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Clinical trials specialist salary
Average clinical trials specialist salary
$74,910
Clinical Trials Specialist Salary Overview
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Clinical Trials Specialist is around $74,910 per year. This figure translates to approximately $36 per hour. Salaries can differ significantly based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific employer. For instance, specialists in urban centers may command higher salaries due to increased demand and cost of living.
Salary by State and City
Clinical Trials Specialists can find better remuneration in states such as California, Texas, and Florida. Additionally, cities like San Francisco and New York tend to offer higher salaries compared to other regions. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for job seekers aiming to maximize their earnings in this field.
Career Growth Opportunities
The career path for Clinical Trials Specialists is promising, with opportunities for advancement into roles such as Clinical Project Manager or Regulatory Affairs Specialist. These positions often come with higher salaries and increased responsibilities, making them appealing options for those looking to progress in their careers.
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Where can a Clinical Trials Specialist earn more?
Average clinical trials specialist salary by state
The average clinical trials specialist salary in California, Washington, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average clinical trials specialist salary states are Kansas, Kentucky, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for clinical trials specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $99,386 | $47.78 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $97,586 | $46.92 |
| 3 | New York | $94,671 | $45.51 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $94,197 | $45.29 |
| 5 | Arizona | $83,434 | $40.11 |
| 6 | Oregon | $83,574 | $40.18 |
| 7 | California | $103,483 | $49.75 |
| 8 | Vermont | $85,199 | $40.96 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $77,766 | $37.39 |
| 10 | Maine | $76,400 | $36.73 |
| 11 | Nevada | $80,616 | $38.76 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $92,437 | $44.44 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $82,214 | $39.53 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $83,414 | $40.10 |
| 15 | Delaware | $80,420 | $38.66 |
| 16 | Illinois | $80,369 | $38.64 |
| 17 | Florida | $75,487 | $36.29 |
| 18 | Montana | $75,798 | $36.44 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $85,594 | $41.15 |
| 20 | Idaho | $79,229 | $38.09 |
| 21 | Iowa | $75,774 | $36.43 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $71,557 | $34.40 |
| 23 | Michigan | $73,169 | $35.18 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $72,654 | $34.93 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $72,043 | $34.64 |
| 26 | Georgia | $75,493 | $36.29 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $69,466 | $33.40 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $69,243 | $33.29 |
| 29 | Virginia | $75,247 | $36.18 |
| 30 | Colorado | $74,019 | $35.59 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $72,049 | $34.64 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $67,443 | $32.42 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $68,038 | $32.71 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $67,883 | $32.64 |
| 35 | Texas | $68,998 | $33.17 |
| 36 | Maryland | $68,664 | $33.01 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $66,328 | $31.89 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $65,766 | $31.62 |
| 39 | Ohio | $68,682 | $33.02 |
| 40 | Utah | $65,508 | $31.49 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $63,894 | $30.72 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $67,809 | $32.60 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $65,397 | $31.44 |
| 44 | Alaska | $66,044 | $31.75 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $61,202 | $29.42 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $61,298 | $29.47 |
| 47 | Kansas | $61,888 | $29.75 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $62,046 | $29.83 |
| 49 | Alabama | $60,435 | $29.06 |
| 50 | Missouri | $60,159 | $28.92 |
| 51 | Indiana | $59,111 | $28.42 |
Highest paying cities for clinical trials specialists
The highest-paying cities for clinical trials specialists are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $113,063 | $54.36 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $100,612 | $48.37 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $97,756 | $47.00 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $94,738 | $45.55 |
| 5 | Elizabeth, NJ | $94,475 | $45.42 |
| 6 | Scottsdale, AZ | $83,941 | $40.36 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $80,937 | $38.91 |
| 8 | Wilmington, DE | $80,765 | $38.83 |
| 9 | Iowa City, IA | $76,127 | $36.60 |
| 10 | Atlanta, GA | $75,170 | $36.14 |
| 11 | Aurora, CO | $73,636 | $35.40 |
| 12 | Raleigh, NC | $70,541 | $33.91 |
| 13 | Toledo, OH | $69,684 | $33.50 |
| 14 | Baltimore, MD | $68,979 | $33.16 |
| 15 | Philadelphia, PA | $68,478 | $32.92 |
| 16 | Lenexa, KS | $61,846 | $29.73 |
| 17 | Birmingham, AL | $59,646 | $28.68 |
Clinical trials specialist salary details
A clinical trials specialist's salary ranges from $46,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $120,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a clinical trials specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $120,000 | $10,000 | $58 |
| 75th Percentile | $96,000 | $8,000 | $46 |
| Average | $74,910 | $6,243 | $36 |
| 25th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| 10th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
Highest paying clinical trials specialist jobs
The highest paying types of clinical trials specialists are clinical project manager, clinical research manager, and senior clinical research associate.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Project Coordinator | $48,683 | $4,057 | $23.41 | 67,800 |
| Research Administrator | $52,667 | $4,389 | $25.32 | 99,798 |
| Research Coordinator | $48,974 | $4,081 | $23.55 | 65,406 |
| Study Coordinator | $47,435 | $3,953 | $22.81 | 14,929 |
| Research Nurse | $53,463 | $4,455 | $25.70 | 46,665 |
| Study Director | $82,066 | $6,839 | $39.45 | 6,789 |
Top companies hiring clinical trials specialists now:
Which companies pay clinical trials specialists the most?
