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The differences between clinical research coordinators and research nurses 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 coordinator and a research nurse. Additionally, a research nurse has an average salary of $53,463, which is higher than the $52,459 average annual salary of a clinical research coordinator.
The top three skills for a clinical research coordinator include patients, informed consent and IRB. The most important skills for a research nurse are patients, informed consent, and data collection.
| Clinical Research Coordinator | Research Nurse | |
| Yearly salary | $52,459 | $53,463 |
| Hourly rate | $25.22 | $25.70 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 102,960 | 46,665 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A clinical research coordinator is a healthcare professional responsible for administering clinical trials of drugs or medications. Clinical research coordinators work under the supervision of clinical research managers to collect data and help inform trial participants about the study's objectives. They must ensure that these trials have met all regulations, including drug safety, government regulations, and the organization's code of ethics. Clinical research coordinators must obtain a bachelor's degree in nursing and have at least two years of healthcare experience.
A research nurse specializes in conducting studies and scientific research for healthcare and medical development. They may work for medical facilities, private clinics, learning institutions, and government agencies. It is their duty to design research strategies and procedures, gather and analyze samples through various scientific methods, coordinate with other experts, and develop treatment and healthcare plans to optimize patient services and outcomes. Moreover, a research nurse typically works with a team of researchers, which requires an active communication line while adhering to the organization's policies and regulations.
Clinical research coordinators and research nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Research Coordinator | Research Nurse | |
| Average salary | $52,459 | $53,463 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $72,000 | Between $38,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New York |
| Best paying company | Genentech | Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a clinical research coordinator and a research nurse in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Research Coordinator | Research Nurse | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between clinical research coordinators' and research nurses' demographics:
| Clinical Research Coordinator | Research Nurse | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 20.0% Female, 80.0% | Male, 9.2% Female, 90.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.5% Unknown, 7.5% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 10.7% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 8.4% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |