Career comparison
Procurement Clerk vs. Production Planner
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Production planners earn more at the median ($59,650 vs. $50,580), while procurement clerks usually get to work faster (A few months on the job of training). Procurement clerks process purchase orders and keep track of supplies and orders. Production planners schedule what gets made when, and chase materials so production stays on track.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Procurement Clerk | Production Planner | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $50,580 ($24.32/hr) | $59,650 ($28.68/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $38,040 – $68,620 | $40,080 – $86,000 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | -8.1% (a projected decline) | -1.3% (a projected decline) |
| Openings per year | 3,700 | 32,600 |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training time | A few months on the job | Several months on the job |
| Key credential | Purchasing fundamentals course | APICS CPIM |
| Work setting | Clerks work in offices for companies, hospitals, schools and government.. | Planners work in plant offices and on the floor.. |
What each job does
Procurement Clerk
- Prepare purchase orders
- Request quotes
- Track deliveries
- Match invoices to orders
- Maintain supplier records
Production Planner
- Build production schedules
- Check material availability
- Release work orders
- Expedite late materials
- Track job progress
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with information and desk work. They sit in different fields, business & office and mechanics, maintenance & manufacturing, but share transferable skills such as organization and organization.
Which should you choose?
Choose procurement clerk if…
- I’m organized
- I like tracking details
- I follow up well
Choose production planner if…
- I like puzzles
- I’m organized
- I follow up relentlessly
Still torn? Take the Procurement Clerk fit quiz and the Production Planner fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, procurement clerk or production planner?
Production Planners earn more at the median: $59,650 versus $50,580 for procurement clerks, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Procurement Clerks typically train faster (A few months on the job) than production planners (Several months on the job).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects production planners to grow -1.3% from 2025–35, compared with -8.1% for procurement clerks.