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Boston Career Explorer

Business and Financial Operations

Buyers and Purchasing Agents

Purchase farm products either for further processing or resale. Includes tree farm contractors, grain brokers and market operators, grain buyers, and tobacco buyers. May negotiate contracts.

Also called: Buyer, Cattle Buyer, Grain Buyer, Grain Market Advisor, Grain Marketing Advisor, Grain Merchandiser

Median pay in Greater Boston
$93,010
$44.72/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
10,090
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+6.0%
1,350 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Bachelor's degree
plus Moderate-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$53,080$70,370$93,010$122,890$153,340

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Purchase, for further processing or for resale, farm products, such as milk, grains, or Christmas trees.
  • Negotiate contracts with farmers for the production or purchase of farm products.
  • Maintain records of business transactions and product inventories, reporting data to companies or government agencies as necessary.
  • Review orders to determine product types and quantities required to meet demand.
  • Arrange for transportation or storage of purchased products.
  • Coordinate or direct activities of workers engaged in cutting, transporting, storing, or milling products and maintaining records.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure67 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 73
  • Language-model AIOE 74
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 54

Observed AI use today: Not published (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure is higher for this job. Tools can help with record-keeping, reviewing orders, and working out how much product is needed. Federal projections say demand may grow as supply chains get more complex. Negotiating with farmers and arranging transport and storage rely on people and relationships.

Likely to change

  • Keeping records and tracking inventory
  • Reviewing orders to estimate needed quantities

Still relies on people

  • Negotiating contracts with farmers
  • Arranging transport and storage in real situations

What federal projections say

“Demand change - share increases as supply chains become more complex and additional service contracts are needed.”
BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, factors affecting this job (U.S.)

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

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Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

3 programs near Boston (plus 1 graduate)

Related occupations

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