Clinical associate vs clinical research associate

The differences between clinical associates and clinical research associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a clinical associate and a clinical research associate. Additionally, a clinical associate has an average salary of $91,027, which is higher than the $62,966 average annual salary of a clinical research associate.

The top three skills for a clinical associate include patients, rehabilitation and home health. The most important skills for a clinical research associate are patients, informed consent, and CRA.

Clinical associate vs clinical research associate overview

	Clinical Associate	Clinical Research Associate
Yearly salary	$91,027	$62,966
Hourly rate	$43.76	$30.27
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	56,977	94,336
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	2

What does a clinical associate do?

A clinical associate is responsible for supporting the operations of a medical facility by performing administrative and clerical duties as needed to provide high-quality care services for the patients and assisting health care professionals in performing medical procedures. Clinical associates monitor the conditions of the patients, administer medication, collect laboratory samples, and conduct initial medical assessments such as checking temperature and vital signs. A clinical associate must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially on addressing different patients' needs and reporting the patients' progress to the physicians.

What does a clinical research associate do?

A clinical research associate is responsible for assisting medical professionals in clinical trials and conducting research studies on medications and medical procedures. Clinical research associates monitor the research materials, ensuring its safety and reliability through trial procedures, writing comprehensive reports of results, and disseminating information across the concerned parties. They also provide recommendations on improving clinical processes, reiterating protocol requirements, and maintaining strict confidentiality of the trial subjects. A clinical research associate must have extensive knowledge of the medical industry, including its disciplines and principles, to perform duties accurately under minimal supervision.

Clinical associate vs clinical research associate salary

Clinical associates and clinical research associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Clinical Associate	Clinical Research Associate
Average salary	$91,027	$62,966
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $208,000	Between $43,000 And $91,000
Highest paying City	Baltimore, MD	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Connecticut	California
Best paying company	University of Iowa Center for Advancement	Meta
Best paying industry	-	Pharmaceutical

Differences between clinical associate and clinical research associate education

There are a few differences between a clinical associate and a clinical research associate in terms of educational background:

	Clinical Associate	Clinical Research Associate
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Most common major	Nursing	Biology
Most common college	Duke University	University of Pennsylvania

Clinical associate vs clinical research associate demographics

Here are the differences between clinical associates' and clinical research associates' demographics:

	Clinical Associate	Clinical Research Associate
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 28.0% Female, 72.0%	Male, 28.3% Female, 71.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 8.6% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 2.5% Unknown, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.7% Asian, 13.0% White, 62.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between clinical associate and clinical research associate duties and responsibilities

Clinical associate example responsibilities.

Perform EKG's, placement of cardiac leads and telemetry unit (critical care only).
Manage patient caseload with emphasis in occupational rehabilitation
Assist nurses and doctors with procedures, EKG monitoring, clinical duties, clerical duties.
Assist with project plan management, FDA submission paperwork, and tracking of contingency plans / appropriate triggers.
Experience with communication with professional staff regarding pertinent observations concerning conditions of patients.
Participate in disease diagnosis and treatment in the department of internal medicine and pediatrics

Clinical research associate example responsibilities.

Manage, schedule and train up to 15 CRAs.
Recruit patients, attain patient inform consent form, educate subjects on compliance, and ensure patient safety per ICH guidelines.
Manage site TMF to ensure communication requirements adherence
Manage CRO and regional monitor to complete close out activities, including device accountability management.
Manage regional academic and community base oncology practices as the primary contact for all communications and support.
Manage the monitoring CRO and the data clean-up efforts for a 510k submission and interim/annual study reports by effectively collaborating cross-functionally.

Clinical associate vs clinical research associate skills

Common clinical associate skills

Patients, 30%
Rehabilitation, 6%
Home Health, 6%
Vital Signs, 5%
CPR, 4%
Excellent Interpersonal, 4%

Common clinical research associate skills

Patients, 9%
Informed Consent, 7%
CRA, 6%
Clinical Trials, 6%
Clinical Trial Management, 5%
Oncology, 4%

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Clinical Associate
Clinical Associate vs Clinical Research Associate

Updated January 8, 2025

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