant Wholesalers 5,910 0.82 $27.48 $57,160
Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers 5,230 0.61 $27.01 $56,170
Building Material and Supplies Dealers 4,470 0.44 $25.15 $52,320
Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers 4,210 0.66 $27.02 $56,200

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers 1,960 1.39 $29.32 $60,980
Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers 1,670 1.38 $27.19 $56,560
Miscellaneous Durable Goods Merchant Wholesalers 3,760 1.25 $27.61 $57,440
Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses 3,390 1.23 $27.88 $57,990
Hardware, and Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers 2,630 1.18 $26.71 $55,560

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Oil and Gas Extraction (8) (8) $53.13 $110,510
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 150 0.04 $40.26 $83,730
Agriculture, Construction, and Mining Machinery Manufacturing 110 0.05 $37.31 $77,590
Depository Credit Intermediation (8) (8) $37.22 $77,410
Department Stores 1,040 0.07 $36.93 $76,820

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 14,800 1.03 1.24 $26.50 $55,120
New York 8,730 1.02 1.22 $31.86 $66,280
Texas 7,890 0.75 0.89 $28.98 $60,280
Illinois 5,400 0.96 1.15 $25.26 $52,540
Pennsylvania 4,930 0.88 1.06 $26.75 $55,630




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Arkansas 2,090 1.81 2.17 $30.99 $64,460
Hawaii 910 1.55 1.86 $20.13 $41,860
Wisconsin 3,930 1.47 1.76 $25.16 $52,330
Washington 3,610 1.30 1.56 $30.51 $63,460
Oregon 2,070 1.29 1.54 $23.67 $49,230




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Jersey 4,380 1.16 1.39 $33.79 $70,280
Georgia 2,480 0.65 0.78 $32.20 $66,980
Connecticut 1,030 0.63 0.76 $32.05 $66,670
New York 8,730 1.02 1.22 $31.86 $66,280
Rhode Island 180 0.40 0.48 $31.68 $65,890





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 6,530 1.27 1.52 $34.66 $72,090
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 5,050 1.30 1.56 $25.47 $52,970
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 3,580 0.98 1.18 $24.32 $50,590
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 2,530 1.79 2.15 $32.71 $68,050
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 2,380 1.14 1.36 $32.81 $68,240
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 2,240 0.85 1.02 $29.40 $61,140
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 2,160 1.23 1.48 $31.70 $65,950
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 1,880 0.83 1.00 $34.22 $71,180
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 1,680 0.92 1.11 $26.98 $56,120
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 1,610 1.14 1.37 $29.32 $60,990




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 180 2.17 2.60 $22.60 $47,000
Green Bay, WI 350 2.10 2.52 $24.51 $50,990
Eugene-Springfield, OR 270 2.00 2.40 $20.49 $42,620
Taunton-Norton-Raynham, MA NECTA Division 80 1.85 2.22 $33.18 $69,010
Medford, OR 130 1.82 2.19 $22.22 $46,230
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 2,530 1.79 2.15 $32.71 $68,050
Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metropolitan Division 660 1.79 2.15 $29.74 $61,860
Honolulu, HI 750 1.73 2.07 $19.79 $41,170
Morristown, TN 70 1.64 1.97 $20.06 $41,720
Springfield, MA-CT 450 1.57 1.89 $21.05 $43,790