Clinical research scientist vs research nurse

The differences between clinical research scientists 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 scientist and a research nurse. Additionally, a clinical research scientist has an average salary of $99,160, which is higher than the $53,463 average annual salary of a research nurse.

The top three skills for a clinical research scientist include clinical research, clinical trials and clinical development. The most important skills for a research nurse are patients, informed consent, and data collection.

Clinical research scientist vs research nurse overview

	Clinical Research Scientist	Research Nurse
Yearly salary	$99,160	$53,463
Hourly rate	$47.67	$25.70
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	128,547	46,665
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
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 research nurse do?

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 scientist vs research nurse salary

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

	Clinical Research Scientist	Research Nurse
Average salary	$99,160	$53,463
Salary range	Between $63,000 And $154,000	Between $38,000 And $74,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	California	New York
Best paying company	Meta	Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings
Best paying industry	Pharmaceutical	Pharmaceutical

Differences between clinical research scientist and research nurse education

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

	Clinical Research Scientist	Research Nurse
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Biology	Nursing
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	Duke University

Clinical research scientist vs research nurse demographics

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

	Clinical Research Scientist	Research Nurse
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 35.4% Female, 64.6%	Male, 9.2% Female, 90.8%
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, 15.3% Asian, 8.4% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between clinical research scientist and research nurse 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.

Research nurse example responsibilities.

Collect, manage and analyze preliminary data using SPSS statistical software.
Adhere to local and country specific GCP and ICH guidelines.
Ensure coordinator and investigator compliance with GCP and ICH guidelines.
Assure compliance with good clinical practice (GCP) guidelines and FDA regulations.
Ensure appropriate source documentation, drug accountability and study compliance according to GCP and CFR.
Oversee study protocol implementation to ensure compliance with FDA and other regulatory bodies' rules and regulations.

Clinical research scientist vs research nurse skills

Common clinical research scientist skills

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

Common research nurse skills

Patients, 18%
Informed Consent, 11%
Data Collection, 5%
IRB, 5%
Oncology, 4%
Research Projects, 4%

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Clinical Research Scientist vs Research Nurse

Updated January 8, 2025

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