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Job outlook for clinical trial managers in the United States
Clinical trial manager job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected clinical trial manager job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 4,600 new jobs for clinical trial managers are projected over the next decade.
Clinical trial manager salaries have increased 15% for clinical trial managers in the last 5 years.
There are over 8,106 clinical trial managers currently employed in the United States.
There are 60,284 active clinical trial manager job openings in the US.
The average clinical trial manager salary is $93,644.
Are clinical trial manager jobs in demand?
Clinical trial manager job and salary trends over time
Clinical trial manager jobs over time
Clinical trial manager job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,106 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 8,226 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 7,342 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 6,533 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 6,094 | 0.00% |
Average clinical trial manager salary over time
Clinical trial manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $93,644 | $45.02 | +6.8% |
| 2024 | $87,643 | $42.14 | +4.2% |
| 2023 | $84,085 | $40.43 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | $80,766 | $38.83 | --0.7% |
| 2021 | $81,363 | $39.12 | --0.3% |
Clinical trial manager jobs by state
Most common states for clinical trial managers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 277 | 40% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,558 | 23% |
| 3 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 187 | 18% |
| 4 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,487 | 17% |
| 5 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 232 | 17% |
| 6 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 126 | 17% |
| 7 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 963 | 16% |
| 8 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,117 | 15% |
| 9 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 610 | 15% |
| 10 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 534 | 15% |
| 11 | Delaware | 961,939 | 140 | 15% |
| 12 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,398 | 14% |
| 13 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 146 | 14% |
| 14 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 124 | 14% |
| 15 | California | 39,536,653 | 5,159 | 13% |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,679 | 13% |
| 17 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 729 | 13% |
| 18 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,049 | 12% |
| 19 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 769 | 12% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 74 | 12% |
Most common cities for clinical trial managers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frankfort | 10 | 36% | $77,768 |
| 2 | Juneau | 9 | 28% | $79,392 |
| 3 | Annapolis | 10 | 25% | $96,449 |
| 4 | Dover | 9 | 24% | $94,913 |
| 5 | Lansing | 13 | 11% | $86,830 |
| 6 | Springfield | 10 | 9% | $81,571 |
| 7 | Hartford | 10 | 8% | $82,005 |
| 8 | Topeka | 9 | 7% | $74,875 |
| 9 | Baton Rouge | 12 | 5% | $79,875 |
| 10 | Little Rock | 9 | 5% | $74,391 |
| 11 | Tallahassee | 9 | 5% | $81,518 |
| 12 | Des Moines | 9 | 4% | $81,438 |
| 13 | Montgomery | 9 | 4% | $72,785 |
| 14 | Boston | 19 | 3% | $96,875 |
| 15 | Atlanta | 15 | 3% | $91,394 |
| 16 | Indianapolis | 9 | 1% | $86,114 |
| 17 | Phoenix | 9 | 1% | $91,023 |
| 18 | Denver | 8 | 1% | $68,351 |
Clinical Trial Manager job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of clinical trial manager experts
Swarthmore College
Florida Gulf Coast University
Stephen F. Austin State University
University of Minnesota
Stevens Institute of Technology
Drexel University
University of Minnesota Medical School
What will help Clinical Trial Managers increase their earning potential?
Michael Brown: I think having a suite of skills is the best strategy. Our graduates learn physics analysis and problem solving skills, but also computer modelling skills, experimental techniques, writing skills, and even how to make an effective presentation.
What technical skills for a Clinical Trial Manager stand out to employers?
Marianela Rivera Ph.D.: In the past, technology was not necessarily one of the main concerns for people interested in romance languages, literatures, and linguistics; however, even before the pandemic, a variety of platforms and resources were made available to facilitate teaching courses related to those fields. The pandemic has highlighted the need to adapt to evolving times, so now technical skills are definitely something employers look for in potential candidates in addition to teaching and research excellence. Knowledge of and experience in online course development, technical writing, social media management, learning management systems, and project management are definitely skills that would stand out to employers.
Hunter Hampton Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorStephen F. Austin State University
Department of History
How have salaries changed over time for Clinical Trial Managers?
Hunter Hampton Ph.D.: This is difficult to answer because of the variety of fields that someone with a history degree can go into. They range from lawyers, museum curators, writers, business owners, teachers, and a few that get a Ph.D to teach at the college level. For my field as a professor specifically, the salaries are near flat over the past four years. I don't foresee them improving in the near future as state funding continues to decline for higher education. But I do believe that the salary for history majors will increase as employers continue to see the value of hiring humanities graduates.
