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Clinical research nurse salary
Average clinical research nurse salary
$60,347
Understanding Clinical Research Nurse Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Clinical Research Nurse is approximately $60,347 per year. This figure can vary based on several factors:
- Experience Level: Entry-level positions typically start lower, while experienced nurses can earn significantly more.
- Geographic Location: Salaries differ across states; for instance, states like California and Massachusetts often pay higher wages.
- Field of Specialization: Specializations in oncology or cardiology may also lead to higher compensation.
Exploring these factors can help you gauge potential earnings in this rewarding career. To maximize your salary, consider pursuing advanced certifications and seeking roles in higher-paying regions. This comprehensive understanding of salary expectations empowers you to navigate your career path effectively.
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Where can a Clinical Research Nurse earn more?
Clinical research nurse salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level clinical research nurse | $47,900 | $23.01 |
| Mid-level clinical research nurse | $60,200 | $28.94 |
| Senior-level clinical research nurse | $82,500 | $39.69 |
Clinical research nurse salary estimates from across the web
Average clinical research nurse salary by state
The average clinical research nurse salary in California, Hawaii, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average clinical research nurse salary states are Utah, Kansas, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for clinical research nurses
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $80,808 | $38.85 |
| 2 | Delaware | $72,992 | $35.09 |
| 3 | Maine | $64,818 | $31.16 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $72,100 | $34.66 |
| 5 | Alaska | $75,098 | $36.10 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $75,769 | $36.43 |
| 7 | Oregon | $74,944 | $36.03 |
| 8 | California | $97,750 | $47.00 |
| 9 | New York | $73,174 | $35.18 |
| 10 | Hawaii | $92,036 | $44.25 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $63,888 | $30.72 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $74,560 | $35.85 |
| 13 | Nevada | $70,085 | $33.69 |
| 14 | Florida | $60,920 | $29.29 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $69,228 | $33.28 |
| 16 | Arizona | $62,310 | $29.96 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $60,343 | $29.01 |
| 18 | Texas | $60,863 | $29.26 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $76,272 | $36.67 |
| 20 | Michigan | $63,872 | $30.71 |
| 21 | Maryland | $67,976 | $32.68 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $61,253 | $29.45 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $56,184 | $27.01 |
| 24 | Colorado | $60,142 | $28.91 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $63,174 | $30.37 |
| 26 | Louisiana | $55,446 | $26.66 |
| 27 | Vermont | $56,471 | $27.15 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $54,713 | $26.30 |
| 29 | Ohio | $56,654 | $27.24 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $58,122 | $27.94 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $53,805 | $25.87 |
| 32 | Idaho | $58,336 | $28.05 |
| 33 | Georgia | $56,289 | $27.06 |
| 34 | Virginia | $57,782 | $27.78 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $52,886 | $25.43 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $52,488 | $25.23 |
| 37 | Missouri | $56,842 | $27.33 |
| 38 | Indiana | $52,896 | $25.43 |
| 39 | Illinois | $57,764 | $27.77 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $53,695 | $25.81 |
| 41 | Montana | $52,384 | $25.18 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $49,006 | $23.56 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $51,078 | $24.56 |
| 44 | Alabama | $53,860 | $25.89 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $51,463 | $24.74 |
| 46 | Kansas | $50,046 | $24.06 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $51,056 | $24.55 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $49,440 | $23.77 |
| 49 | Iowa | $44,415 | $21.35 |
| 50 | Utah | $50,492 | $24.27 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $48,649 | $23.39 |
Highest paying cities for clinical research nurses
The highest-paying cities for clinical research nurses are Sacramento, CA, Seattle, WA, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento, CA | $99,037 | $47.61 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $81,147 | $39.01 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $76,259 | $36.66 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $74,658 | $35.89 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $73,290 | $35.24 |
| 6 | New Haven, CT | $72,258 | $34.74 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $69,197 | $33.27 |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $68,200 | $32.79 |
| 9 | Portland, ME | $65,282 | $31.39 |
| 10 | Grand Rapids, MI | $63,332 | $30.45 |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $62,409 | $30.00 |
| 12 | San Antonio, TX | $61,766 | $29.70 |
| 13 | Madison, WI | $61,054 | $29.35 |
| 14 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $60,999 | $29.33 |
| 15 | Philadelphia, PA | $60,675 | $29.17 |
| 16 | Aurora, CO | $60,167 | $28.93 |
| 17 | Rocky Mount, NC | $58,764 | $28.25 |
| 18 | Chicago, IL | $57,876 | $27.82 |
| 19 | Kansas City, MO | $56,693 | $27.26 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $56,096 | $26.97 |
Clinical research nurse salary details
A clinical research nurse's salary ranges from $44,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $82,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a clinical research nurse's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $82,000 | $6,833 | $39 |
| 75th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
| Average | $60,347 | $5,029 | $29 |
| 25th Percentile | $51,000 | $4,250 | $25 |
| 10th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
Highest paying clinical research nurse jobs
The highest paying types of clinical research nurses are agency registered nurse, registered nurse in the icu, and registered nurse med/surg.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse | $57,564 | $4,797 | $27.67 | 696,124 |
| Nurse Clinician | $65,159 | $5,430 | $31.33 | 596,073 |
| Staff Nurse | $68,342 | $5,695 | $32.86 | 699,636 |
| Registered Nurse Charge Nurse | $71,342 | $5,945 | $34.30 | 645,134 |
| Registered Health Nurse | $75,713 | $6,309 | $36.40 | 538,508 |
| Registered Nurse In The ICU | $92,881 | $7,740 | $44.65 | 631,825 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for clinical research nurses, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Sophia Thomas
President, American Association of Nurse Practitioners
-Starting salaries for NPs are exceptional, and usually hover between $80,000-100,000, but that can vary significantly based on geographic location, work setting, and certification/specialty. Some salaries are higher.
