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The differences between clinical research associates and regulatory affairs specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a clinical research associate, becoming a regulatory affairs specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a regulatory affairs specialist has an average salary of $70,060, which is higher than the $62,966 average annual salary of a clinical research associate.
The top three skills for a clinical research associate include patients, informed consent and CRA. The most important skills for a regulatory affairs specialist are regulatory affairs, FDA, and regulatory agencies.
| Clinical Research Associate | Regulatory Affairs Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $62,966 | $70,060 |
| Hourly rate | $30.27 | $33.68 |
| Growth rate | 6% | - |
| Number of jobs | 94,336 | 9,915 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
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.
A regulatory affairs specialist assists in securing and maintaining government approval for nutritional products, drugs, medical devices, and related supplies. They are often employed by medical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology companies. They may also work in the government or law. Typically, they work on document preparation, file maintenance, information management, and coordination of tasks across various departments. They expanded their duties and responsibilities as a result of company acquisitions and restructuring, worldwide globalization of markets, and constantly evolving regulations.
Clinical research associates and regulatory affairs specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Research Associate | Regulatory Affairs Specialist | |
| Average salary | $62,966 | $70,060 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $91,000 | Between $49,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | - |
There are a few differences between a clinical research associate and a regulatory affairs specialist in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Research Associate | Regulatory Affairs Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Biology | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between clinical research associates' and regulatory affairs specialists' demographics:
| Clinical Research Associate | Regulatory Affairs Specialist | |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.3% Female, 71.7% | Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 60.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 12% |