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The differences between clinical research associates and research project coordinators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a clinical research associate and a research project coordinator. Additionally, a clinical research associate has an average salary of $62,966, which is higher than the $48,683 average annual salary of a research project coordinator.
The top three skills for a clinical research associate include patients, informed consent and CRA. The most important skills for a research project coordinator are data collection, patients, and project management.
| Clinical Research Associate | Research Project Coordinator | |
| Yearly salary | $62,966 | $48,683 |
| Hourly rate | $30.27 | $23.41 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 94,336 | 67,800 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
Research Project Coordinators take on a lead role in maintaining and creating processes that support the execution of a research project. Their duties include researching governance requirements, preparing for contract bidding, manage budgeting of a project to meet a specified timeline, and present findings of a project to all stakeholders involved. The Research Project Coordinator will also support administrative tasks, including producing corporate reports, organizing committee meetings, and developing a research database to track active milestones achieved.
Clinical research associates and research project coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Research Associate | Research Project Coordinator | |
| Average salary | $62,966 | $48,683 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $91,000 | Between $36,000 And $65,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Middletown, CT |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Meta | Dignity Health |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Professional |
There are a few differences between a clinical research associate and a research project coordinator in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Research Associate | Research Project Coordinator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Biology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Duke University |
Here are the differences between clinical research associates' and research project coordinators' demographics:
| Clinical Research Associate | Research Project Coordinator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.3% Female, 71.7% | Male, 37.8% Female, 62.2% |
| 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, 2.5% Unknown, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 13.3% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |