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The differences between clinical trials specialists and senior 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 senior clinical research associate. Additionally, a senior clinical research associate has an average salary of $95,878, which is higher than the $74,910 average annual salary of a clinical trials specialist.
The top three skills for a clinical trials specialist include patients, clinical research and clinical trials. The most important skills for a senior clinical research associate are patients, informed consent, and oncology.
| Clinical Trials Specialist | Senior Clinical Research Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $74,910 | $95,878 |
| Hourly rate | $36.01 | $46.10 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 57,458 | 94,045 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| 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 Senior Clinical Research Associate performs and coordinates all aspects of the clinical monitoring and site management process. They design, implement, and monitor clinical trials.
Clinical trials specialists and senior clinical research associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Trials Specialist | Senior Clinical Research Associate | |
| Average salary | $74,910 | $95,878 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $120,000 | Between $64,000 And $142,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Exelixis | Acorda Therapeutics |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a clinical trials specialist and a senior clinical research associate in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Trials Specialist | Senior Clinical Research Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Duke University |
Here are the differences between clinical trials specialists' and senior clinical research associates' demographics:
| Clinical Trials Specialist | Senior Clinical Research Associate | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.0% Female, 73.0% | Male, 28.2% Female, 71.8% |
| 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, 15.0% Asian, 11.6% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |