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Clinical trial manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a clinical trial manager. Clinical trial managers usually study biology, nursing, or business. 60% of clinical trial managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 971 real clinical trial manager resumes to see exactly what clinical trial manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for clinical trial managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online clinical trial manager courses to help get the education required to be a clinical trial manager.
There are certain clinical trial manager certifications that you should consider. These clinical trial manager certifications include Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) and Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC).
What education do you need to become a clinical trial manager?
What degree do you need to be a clinical trial manager?
- Bachelor's, 60%
- Master's, 22%
- Doctorate, 7%
- Associate, 5%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a clinical trial manager?
- Biology, 21%
- Nursing, 15%
- Business, 11%
- Psychology, 9%
- Other Majors, 44%
Most common colleges for clinical trial managers
| Clinical trial manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 8.96% |
| Temple University | 7.46% |
| University of Pennsylvania | 7.46% |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 6.72% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 5.97% |
Best majors for clinical trial managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 20.7% |
| 2 | Nursing | 14.8% |
| 3 | Business | 11.1% |
| 4 | Psychology | 8.9% |
| 5 | Health Care Administration | 5.9% |
Best colleges for clinical trial managers
The best colleges for clinical trial managers are University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
A clinical trial manager with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for clinical trial managers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become clinical trial managers.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
5. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
7. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
8. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
9. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
10. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$54,104
Enrollment
7,089
20 best online courses for clinical trial managers
Advertising disclosure
1. Clinical Trials Data Management and Quality Assurance
In this course, you’ll learn to collect and care for the data gathered during your trial and how to prevent mistakes and errors through quality assurance practices. Clinical trials generate an enormous amount of data, so you and your team must plan carefully by choosing the right collection instruments, systems, and measures to protect the integrity of your trial data. You’ll learn how to assemble, clean, and de-identify your datasets. Finally, you’ll learn to find and correct deficiencies...
2. Clinical Trials Operations
This specialization is designed for individuals and teams that will be running or interacting with clinical trials. In four courses, learners will develop insights and build the skills they need to design, manage, and monitor clinical trials as well as analyze, document, and communicate the results. Learners will also learn best practices regarding ethics, safety, participant recruitment, regulatory compliance, and reporting standards. The core principles and skills of the specialization will...
3. Basic of Clinical Data Management
Clinical Data Management...
4. Good Clinical Practice for Clinical Research Professionals
The Complete, Certified ICH GCP (R2 & R3) Course for Investigators, Study Coordinators, Sponsors, Monitors and Study staff...
5. Clinical Trials Analysis, Monitoring, and Presentation
In this course, you’ll learn more advanced operational skills that you and your team need to run a successful clinical trial. You’ll learn about the computation of sample size and how to develop a sample size calculation that’s suitable for your trial design and outcome measures. You’ll also learn to use statistical methods to monitor your trial for safety, integrity, and efficacy. Next, you’ll learn how to report the results from your clinical trials through both journal articles and data...
6. Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials
In this course, you’ll learn how to design and carry out clinical trials. Each design choice has implications for the quality and validity of your results. This course provides you and your team with essential skills to evaluate options, make good design choices, and implement them within your trial. You’ll learn to control for bias, randomize participants, mask treatments and outcomes, identify errors, develop and test hypotheses, and define appropriate outcomes. Finally, a trial without...
7. The Simplest Guide to Clinical Trials Data Analysis with SAS
Step into the world of Pharmaceutical industry Clinical Trials Clinical Research Biostatistics Clinical SAS SAS...
8. Good Clinical Practice ICH GCP for Clinical Research
Certification on ICH GCP E6 R2 Good Clinical Practice for Clinical Research The Only Complete Course You Can Find Online...
9. Certificate Course in Clinical Research (CCCR)
A Clinical Research Course-ICH-GCP E6(R2), Clinical Trials, Essential Documents, Sponsor, Investigator, Pharmaceuticals...
10. The Beginners Course for Clinical Research
The Essentials of Clinical Trials - Clinical Research for Beginners...
11. Agile Crash Course: Agile Project Management; Agile Delivery
Agile Project Management Basics (Scrum) & Agile Project Management Essentials (Scrum). Plus Agile Certification (Scrum)...
12. Good Clinical Practice (GCP)
Key features of the GCP guideline, roles and responsibilities involved and the requirements of essential documentation...
13. Project Management: Becoming a Successful Project manager
Project Management...
14. Beginning Project Management: Project Management Level One
Project Management: Growing a Successful Career as a Project Manager...
15. Practical Project Management for Management Consultants
How to manage successfully a consulting project - a practical guide for Project Managers...
16. Project Management Course: Master Project Scope Management
Practical guide to scope development and management - Project Management Certification (PMP, CAPM) Training [Earn 11PDU]...
17. Project Management: Simple Software Project Management
Project Management for NEW Project Managers - knowledge, tools, techniques, skills, checklists, guidelines, pitfalls...
18. Project Management Essentials
A crash course in the essentials of project management for new project managers...
19. Mastering Agile Scrum Project Management
Review and master agile development & scrum methodologies for your career...
20. Practical Project Portfolio Management
Selecting & Managing The Right Projects...
Top 10 most affordable universities for clinical trial managers
The most affordable schools for clinical trial managers are University of Florida, california state university - bakersfield, and suny farmingdale.
If the best universities for clinical trial managers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for clinical trial managers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
4. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
8. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
9. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
10. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for clinical trial managers
The hardest universities for clinical trial managers to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for clinical trial managers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for clinical trial managers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
8. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,456
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
10. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for clinical trial managers
The easiest schools for clinical trial managers to get into are Barry University, d'youville college, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a clinical trial manager without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for clinical trial managers.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
5. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
6. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
7. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
8. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
9. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
10. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
Average clinical trial manager salary by education level
| Clinical trial manager education level | Clinical trial manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $117,081 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $81,473 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $103,884 |
| Doctorate Degree | $125,624 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $86,032 |
Clinical trial manager education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025