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Clinical research director salary
Average clinical research director salary
$100,744
Understanding Clinical Research Director Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Clinical Research Director stands at $100,744 per year. This figure reflects the critical nature of the role, which involves managing clinical trials, directing research teams, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Salaries vary widely based on factors such as geographic location and industry sector.
For example, Clinical Research Directors in states like California and Massachusetts often earn significantly higher salaries. In addition, various industries offer different compensation levels; those in pharmaceutical firms may earn more compared to those in academia.
Salary Insights by Experience
Experience plays a key role in salary determination. Entry-level positions may start around $70,000, while seasoned professionals with over ten years in the field can command salaries exceeding $130,000.
For job seekers aiming to advance in clinical research, understanding these salary dynamics is vital. Utilize resources like Zippia to explore job openings and salary comparisons to help inform your career decisions.
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Where can a Clinical Research Director earn more?
Clinical research director salary estimates from across the web
Average clinical research director salary by state
The highest-paying states for clinical research directors are California, Washington, and New York. The lowest average clinical research director salary states are Texas, Kansas, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for clinical research directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $123,637 | $59.44 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $109,880 | $52.83 |
| 3 | Vermont | $100,773 | $48.45 |
| 4 | Oregon | $98,588 | $47.40 |
| 5 | New York | $110,749 | $53.24 |
| 6 | Arizona | $99,377 | $47.78 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $108,441 | $52.14 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $107,870 | $51.86 |
| 9 | Maine | $91,043 | $43.77 |
| 10 | Washington | $116,985 | $56.24 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $90,266 | $43.40 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $95,564 | $45.94 |
| 13 | Iowa | $86,932 | $41.79 |
| 14 | Michigan | $91,150 | $43.82 |
| 15 | Nevada | $96,709 | $46.49 |
| 16 | Delaware | $94,640 | $45.50 |
| 17 | Oklahoma | $82,974 | $39.89 |
| 18 | Montana | $86,796 | $41.73 |
| 19 | Illinois | $93,686 | $45.04 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $101,202 | $48.65 |
| 21 | Idaho | $93,734 | $45.06 |
| 22 | District of Columbia | $98,809 | $47.50 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $84,348 | $40.55 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $79,835 | $38.38 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $81,244 | $39.06 |
| 26 | Virginia | $88,745 | $42.67 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $83,911 | $40.34 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $76,631 | $36.84 |
| 29 | Alaska | $91,202 | $43.85 |
| 30 | Florida | $81,721 | $39.29 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $83,257 | $40.03 |
| 32 | Georgia | $85,039 | $40.88 |
| 33 | Mississippi | $76,751 | $36.90 |
| 34 | Colorado | $82,703 | $39.76 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $78,942 | $37.95 |
| 36 | Ohio | $81,242 | $39.06 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $74,927 | $36.02 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $77,992 | $37.50 |
| 39 | Utah | $77,083 | $37.06 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $69,711 | $33.51 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $77,346 | $37.19 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $73,005 | $35.10 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $74,397 | $35.77 |
| 44 | Texas | $70,678 | $33.98 |
| 45 | Maryland | $78,725 | $37.85 |
| 46 | Alabama | $67,906 | $32.65 |
| 47 | Kansas | $70,456 | $33.87 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $71,417 | $34.34 |
| 49 | Missouri | $68,405 | $32.89 |
| 50 | Indiana | $69,065 | $33.20 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $71,132 | $34.20 |
Highest paying cities for clinical research directors
The highest-paying cities for clinical research directors are Foster City, CA, Tacoma, WA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foster City, CA | $133,118 | $64.00 |
| 2 | Tacoma, WA | $118,224 | $56.84 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $110,804 | $53.27 |
| 4 | Teaneck, NJ | $110,566 | $53.16 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $108,072 | $51.96 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $98,790 | $47.50 |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $95,488 | $45.91 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $94,423 | $45.40 |
| 9 | Cleveland, OH | $84,178 | $40.47 |
| 10 | Oklahoma City, OK | $83,770 | $40.27 |
| 11 | Milwaukee, WI | $83,399 | $40.10 |
| 12 | Tampa, FL | $82,970 | $39.89 |
| 13 | Aurora, CO | $82,381 | $39.61 |
| 14 | Fayetteville, NC | $81,214 | $39.05 |
| 15 | Allentown, PA | $80,639 | $38.77 |
| 16 | Baltimore, MD | $78,974 | $37.97 |
| 17 | Baton Rouge, LA | $75,292 | $36.20 |
| 18 | Chattanooga, TN | $73,841 | $35.50 |
| 19 | San Antonio, TX | $71,737 | $34.49 |
| 20 | Charleston, SC | $70,712 | $34.00 |
Clinical research director salary details
A clinical research director's salary ranges from $66,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $153,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a clinical research director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $153,000 | $12,750 | $74 |
| 75th Percentile | $125,000 | $10,417 | $60 |
| Average | $100,744 | $8,395 | $48 |
| 25th Percentile | $80,000 | $6,667 | $38 |
| 10th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
Highest paying clinical research director jobs
The highest paying types of clinical research directors are director of clinical operations, director, and research director.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study Coordinator | $47,435 | $3,953 | $22.81 | 14,929 |
| Director Of Clinical Operations | $130,421 | $10,868 | $62.70 | 151,054 |
| Director | $113,489 | $9,457 | $54.56 | 230,711 |
| Research Nurse | $53,463 | $4,455 | $25.70 | 46,665 |
| Research Project Coordinator | $48,683 | $4,057 | $23.41 | 67,800 |
| Clinical Project Manager | $100,510 | $8,376 | $48.32 | 153,837 |
Top companies hiring clinical research directors now:
Which companies pay clinical research directors the most?
