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The differences between clinical data associates and clinical researchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a clinical data associate, becoming a clinical researcher takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a clinical data associate has an average salary of $101,829, which is higher than the $55,453 average annual salary of a clinical researcher.
The top three skills for a clinical data associate include data review, data management and FDA. The most important skills for a clinical researcher are patients, informed consent, and IRB.
| Clinical Data Associate | Clinical Researcher | |
| Yearly salary | $101,829 | $55,453 |
| Hourly rate | $48.96 | $26.66 |
| Growth rate | 31% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 119,026 | 60,864 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 37 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A clinical data associate is responsible for documenting and recording data from clinical research programs for various purposes, such as validation and future studies. Their responsibilities revolve around understanding the needs of every program, coordinating with different teams to gather accurate data, utilizing special tools and software, and preparing and processing data according to protocols and standards. Moreover, a clinical data associate typically works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.
A clinical researcher is primarily in charge of conducting research trials for medicine and health care development. Their responsibilities mainly revolve around conducting extensive research and analysis by gathering samples, performing experiments, working with research participants, and collaborating with other researchers and scientists. Moreover, as a clinical researcher, it is essential to maintain records of all experiments, summarize findings into reports and presentations, and monitor every progress, all while adhering to the research's deadlines, budgets, goals, and policies.
Clinical data associates and clinical researchers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Data Associate | Clinical Researcher | |
| Average salary | $101,829 | $55,453 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $150,000 | Between $38,000 And $79,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | California |
| Best paying company | Santander Private Banking International | Edwards Lifesciences |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a clinical data associate and a clinical researcher in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Data Associate | Clinical Researcher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between clinical data associates' and clinical researchers' demographics:
| Clinical Data Associate | Clinical Researcher | |
| Average age | 37 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.2% Female, 72.8% | Male, 38.3% Female, 61.7% |
| 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, 2.5% Unknown, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 13.5% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |