Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Procurement clerks work in roles that support purchasing and supply-related activities, with a national employment level of 62,000. This career typically requires a high school diploma or equivalent, making it accessible to people who are ready to enter the workforce without extensive formal education. The role draws on a mix of analytical, organizational, and communication abilities, reflected in top skills such as project management, mathematics, detail orientation, and speaking and listening. Nationally, procurement clerks earn a median annual salary of $48,510, with higher median salaries available in some states and metro areas. Although projected employment growth is -8.7%, there are still 5,000 annual openings, indicating ongoing turnover and replacement needs. People considering this path can also explore related careers such as compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists or production, planning, and expediting clerks as alternative directions if they want roles that connect to similar business and administrative functions.
Procurement clerks earn a national median annual salary of $48,510, with notable variation by location. Several states offer higher median pay, including Massachusetts at $60,110, California at $56,160, New York at $54,080, Colorado at $55,210, and Washington at $52,910. Among metro areas, median salaries are even higher in some markets: San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, CA has a median of $62,310, Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA–NH is at $61,700, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV is $60,650, and San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA is $60,090. The New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ metro also stands out with a median salary of $58,050. These figures show that earnings for procurement clerks can increase substantially in certain states and metros, especially where the CareerGPS opportunity scores are higher, so location choice can play an important role in overall earning potential.
Procurement clerks have national employment of 62,000 and a projected employment growth rate of -8.7%. This indicates that total employment in the occupation is expected to decline. Even with this negative growth projection, there are still 5,000 annual openings. This combination suggests that much of the job activity in the field will come from turnover and the need to replace workers leaving existing positions rather than from new job creation. The consistent -8.7% growth rate shown across the top states and metro areas underscores that this outlook is broad-based geographically. For individuals exploring this path, the data point to a competitive environment where understanding location-specific opportunity scores and salaries can help in targeting stronger markets. Job seekers may also want to keep an eye on related careers, such as production, planning, and expediting clerks or real estate brokers, as additional options if they wish to remain in administrative or coordination-focused roles.
Location significantly shapes opportunities for procurement clerks. At the state level, California has the highest employment among the listed states at 7,080, with a median salary of $56,160 and a CareerGPS opportunity score of 67.38. New York also has sizable employment at 2,680 and a median salary of $54,080, with an opportunity score of 65.78. Washington and Colorado offer mid-range employment (1,750 and 830 respectively) and median salaries above $52,000, with opportunity scores in the mid-50s. Massachusetts combines a relatively high median salary of $60,110 with lower employment of 520 but still a strong opportunity score of 65.87. At the metro level, San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, CA stands out with an opportunity score of 77.42 and a median salary of $62,310. The New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ metro closely follows with an opportunity score of 77.27 and employment of 3,110. Other metros such as San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA; Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV; and Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA–NH all offer median salaries around or above $60,000 and solid opportunity scores, highlighting them as particularly attractive markets relative to other areas.
Procurement clerk roles typically require a high school diploma or equivalent, which keeps formal education barriers relatively low. However, success in this occupation depends heavily on developing a broad skill set. Key strengths include project management and mathematics, which support organized and accurate work. Interpersonal skills, speaking and listening, and writing and reading are also central, reflecting the importance of clear communication. Being detail oriented and using critical and analytical thinking help with accuracy and sound judgment in everyday tasks. Adaptability and problem solving and decision making skills support handling changing priorities and resolving issues as they arise. Competence with computers and information technology is another important dimension of the role. Because the educational requirement is modest, building and demonstrating these skills—through previous work, training, or self-development—can be a primary way for candidates and employees to stand out and advance within procurement or related administrative and coordination careers.
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