What soft skills should all Clinical Trial Managers possess?
Lee Penn Ph.D.: I hear over and over again from recruiters - they want candidates with strong backgrounds in their majors PLUS two things.
1 - experience with data science, statistics, or some kind of computer science
2 - soft skills (communication, playing well with other, collaboration, etc...)
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Clinical Trial Manager job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Ionut Florescu: When the pandemic started in March 2020 the job market drained. I had students with internships blocked and job offers rescinded over night. The fact that we had 87% employment 3 months after graduation for the program I am leading, during pandemic times I think is a testimonial of the strength of our career development team. This changed in December 2020 and I believe this spring we will see a return to normality. We are already doing better than last year and the semester is not even finished.
I am seeing all interviews going online even for companies that are next to us. So, in theory at least, our advantage being right next to Manhattan and Jersey City is not as prominent as before the pandemic. Yet, in the last two months our students are doing as well as before the pandemic. The reason, I think they keep coming back to us is tradition and the fact that our graduates are very technically sound.
Our undergraduate program Quantitative Finance was completely unaffected by the pandemic. The reason is the students typically get offers in their third year. So seniors were unaffected and juniors are now getting offers. This is because the QF program is extremely technical. It probably is the only program in Business Schools in US where students are taking Calc I through IV, and more probability and statistics than any engineering program. I think going forward, those traits are going to become the norm not the exception. I believe every graduate in the future will need to know how to program.
What soft skills should all Clinical Trial Managers possess?
Dr. Ionut Florescu: I believe in terms of soft skills, every graduate should be able to explain the results of their complex models to someone who isn't technically sound. So, presentation skills are extremely important. Then the capability of approaching a presenter at a conference or workshop and ask pertinent questions about what they just presented is really important. We require all our students to not only make presentations but also ask questions during other teams' presentations. I believe the most important thing as a teacher in the course is to criticize them when their presentation is not crisp or when the question isn't clear or appropriate.
Rogelio Minana Ph.D.
Vice Provost for Global Engagement, Head of Global Studies and Modern LanguagesDrexel University
Office of Global Engagement
What will help Clinical Trial Managers increase their earning potential?
Rogelio Minana Ph.D.: In any field, having broad global qualifications, from experience studying and living abroad to language skills and the ability to work as part of international teams, provides a clear edge. Data indicates that international/global experience leads to higher graduation rates and higher GPA in college, as well as to higher earnings and higher change of promotion to decision-making positions after graduation. Developing intercultural competency and proactively seeking and appreciating diversity, both domestic and international, are critical not only for a healthy job market but also for a fairer society.
Sharolyn Kawakami-Schulz Ph.D.
Director, Office of Professional DevelopmentUniversity of Minnesota Medical School
Biomedical Graduate Research, Education & Training (BGREAT)
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Clinical Trial Managers?
Sharolyn Kawakami-Schulz Ph.D.: COVID-19 has certainly impacted the landscape, but not all of the effects are negative. There is still a level of uncertainty about how exactly things will change, and some sectors that employ our graduates may be impacted more than others. However, on the whole the pandemic has demonstrated how important science and research are, and we expect this to be reflected in the job market. The unemployment rate of scientists has been low, and we expect this trend to continue.
What's a day at work look like for a Clinical Trial Manager?
Sharolyn Kawakami-Schulz Ph.D.: As the workforce continues to adapt to restrictions resulting from the pandemic, graduates can expect to find more workplaces discussing hybrid workdays, with a combination of in person and work from home activity. In some sectors, the pandemic has demonstrated that remote work can be a new normal. As graduates work across various sectors and in a variety of types of roles, each person's day will look different. However, flexibility and adaptability will continue to be key skills for success.
What technical skills for a Clinical Trial Manager stand out to employers?
Sharolyn Kawakami-Schulz Ph.D.: Graduates who possess certain technical skills should be sure to demonstrate in their job documents how those skills meet the needs of an employer. However, more than any particular technical skill, graduates will need to demonstrate their ability to continue to learn and adapt. Communication skills - written, oral, and to various audiences - will continue to be key in their ability to succeed and do well in all sectors.