# 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. May negotiate contracts. Includes assistant wholesale and retail buyers of nonfarm products.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/wholesale-and-retail-buyers-except-farm-products
- SOC code: 13-1022.00
- Career family: Business and finance
- Median annual pay: $77,710 (10th percentile $48,380, 90th percentile $128,870)
- Projected growth: Faster than average, +6.0%
- Openings a year: 47,200
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections
- Pay and outlook are for the broader BLS group "Buyers and purchasing agents".

## Interest profile (code ECR)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 40 |
| Investigative (I) | 15 |
| Artistic (A) | 9 |
| Social (S) | 24 |
| Enterprising (E) | 71 |
| Conventional (C) | 70 |

## What you'd do

- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 90/100)
- Processing Information (importance 87/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 86/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 85/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 85/100)
- Getting Information (importance 83/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 78/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 78/100)
- Performing Administrative Activities (importance 77/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 75/100)

## Skills

Critical Thinking, Negotiation, Active Listening, Persuasion, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Learning, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring, Coordination

## Knowledge

Administration and Management, English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Production and Processing, Mathematics, Administrative, Education and Training, Sales and Marketing, Personnel and Human Resources, Public Safety and Security

## Also called

Bakery Buyer, Buyer, Buying Professional, Commodity Buyer, Deli Buyer, Exporter, Fashion Buyer, Frozen Food Buyer, Fur Buyer, Gold Buyer

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Culinary Arts and Related Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1205) (CIP 1205, 510 colleges)
- [General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5218) (CIP 5218, 358 colleges)
- [Specialized Sales, Merchandising and  Marketing Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5219) (CIP 5219, 189 colleges)
- [Apparel and Textiles](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1909) (CIP 1909, 135 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Baylor University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/baylor-university-194) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $85,374 | $125,167 | $21,375 |
| [Cornell University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cornell-university-new-york-710) | Apparel and Textiles | $60,834 | $94,967 | not reported |
| [Texas A & M University-College Station](https://www.collegesref.com/college/texas-a-m-university-college-station-2694) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $72,444 | $93,141 | $18,458 |
| [Bowling Green State University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/bowling-green-state-university-main-campus-290) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $63,510 | $86,245 | $22,625 |
| [Weber State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/weber-state-university-3186) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $73,639 | $82,549 | $15,668 |
| [Purdue University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/purdue-university-main-campus-2163) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $66,112 | $82,441 | $19,043 |
| [University of Wisconsin-Madison Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-wisconsin-madison-main-campus-3084) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $58,551 | $82,081 | $14,567 |
| [Saint Joseph's University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/saint-joseph-s-university-2308) | Specialized Sales, Merchandising and  Marketing Operations | $62,952 | $80,764 | $24,335 |

## Related careers

- [Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/purchasing-agents-except-wholesale-retail-and-farm-products): $77,710 median pay
- [Procurement Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/procurement-clerks): $50,580 median pay
- [Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/buyers-and-purchasing-agents-farm-products): $77,710 median pay
- [Purchasing Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/purchasing-managers): $148,080 median pay
- [Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/securities-commodities-and-financial-services-sales-agents): $78,660 median pay
- [Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/sales-representatives-wholesale-and-manufacturing-except-technical-and-scientific-products): $72,080 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.