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The differences between clinical data analysts and clinical data specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a clinical data analyst and a clinical data specialist. Additionally, a clinical data analyst has an average salary of $76,314, which is higher than the $62,592 average annual salary of a clinical data specialist.
The top three skills for a clinical data analyst include patients, data analysis and data collection. The most important skills for a clinical data specialist are patients, data collection, and patient care.
| Clinical Data Analyst | Clinical Data Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $76,314 | $62,592 |
| Hourly rate | $36.69 | $30.09 |
| Growth rate | 31% | 31% |
| Number of jobs | 136,086 | 123,586 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A clinical data analyst is a healthcare professional trained in checking the validity of scientific experiments and gathered data. Clinical data analysts have a wide variety of responsibilities to fulfill. They ensure that standard processes and protocols are followed, and data is accurate and reliable to improve the best quality and efficiency of care. They ensure that the information has been collected appropriately for clinical trials from databases. Moreover, they manage and develop databases for healthcare facilities and commonly work in a clinical setting.
Clinical data specialists offer data management support for clinical trials and pharmaceutical research. These specialists review the research study and trial data. They determine the trends of data trends and verify data entry. Their job includes providing suggestions for improvement and generates reports. They disseminate information on paper into electronic data systems. They supervise the conversion process and work closely with their clients ensuring accurate and accessible data--also, the research data sources for information validity verification.
Clinical data analysts and clinical data specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Data Analyst | Clinical Data Specialist | |
| Average salary | $76,314 | $62,592 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $109,000 | Between $43,000 And $89,000 |
| Highest paying City | Novato, CA | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | AbbVie | Abiomed |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a clinical data analyst and a clinical data specialist in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Data Analyst | Clinical Data Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between clinical data analysts' and clinical data specialists' demographics:
| Clinical Data Analyst | Clinical Data Specialist | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% | Male, 24.7% Female, 75.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 22.7% White, 59.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 22.7% White, 59.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |