Clinical research scientist vs clinical laboratory scientist

The differences between clinical research scientists and clinical laboratory scientists 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 scientist and a clinical laboratory scientist. Additionally, a clinical research scientist has an average salary of $99,160, which is higher than the $67,900 average annual salary of a clinical laboratory scientist.

The top three skills for a clinical research scientist include clinical research, clinical trials and clinical development. The most important skills for a clinical laboratory scientist are patients, test results, and microbiology.

Clinical research scientist vs clinical laboratory scientist overview

	Clinical Research Scientist	Clinical Laboratory Scientist
Yearly salary	$99,160	$67,900
Hourly rate	$47.67	$32.64
Growth rate	6%	17%
Number of jobs	128,547	133,838
Job satisfaction	-	4
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 78%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	2

What does a clinical research scientist do?

A clinical research scientist is responsible for assisting physicians in conducting laboratory research and examinations to identify diseases and establish treatment plans. They also inspect medical tools and equipment to prevent hazards and operational delays. A clinical research scientist must have excellent communication skills and extensive knowledge of the medical industry to provide the highest quality care services for the patients.

What does a clinical laboratory scientist do?

A Clinical Laboratory Scientist is responsible for performing laboratory tests that doctors count on to correctly diagnose and treat patients. They examine body fluids, tissues, and cells, identify infective microorganisms, and analyze the chemical constituents of body fluids.

Clinical research scientist vs clinical laboratory scientist salary

Clinical research scientists and clinical laboratory scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Clinical Research Scientist	Clinical Laboratory Scientist
Average salary	$99,160	$67,900
Salary range	Between $63,000 And $154,000	Between $46,000 And $99,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Santa Rosa, CA
Highest paying state	California	Alaska
Best paying company	Meta	Westpac
Best paying industry	Pharmaceutical	Health Care

Differences between clinical research scientist and clinical laboratory scientist education

There are a few differences between a clinical research scientist and a clinical laboratory scientist in terms of educational background:

	Clinical Research Scientist	Clinical Laboratory Scientist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 78%
Most common major	Biology	Medical Technician
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Clinical research scientist vs clinical laboratory scientist demographics

Here are the differences between clinical research scientists' and clinical laboratory scientists' demographics:

	Clinical Research Scientist	Clinical Laboratory Scientist
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 35.4% Female, 64.6%	Male, 34.8% Female, 65.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.5% Unknown, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 13.5% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 15.4% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	9%	8%

Differences between clinical research scientist and clinical laboratory scientist duties and responsibilities

Clinical research scientist example responsibilities.

Supervise and manage planning, implementation, conduct and reporting of assign early phase international clinical studies in oncology.
Facilitate IRB approval, when require.
Compile and submit reports to U.S. FDA.
Provide draft responses to FDA questions to senior management.
Resolve IRB issues and implement IRB mandate changes in the protocol with amendments.
Recruit investigators perform pre-study visits, negotiate budgets, initiate and monitor studies and verify data for accuracy and completeness.

Clinical laboratory scientist example responsibilities.

Analyze specimens in hematology, coagulation, urinalysis, chemistry, toxicology, blood bank, and limit microbiology and serology.
Perform testing on donor and patient samples on platforms using methodologies including EIA, CLIA, and NAT (PCR).
Perform patient blood analysis, interpret serology, immunology and flowcytometry results.
Provide phlebotomy, specimen processing and laboratory testing for clinical trial studies.
Analyze specimens in areas of hematology, urinalysis, coagulation, and clinical chemistry within time constraints in a high-volume environment.
Perform microbiology, mycology and bacteriology

Clinical research scientist vs clinical laboratory scientist skills

Common clinical research scientist skills

Clinical Research, 11%
Clinical Trials, 7%
Clinical Development, 6%
Data Management, 5%
Oncology, 5%
Clinical Data, 5%

Common clinical laboratory scientist skills

Patients, 12%
Test Results, 8%
Microbiology, 7%
CLS, 7%
Hematology, 6%
ASCP, 6%

Clinical Research Scientist vs. similar jobs

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Clinical Research Scientist
Clinical Research Scientist vs Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Updated January 8, 2025

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