Clinical research director salaries at Amgen and Merck are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average clinical research director salary at companies like Spectrum Pharmaceuticals and Trifecta Technologies are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amgen | $133,702 | $64.28 |
| 2 | Merck | $119,852 | $57.62 |
| 3 | Spectrum Pharmaceuticals | $119,372 | $57.39 |
| 4 | Trifecta Technologies | $110,103 | $52.93 |
| 5 | Novartis | $108,621 | $52.22 |
| 6 | Variety Care | $107,842 | $51.85 |
| 7 | Gilead Sciences | $107,128 | $51.50 |
| 8 | Stanford University | $95,940 | $46.13 |
| 9 | Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network | $94,795 | $45.57 |
| 10 | Erlanger Health System | $94,664 | $45.51 |
| 11 | Supernus Pharmaceuticals | $94,507 | $45.44 |
| 12 | Johnson & Johnson | $94,237 | $45.31 |
| 13 | Oracle | $94,058 | $45.22 |
| 14 | Booz Allen Hamilton | $92,904 | $44.67 |
| 15 | Stemedica | $92,877 | $44.65 |
| 16 | Baylor Scott & White Health | $92,742 | $44.59 |
| 17 | Eisai | $92,554 | $44.50 |
| 18 | NGM Bio | $91,889 | $44.18 |
| 19 | AlloSource | $91,037 | $43.77 |
| 20 | J. The Jewish News of Northern California | $90,059 | $43.30 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Clinical research director salary trends
The average clinical research director salary has risen by $16,923 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average clinical research director earned $83,821 annually, but today, they earn $100,744 a year. That works out to a 15% change in pay for clinical research directors over the last decade.
Compare clinical research director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average clinical research director salary over time
Compare clinical research director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Clinical research director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $101,000 | $48.43 | +6.4% |
| 2024 | $94,300 | $45.33 | +4.1% |
| 2023 | $90,500 | $43.49 | +3.9% |
| 2022 | $86,900 | $41.77 | -0.7% |
| 2021 | $87,500 | $42.08 | -0.3% |
Recently added clinical research director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insulet Corporation | Director, Clinical Research (Hybrid) | San Diego, CA | 06/27/2025 | $174,600 |
| National Jewish Health | Director, Clinical Research Services | Denver, CO | 06/22/2025 | $135,675 |
| EPM Scientific | SR. Director, Clinical Research-Oncology (SR. Medical Director) | San Mateo, CA | 06/14/2025 | $275,000 |
| Eli Lilly and Company | Clinical Research Director (P4-P5) | Indianapolis, IN | 06/12/2025 | $175,793 |
| Montefiore | Director Clinical Research Anesthesia | New York, NY | 06/09/2025 | $99,750 |
| Usc | Director, Data Science and AI-IS Clinical Research-Days (Exempt) (NON | Ione, CA | 05/15/2025 | $133,120 |
| Usc | Director, Data Science and AI-IS Clinical Research-Days (Exempt) (NON | Ione, CA | 04/29/2025 | $133,120 |
| Kelly Science, Engineering, Technology & Telecom | Director of Regulatory Affairs, Clinical Research | San Jose, CA | 04/14/2025 | $190,000 |
| Kelly Science, Engineering, Technology & Telecom | Director of Regulatory Affairs, Clinical Research | Fremont, CA | 04/14/2025 | $190,000 |
| Merck | Clinical Research Director (CRD)-General Medicine (Remote) | Rahway, NJ | 03/30/2025 | $164,800 |
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