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The differences between clinical trials specialists and research administrators 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 research administrator. Additionally, a clinical trials specialist has an average salary of $74,910, which is higher than the $52,667 average annual salary of a research administrator.
The top three skills for a clinical trials specialist include patients, clinical research and clinical trials. The most important skills for a research administrator are research administration, customer service, and principal investigators.
| Clinical Trials Specialist | Research Administrator | |
| Yearly salary | $74,910 | $52,667 |
| Hourly rate | $36.01 | $25.32 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 57,458 | 99,798 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| 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 research administrator oversees the progress of research programs, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities mostly revolve around devising strategies to optimize processes, coordinating different departments, setting goals and objectives, managing the schedule and budgets, and maintaining records of all transactions. There are also instances when a research administrator must produce progress reports, participate in gathering surveys and feedbacks, and resolve issues promptly and professionally. Furthermore, as a research administrator, it is essential to lead and encourage team members to reach goals while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Clinical trials specialists and research administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Trials Specialist | Research Administrator | |
| Average salary | $74,910 | $52,667 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $120,000 | Between $41,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Exelixis | Kronos Incorporated |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a clinical trials specialist and a research administrator in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Trials Specialist | Research Administrator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Biology | Business |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between clinical trials specialists' and research administrators' demographics:
| Clinical Trials Specialist | Research Administrator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.0% Female, 73.0% | Male, 30.6% Female, 69.4% |
| 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, 2.6% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 8.8% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |