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The differences between clinical trials specialists and senior 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 research associate. Additionally, a clinical trials specialist has an average salary of $74,910, which is higher than the $72,618 average annual salary of a senior research associate.
The top three skills for a clinical trials specialist include patients, clinical research and clinical trials. The most important skills for a senior research associate are patients, data analysis, and CRISPR.
| Clinical Trials Specialist | Senior Research Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $74,910 | $72,618 |
| Hourly rate | $36.01 | $34.91 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 57,458 | 58,903 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| 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 Research Associate works closely with research team members to implement research ideas. They diagnose, solve system/software problems, and install application software according to research needs.
Clinical trials specialists and senior research associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Trials Specialist | Senior Research Associate | |
| Average salary | $74,910 | $72,618 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $120,000 | Between $51,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Exelixis | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Government |
There are a few differences between a clinical trials specialist and a senior research associate in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Trials Specialist | Senior Research Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between clinical trials specialists' and senior research associates' demographics:
| Clinical Trials Specialist | Senior Research Associate | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.0% Female, 73.0% | Male, 53.6% Female, 46.4% |
| 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, 2.5% Unknown, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 13.4% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |