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Executive Summary The NAPCP 2016 Salary Survey was the sixth edition of its kind (similar surveys were conducted every three years since 2001). As in 2013, this edition targeted Purchasing Card end-users those who fulfill a job role related to a P-Card (or One Card) program, end-users who fulfill a Corporate Travel Card role and those who fulfill a relationship or account manager role for a provider organization. New this year, the survey also included questions for those end-users who fulfill an Electronic Payments (epayables) role. Further segmentation by geography was included for United States, Canada and other countries. About the Report The report of results offers more than 78 pages of content, including 68 figures and 37 tables. At the highest level, it provides: 1. compensation data to aid salary reviews 2. common factors among the highest earners 3. skills/experience sought by hiring organizations 4. staffing information; in particular, staffing levels for card program management The complete report is free to NAPCP members and available for purchase by others from www.napcp.org/bookstore. As a bonus for participating, survey respondents receive the full report. About the Respondents The survey garnered responses from: 265 end-users who fulfill a P-Card or One Card program role 99 end-users who fulfill a Corporate Travel Card program role 1 66 end-users who fulfill an Electronic Payables (epayables) program role 28 end-users reside outside the U.S. 37 providers (1 resides outside the U.S.) More than 91% of respondents are located in the United States. Notable Findings P-Card/One Card End-Users Overall, in 2016 the average U.S. PM salary is 2.6% higher than in 2013. For U.S. PAs, the average 2016 salary is 5.8% higher. As a comparison, the average salaries reported in 2013 compared to 2010 indicated a 14% increase for PMs and a 9% increase for PAs. In 2016, PMs and PAs comprise 89% of the respondents. In Canada, the average salary of a PA decreased by over 7%. This decrease could be the result of more responses from government versus corporate. Respondents fulfilling a management oversight role for P-Cards/One Cards comprise only 7% of the respondent pool. Among the respondents (including three from Canada), the salaries range from $40,000 to $200,000, with the average being $110,233, a significant increase from $87,038 in 2013. 1 The majority of whom also fulfill a P-Card/One Card program role.
As reported since 2007, there continues to be a broad spread between the lowest and highest U.S. PM/PA salaries, ranging from $24,000 to $145,300 for PAs and $34,500 to $180,000 for PMs. There also continues to be a noticeable gap between PMs and PAs, with the average PM salary 28% higher than the average PA salary. Canadian respondents have a smaller gap between the lowest and highest salaries; $49,000 to $130,000. Compared to the 2013 survey results, PMs and PAs are more educated. More than one-third of P-Card/One Card PMs/PAs also fulfill a similar role for a separate Travel Card program. When comparing Travel Cards and P-Card/One Cards, 49% of Travel Card respondents earn $70,000 and higher compared to 29% of P-Card/One Card respondents. Not only do male respondents earn 30% more, on average, than females, males have experienced a greater salary increase between 2013 and 2016 of 12.2%, compared to 5.9% for females. Unlike in the United States where 62% of PMs/PAs reside in the procurement/purchasing department and 14% reside in accounts payable (A/P), Canada reported 33% residing in procurement/purchasing and 33% residing in A/P. Of the U.S. P-Card/One Card respondents, 41% indicated that they typically receive a bonus, incentive and/or stock option, while in Canada only 27% reported receiving these extra benefits. Finally, the Certified Purchasing Card Professional (CPCP) credential continues to gain momentum. The number of PM respondents who achieved the credential have increased from 25% in 2013 to 37% in 2016. The average U.S. CPCP salary is approximately 9% higher than the average non-cpcp salary. Travel Card End-Users The Corporate Travel Card Program Management section of the report is an extension of the P-Card/One Card results. When an organization has a separate Travel Card program, in addition to a P-Card (and/or One Card) program, it is common for the same person or team to manage both. It is interesting to note that 50% spend more time on the P-Cards/One Cards PM/PA role; 15% report spending equal time on the two programs; and, 35% indicated they spend more time on Travel Cards than P-Cards/One Cards. The majority of Travel Card survey respondents (86%) fulfill a PM or PA role. The remaining two roles are management oversight and other (e.g., program support), selected by 8% and 6%, respectively. As with P-Card/One Card respondents, procurement tops the list as the department in which the PM/PA resides (62%). When hiring a Travel Card PM/PA, the top four required qualifications are the same as what was noted for a P-Card/One Card PM/PA, but the desired/preferred qualifications differ. Although auditing experience is number one for both card types, the other choices were the same, but not in the same order. Travel Card respondents are predominantly in the corporate sector (48%). This is notably higher than the 38% of P-Card/One Card respondents who reported the same. The Travel Card respondents also report a high percentage of global exposure 59%. From a compensation perspective, PAs represent 57% of Travel Card responses, while PMs represent 29%. PMs have an average salary of 30% higher than PAs. They also have an edge in the category of extra benefits; 67% earn a bonus, incentives and/or stock options
at least annually compared to 48% of P-Card/One Card respondents. This is an increase of 13% from 2013. epayables End-Users The epayables Program Management section of the report is a new this year and is also an extension of the P-Card/One Card results. As with Travel Cards, when an organization has a separate epayables program, in addition to a P-Card (and/or One Card) program, it is common for the same person or team to manage both. Seventy-eight percent of respondents indicated that they spend a quarter of their time or less each week on epayables responsibilities. Unlike the P-Card/One Card Program, there is less daily maintenance to this Commercial Card enhancement. PMs/PAs spend 47% of their time on P-Cards/One Cards. Less than 10% of epayables respondents have a global presence, but 57% have a national presence. According to other industry surveys, epayables Programs are a growing trend. With that in mind, this survey indicates that most programs have less than $2 million of annual spend. Providers The majority (94%) work for a card issuer organization. The remaining 6% work for a variety of provider types (e.g., acquirer, processor, network, consultant). If or when a provider organization needs to hire a relationship manager/account manager (RM/AM), a willingness to travel is the top requirement, which was the top requirement reported in 2013. Indeed, 37% of respondents take 20 or more business trips each year, on average, and is a significant decrease from the 58% reported in 2013. When considering both required and desired hiring qualifications, Commercial Card knowledge and/or experience were cited by nearly everyone. Close behind, having a bachelor s degree was cited by 97%. This well-educated group (79% hold a bachelor s or master s degree) has strong earning potential. Like the end-user respondents, average annual salaries span a wide range, but more than 62% earn $90,000 or more annually, which is an increase from 45% in 2013. In addition, 82% typically earn a bonus, incentives and/or stock options on an annual basis, which is a decrease of 11% since 2013. About the NAPCP The NAPCP is a membership-based professional association committed to advancing Commercial Card and Payment professionals and industry practices worldwide. Serving a community of 17,000, the NAPCP is a respected voice in the industry and an impartial resource for professionals at all experience levels in the public and private sectors. The NAPCP provides unmatched opportunities for continuing education and peer networking through its conferences, Regional Forums, webinars, website, virtual demonstrations, newsletters and regular communication. The association sponsors research and publishes timely and relevant white papers, survey results and articles. The NAPCP offers a Certified Purchasing Card Professional (CPCP) credential. Visit www.napcp.org to learn more about Commercial Card and payment programs in general, the value of membership, current member demographics, upcoming events and benefits of becoming a year-round partner sponsor. In addition to membership, the NAPCP offers complimentary subscriptions to its website, with partial access to industry news, research results, polls and other resources.