The document compares different industries and factors like salary, benefits, work-life balance, stability, retirement options, growth potential, and typical manager salaries. Pharmaceuticals and high tech hardware score high across most factors and have typical manager salaries of $200K and $195K respectively, while retail/small business and startups score lower and have typical manager salaries of $85K and $140K. Government jobs provide moderate to high stability, benefits, and work-life balance but lower salaries than high-paying industries.

1. Industry Salary Benefits Work Life
Balance
Stability Retirement/
401K
Growth
Potential
Example
Manager
Salary
Pharmaceuticals High High High High High Medium $200K
Medical Device Medium High High High Moderate Medium $155K
Automotive Medium High Medium Medium Medium High $150K
Software High Moderate Low Low Low Low $175K
Fortune 100 (All) Medium High Medium Moderate Medium Moderate $130K
Start Up Medium Low Low Low Low Low $140K
High Tech Hardware High Medium Moderate Moderate Medium Moderate $195K
High Tech
Components
Medium High Moderate Low Moderate Medium $150K
Service Medium Medium Medium Moderate Moderate Moderate $120K
Retail and Small Bus Low Moderate Low Medium Low High $85K
Local Government Moderate High High High High Low 110K
State Government Low High High High High Medium $95K
Federal
Government
Moderate High High High High High $105K
PURCHASING PROFESSIONAL JOBS IN THE US COMPARISON OF INDUSTRYS