-The bureau of labor statistics (BLS) offers an excellent breakdown of salaries by region and state as well: link
-(Note: some stats on the BLS website are reflective of the Mean or Average salary and others represent the Median or midpoint. AANP data are all reported in Median)
-As NPs advance in their careers, there is a clear and positive relationship between number of years' experience and salary growth.
Top companies hiring clinical research nurses now:
Which companies pay clinical research nurses the most?
Clinical research nurse salaries at University of California, Berkeley and AbbVie are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average clinical research nurse salary at companies like University of California and Teva Pharmaceuticals are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | $96,358 | $46.33 |
| 2 | AbbVie | $82,252 | $39.54 |
| 3 | University of California | $75,280 | $36.19 |
| 4 | Teva Pharmaceuticals | $75,196 | $36.15 |
| 5 | New London Hospital | $74,569 | $35.85 |
| 6 | Sutter Health | $74,455 | $35.80 |
| 7 | Georgetown University | $74,218 | $35.68 |
| 8 | Health First | $74,003 | $35.58 |
| 9 | EmblemHealth | $73,359 | $35.27 |
| 10 | Children's Hospital Colorado | $73,097 | $35.14 |
| 11 | The Rockefeller University | $73,027 | $35.11 |
| 12 | Legacy Health | $73,018 | $35.10 |
| 13 | University Hospitals | $73,015 | $35.10 |
| 14 | Yale University | $72,201 | $34.71 |
| 15 | Hospice of The Valley | $71,496 | $34.37 |
| 16 | WakeMed | $71,382 | $34.32 |
| 17 | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | $70,757 | $34.02 |
| 18 | Peoples Health | $70,281 | $33.79 |
| 19 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $69,835 | $33.57 |
| 20 | Children's Hospital Los Angeles | $69,443 | $33.39 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Clinical research nurse salary trends
The average clinical research nurse salary has risen by $8,448 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average clinical research nurse earned $51,899 annually, but today, they earn $60,347 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for clinical research nurses over the last decade.
Compare clinical research nurse salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average clinical research nurse salary over time
Compare clinical research nurse salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Clinical research nurse salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $60,300 | $29.01 | +2.7% |
| 2025 | $58,700 | $28.23 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $57,500 | $27.63 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $56,100 | $26.96 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $54,800 | $26.36 | +1.4% |
Recently added clinical research nurse salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Chicago | Clinical Research Nurse | Chicago, IL | 06/30/2025 | $70,000 |
| Swedish Health Services | Clinical Research RN | Seattle, WA | 06/29/2025 | $100,176 |
| Aa067 | Clinical Nurse III-Float Pool-Nights | Irvine, CA | 06/29/2025 | $13,566 |
| Saint Louis University | Clinical Research Nurse I-Surgery | Saint Louis, MO | 06/28/2025 | $74,000 |
| Johns Hopkins University | SR. Clinical Nurse-#Staff | Lutherville, MD | 06/28/2025 | $75,100 |
| Actalent | Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator | Orlando, FL | 06/28/2025 | $66,000 |
| Alameda Health System | CN II-Ambulatory Clinic Nurse | Oakland, CA | 06/27/2025 | $168,504 |
| Duke University | Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator | Durham, NC | 06/27/2025 | $63,692 |
| Stanford Health Care | Clinical Nurse (RN), ICU Neurosciences & Medicine (L HR Nights .90 | Palo Alto, CA | 06/27/2025 | $193,340 |
| The University of Oklahoma Human Resources | *SR Clinical Research Nurse | Oklahoma City, OK | 06/27/2025 | $72,600 |
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