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Clinical trials specialist vs study director

The differences between clinical trials specialists and study directors 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 study director. Additionally, a study director has an average salary of $82,066, 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 study director are toxicology, data collection, and study design.

Clinical trials specialist vs study director overview

Clinical Trials SpecialistStudy Director
Yearly salary$74,910$82,066
Hourly rate$36.01$39.45
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs57,4586,789
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

What does a clinical trials specialist do?

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.

What does a study director do?

Technically, a study director carries out scientific responsibilities for protocol design or study plan and approval. Study directors supervise the gathering, analysis, interpretation, documentation, and reporting of data results. They handle the matriculation of students with regard to data management system development. Working with the computer systems team is part of their duties so they will be able to establish a data management system in tracking the study participants. They also support the toxicology team or group on different project teams.

Clinical trials specialist vs study director salary

Clinical trials specialists and study directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Clinical Trials SpecialistStudy Director
Average salary$74,910$82,066
Salary rangeBetween $46,000 And $120,000Between $56,000 And $118,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASacramento, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companyExelixisAbbVie
Best paying industryPharmaceuticalHealth Care

Differences between clinical trials specialist and study director education

There are a few differences between a clinical trials specialist and a study director in terms of educational background:

Clinical Trials SpecialistStudy Director
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common majorBiologyBiology
Most common collegeUniversity of Michigan - Ann Arbor-

Clinical trials specialist vs study director demographics

Here are the differences between clinical trials specialists' and study directors' demographics:

Clinical Trials SpecialistStudy Director
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 27.0% Female, 73.0%Male, 54.9% Female, 45.1%
Race ratioBlack 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, 7.5% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 12.0% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between clinical trials specialist and study director duties and responsibilities

Clinical trials specialist example responsibilities.

  • Manage all clinical data and subject source documentation through the EDC system to verify compliance and subject eligibility.
  • Lead study data management activities for oncology trials in preparation for study close-out.
  • Review clinical study documents for completeness and compliance with protocol, FDA regulations, ICH and GCP guidelines.
  • Perform routine quality control (QC) of TMF and submit documents to ensure overall quality.
  • Review ICF and study reports and find discrepancies that are missed by CRO management.
  • Collect, review, approve and track in CTMS regulatory essential start-up and amendment documents.
    • Show more

Study director example responsibilities.

  • Design, conducts and manages studies for EPA and oce compliance, such as water solubility and partition coefficient studies.
  • Manage all outsource toxicology studies at contract research laboratories.
  • Establish and maintain strong community partnerships to achieve HIV prevention objectives.
  • Evaluate study design and toxicology data as needed.
  • Consult drug development scientists on data interpretation and study conclusions for FDA submission.
  • Participate on the ISO certification team.
    • Show more

Clinical trials specialist vs study director skills

Common clinical trials specialist skills
  • Patients, 13%
  • Clinical Research, 10%
  • Clinical Trials, 9%
  • Informed Consent, 8%
  • FDA, 5%
  • Consent Forms, 4%
Common study director skills
  • Toxicology, 10%
  • Data Collection, 7%
  • Study Design, 7%
  • Project Management, 6%
  • Data Analysis, 6%
  • FDA, 6%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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