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The differences between clinical trials specialists and clinical research associates 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 trials specialist and a clinical research associate. Additionally, a clinical trials specialist has an average salary of $74,910, which is higher than the $62,966 average annual salary of a clinical research associate.
The top three skills for a clinical trials specialist include patients, clinical research and clinical trials. The most important skills for a clinical research associate are patients, informed consent, and CRA.
| Clinical Trials Specialist | Clinical Research Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $74,910 | $62,966 |
| Hourly rate | $36.01 | $30.27 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 57,458 | 94,336 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Clinical Trials specialist assist in the daily activities involved in clinical trials. This includes gathering facts, information, and observed data and helps analyze and interpret results. Clinic trials are essential in developing new medicines and vaccines needed for the safeguard of human health. Alongside this primary responsibility, it is also the clinical trial specialist's task to organize data, monitor laboratory equipment, and ensure all specimens needed for the trials are according to instructions.
A clinical research associate is responsible for assisting medical professionals in clinical trials and conducting research studies on medications and medical procedures. Clinical research associates monitor the research materials, ensuring its safety and reliability through trial procedures, writing comprehensive reports of results, and disseminating information across the concerned parties. They also provide recommendations on improving clinical processes, reiterating protocol requirements, and maintaining strict confidentiality of the trial subjects. A clinical research associate must have extensive knowledge of the medical industry, including its disciplines and principles, to perform duties accurately under minimal supervision.
Clinical trials specialists and clinical research associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Trials Specialist | Clinical Research Associate | |
| Average salary | $74,910 | $62,966 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $120,000 | Between $43,000 And $91,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Exelixis | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a clinical trials specialist and a clinical research associate in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Trials Specialist | Clinical Research Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between clinical trials specialists' and clinical research associates' demographics:
| Clinical Trials Specialist | Clinical Research Associate | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.0% Female, 73.0% | Male, 28.3% Female, 71.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 11.2% White, 62.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 2.5% Unknown, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.7% Asian, 13.0% White, 62.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |