Clinical research scientist vs clinical research manager

The differences between clinical research scientists and clinical research managers 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 research manager. Additionally, a clinical research scientist has an average salary of $99,160, which is higher than the $96,504 average annual salary of a clinical research manager.

The top three skills for a clinical research scientist include clinical research, clinical trials and clinical development. The most important skills for a clinical research manager are patients, oversight, and FDA.

Clinical research scientist vs clinical research manager overview

	Clinical Research Scientist	Clinical Research Manager
Yearly salary	$99,160	$96,504
Hourly rate	$47.67	$46.40
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	128,547	100,000
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
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 research manager do?

A clinical research manager is responsible for leading a clinical research team in conducting clinical trials for medical purposes. Clinical research managers conduct scientific investigations, following critical methods and procedures within the budget goals and discussed timeframe. They monitor the adequacy of laboratory tools and equipment, request purchase orders, and ensure the authenticity of the materials for the accuracy of findings. A clinical research manager also enforces strict safety standards and protocols during clinical trials to avoid potential hazards and chemical contamination.

Clinical research scientist vs clinical research manager salary

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

	Clinical Research Scientist	Clinical Research Manager
Average salary	$99,160	$96,504
Salary range	Between $63,000 And $154,000	Between $66,000 And $140,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	South San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Meta	Varian Medical Systems
Best paying industry	Pharmaceutical	Pharmaceutical

Differences between clinical research scientist and clinical research manager education

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

	Clinical Research Scientist	Clinical Research Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Biology	Nursing
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	University of Pennsylvania

Clinical research scientist vs clinical research manager demographics

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

	Clinical Research Scientist	Clinical Research Manager
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 35.4% Female, 64.6%	Male, 21.5% Female, 78.5%
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, 2.6% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 9.3% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between clinical research scientist and clinical research manager 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 research manager example responsibilities.

Launch and manage a regional CRA monitoring group that grow to 100 plus staff in two years.
Manage all planning and execution of oncology clinical trials, domestic and international, including decision impact and companion diagnostic trials.
Prepare applications to have studies approve by hospital's institutional review board (IRB) and help present study to IRB.
Develop an open access communication method for patients to discuss their questions and/or concerns with the principal investigators.
Major contributor to the NDA for both Depo-Provera contraceptive as well as Caverject for erectile dysfunction.
Interview, select, train, and monitor all clinical sites; negotiate site and CRO budgets.

Clinical research scientist vs clinical research manager 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 research manager skills

Patients, 9%
Oversight, 8%
FDA, 5%
IRB, 5%
Project Management, 5%
Data Management, 4%

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Clinical Research Scientist
Clinical Research Scientist vs Clinical Research Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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