Clinical data manager vs clinical data associate

The differences between clinical data managers and clinical data associates 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 manager and a clinical data associate. Additionally, a clinical data associate has an average salary of $101,829, which is higher than the $98,148 average annual salary of a clinical data manager.

The top three skills for a clinical data manager include patients, data collection and data management. The most important skills for a clinical data associate are data review, data management, and FDA.

Clinical data manager vs clinical data associate overview

	Clinical Data Manager	Clinical Data Associate
Yearly salary	$98,148	$101,829
Hourly rate	$47.19	$48.96
Growth rate	31%	31%
Number of jobs	135,813	119,026
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age	37	37
Years of experience	4	4

What does a clinical data manager do?

A clinical data manager is primarily responsible for recording and managing the data and results from various clinical trials and projects. Their duties revolve around establishing and maintaining a database, coordinating with team members and other departments to gather relevant information, developing different strategies for data management, mentoring less experienced colleagues, and monitoring the workforce's progress to ensure the accuracy of every data. Furthermore, as a manager, it is crucial to ensure that all processes comply with the state's laws and regulations and the company's policies.

What does a clinical data associate do?

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.

Clinical data manager vs clinical data associate salary

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

	Clinical Data Manager	Clinical Data Associate
Average salary	$98,148	$101,829
Salary range	Between $68,000 And $139,000	Between $68,000 And $150,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	South San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	Maryland
Best paying company	ZS	Santander Private Banking International
Best paying industry	Pharmaceutical	Health Care

Differences between clinical data manager and clinical data associate education

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

	Clinical Data Manager	Clinical Data Associate
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common major	Biology	Biology
Most common college	Duke University	University of Pennsylvania

Clinical data manager vs clinical data associate demographics

Here are the differences between clinical data managers' and clinical data associates' demographics:

	Clinical Data Manager	Clinical Data Associate
Average age	37	37
Gender ratio	Male, 29.9% Female, 70.1%	Male, 27.2% Female, 72.8%
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%

Differences between clinical data manager and clinical data associate duties and responsibilities

Clinical data manager example responsibilities.

Manage online survey execution and SPSS database for child substance abuse prevention program.
Manage all of the operational aspect of clinical trials in compliance with GCP regulations and Merck policy.
Lead training for new hire nurses and physicians in EMR system: develop training handouts and learning objectives
Manage CRO data management activities for the oncology clinical study.
Manage the biannual MedDRA upgrade implementation and the auto encoding optimization project
Manage accounting operations, accounting close, account reporting and reconciliations.

Clinical data associate example responsibilities.

Administer the execution of QC evaluation for data enter into the CTMS that lead to senior management exceeding client deliverable expectations.
Perform database audits as required to ensure FDA compliance.
Review SAS edits and data listings to produce data queries for clinical sites.
Ensure rapid identification of database errors by writing SAS code to validate clinical data.
Work with the internal study team and/or CRO on assign studies to identify data issues and proactively address data issues.
Monitor and troubleshoot system performance.

Clinical data manager vs clinical data associate skills

Common clinical data manager skills

Patients, 13%
Data Collection, 7%
Data Management, 5%
CRF, 4%
QC, 4%
Database Development, 4%

Common clinical data associate skills

Data Review, 8%
Data Management, 7%
FDA, 7%
SAS, 6%
Clinical Trial Data, 6%
Data Quality, 5%

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Clinical Data Manager vs Clinical Data Associate

Updated January 8, 2025

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