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Best states for a clinical research assistant
Quoted expert
Dr. Jelena Sanchez Ph.D.
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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for clinical research assistants? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for clinical research assistant jobs.Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of clinical research assistants in America is $54,000.
The median salary for clinical research assistants in Connecticut is $51,632. Compare that to the median salary in Oklahoma of $32,173, which ranked worst for clinical research assistants, and you can see how your location is important for your career.Connecticut is the best state, and Enfield is the city with the highest pay for clinical research assistants.
10 best states for clinical research assistants in 2026
1. Connecticut
Total clinical research assistant jobs: 617 Average annual salary: $51,632 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 1.14
2. New Jersey
Total clinical research assistant jobs: 1,675 Average annual salary: $50,718 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location Quotient: 1.29
3. Massachusetts
Total clinical research assistant jobs: 1,663 Average annual salary: $49,644 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 1.11
4. Vermont
Total clinical research assistant jobs: 142 Average annual salary: $46,764 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
5. North Dakota
Total clinical research assistant jobs: 158 Average annual salary: $48,084 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
6. California
Total clinical research assistant jobs: 7,187 Average annual salary: $46,996 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 1.5
7. New York
Total clinical research assistant jobs: 2,202 Average annual salary: $47,620 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
8. Delaware
Total clinical research assistant jobs: 175 Average annual salary: $47,949 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
9. New Mexico
Total clinical research assistant jobs: 353 Average annual salary: $43,390 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
10. Maine
Total clinical research assistant jobs: 332 Average annual salary: $42,060 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 1.53
Clinical research assistant jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a clinical research assistant
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a clinical research assistant
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $51,632 | $36,000 | 3,588,184 | 617 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $50,718 | $35,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,675 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $49,644 | $36,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,663 |
| 4 | Vermont | $46,764 | $34,000 | 623,657 | 142 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $48,084 | $34,000 | 755,393 | 158 |
| 6 | California | $46,996 | $33,000 | 39,536,653 | 7,187 |
| 7 | New York | $47,620 | $33,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,202 |
| 8 | Delaware | $47,949 | $33,000 | 961,939 | 175 |
| 9 | New Mexico | $43,390 | $31,000 | 2,088,070 | 353 |
| 10 | Maine | $42,060 | $31,000 | 1,335,907 | 332 |
| 11 | Alaska | $49,587 | $40,000 | 739,795 | 107 |
| 12 | Washington | $47,477 | $34,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,005 |
| 13 | Tennessee | $43,450 | $31,000 | 6,715,984 | 810 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $41,428 | $29,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,151 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $45,587 | $33,000 | 1,342,795 | 227 |
| 16 | Nevada | $45,450 | $32,000 | 2,998,039 | 272 |
| 17 | Oregon | $42,057 | $30,000 | 4,142,776 | 986 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $41,453 | $29,000 | 1,059,639 | 255 |
| 19 | Montana | $41,723 | $30,000 | 1,050,493 | 208 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $42,823 | $30,000 | 5,795,483 | 783 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $43,750 | $32,000 | 579,315 | 77 |
| 22 | Maryland | $46,583 | $33,000 | 6,052,177 | 843 |
| 23 | Alabama | $43,231 | $31,000 | 4,874,747 | 305 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $43,832 | $31,000 | 693,972 | 293 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $42,413 | $31,000 | 1,427,538 | 152 |
| 26 | Michigan | $38,280 | $27,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,272 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $39,029 | $28,000 | 869,666 | 159 |
| 28 | Illinois | $40,627 | $28,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,809 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $38,998 | $27,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,189 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $42,394 | $30,000 | 5,024,369 | 418 |
| 31 | Texas | $38,941 | $28,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,769 |
| 32 | Indiana | $38,411 | $27,000 | 6,666,818 | 880 |
| 33 | Colorado | $37,657 | $27,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,053 |
| 34 | Arizona | $37,266 | $26,000 | 7,016,270 | 944 |
| 35 | Iowa | $38,232 | $27,000 | 3,145,711 | 392 |
| 36 | Virginia | $38,681 | $27,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,300 |
| 37 | Ohio | $36,291 | $25,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,411 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $37,389 | $27,000 | 2,984,100 | 209 |
| 39 | Missouri | $36,596 | $26,000 | 6,113,532 | 883 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $35,032 | $25,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,657 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $34,818 | $24,000 | 1,815,857 | 229 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $35,133 | $25,000 | 4,684,333 | 491 |
| 43 | Kansas | $35,304 | $25,000 | 2,913,123 | 426 |
| 44 | Georgia | $36,974 | $26,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,389 |
| 45 | Utah | $34,592 | $25,000 | 3,101,833 | 507 |
| 46 | Idaho | $36,813 | $26,000 | 1,716,943 | 208 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $35,636 | $26,000 | 3,004,279 | 257 |
| 48 | Florida | $33,781 | $24,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,707 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $35,038 | $25,000 | 4,454,189 | 411 |
| 50 | Nebraska | $32,254 | $23,000 | 1,920,076 | 313 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $32,173 | $23,000 | 3,930,864 | 404 |
Highest paying states for clinical research assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. Clinical Research Assistant Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $51,632 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $50,718 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $49,644 |
| 4 | Vermont | $46,764 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $48,084 |
| 6 | California | $46,996 |
| 7 | New York | $47,620 |
| 8 | Delaware | $47,949 |
| 9 | New Mexico | $43,390 |
| 10 | Maine | $42,060 |
| 11 | Alaska | $49,587 |
| 12 | Washington | $47,477 |
| 13 | Tennessee | $43,450 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $41,428 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $45,587 |
| 16 | Nevada | $45,450 |
| 17 | Oregon | $42,057 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $41,453 |
| 19 | Montana | $41,723 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $42,823 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $43,750 |
| 22 | Maryland | $46,583 |
| 23 | Alabama | $43,231 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $43,832 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $42,413 |
| 26 | Michigan | $38,280 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $39,029 |
| 28 | Illinois | $40,627 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $38,998 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $42,394 |
| 31 | Texas | $38,941 |
| 32 | Indiana | $38,411 |
| 33 | Colorado | $37,657 |
| 34 | Arizona | $37,266 |
| 35 | Iowa | $38,232 |
| 36 | Virginia | $38,681 |
| 37 | Ohio | $36,291 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $37,389 |
| 39 | Missouri | $36,596 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $35,032 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $34,818 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $35,133 |
| 43 | Kansas | $35,304 |
| 44 | Georgia | $36,974 |
| 45 | Utah | $34,592 |
| 46 | Idaho | $36,813 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $35,636 |
| 48 | Florida | $33,781 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $35,038 |
| 50 | Nebraska | $32,254 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $32,173 |
Expert opinions on the best states for clinical research assistants
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for clinical research assistants to find work opportunities?
Dr. Jelena Sanchez Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Spanish, North Central College
The pandemic has blurred geographical boundaries. A successful bilingual graduate today will find access to the global employment from their computer at home anywhere in the world.
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Updated January 8, 2025