Clinical trials specialist salaries at Exelixis and Emergent BioSolutions are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average clinical trials specialist salary at companies like Genentech and Merck are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exelixis | $141,992 | $68.27 |
| 2 | Emergent BioSolutions | $132,431 | $63.67 |
| 3 | Genentech | $123,087 | $59.18 |
| 4 | Merck | $110,808 | $53.27 |
| 5 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | $102,334 | $49.20 |
| 6 | Moderna | $99,351 | $47.76 |
| 7 | Abbott | $96,769 | $46.52 |
| 8 | Parexel International | $96,424 | $46.36 |
| 9 | Sharp HealthCare | $94,175 | $45.28 |
| 10 | Syngenta | $89,068 | $42.82 |
| 11 | Alere | $86,481 | $41.58 |
| 12 | Sajix | $82,905 | $39.86 |
| 13 | Kaiser Permanente | $82,742 | $39.78 |
| 14 | Integrated Resources | $80,379 | $38.64 |
| 15 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $79,589 | $38.26 |
| 16 | Collab | $78,539 | $37.76 |
| 17 | Eclaro | $78,262 | $37.63 |
| 18 | Tata Group | $78,179 | $37.59 |
| 19 | Merz Inc | $76,984 | $37.01 |
| 20 | Vida Diagnostics | $75,120 | $36.12 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Clinical trials specialist salary trends
The average clinical trials specialist salary has risen by $12,583 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average clinical trials specialist earned $62,327 annually, but today, they earn $74,910 a year. That works out to a 15% change in pay for clinical trials specialists over the last decade.
Compare clinical trials specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average clinical trials specialist salary over time
Compare clinical trials specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Clinical trials specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $74,900 | $36.01 | +6.4% |
| 2024 | $70,100 | $33.71 | +4.1% |
| 2023 | $67,300 | $32.34 | +3.9% |
| 2022 | $64,600 | $31.06 | -0.7% |
| 2021 | $65,100 | $31.29 | -0.3% |
Recently added clinical trials specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Clinical Trials Network, (CTNx | Clinical Trials Regulatory Specialist | Cleveland, OH | 06/27/2025 | $50,000 |
| Bostonscientific | Senior Clinical Trial Specialist | Nore, MN | 06/26/2025 | $82,600 |
| Actalent | Clinical Trial Specialist | Vestal, NY | 06/18/2025 | $70,958 |
| Choice of New Rochelle In | Pre-Trial Specialist | New Rochelle, NY | 06/12/2025 | $45,000 |
| BJC Healthcare | Clinical Trial Reimbursement Specialist | Saint Louis, MO | 05/15/2025 | $57,304 |
| Third Rock Ventures | Senior Clinical Trial Specialist | San Francisco, CA | 04/21/2025 | $126,000 |
| Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center | Clinical Trial Budget Specialist | Seattle, WA | 04/13/2025 | $77,976 |
| Maze Therapeutics | Senior Clinical Trial Specialist | South San Francisco, CA | 04/06/2025 | $126,000 |
| Alto Neuroscience | Clinical Trial Specialist | Mountain View, CA | 03/29/2025 | $80,000 |
| Boston Scientific | Senior Clinical Trials Specialist, Peripheral Interventions | Maple Grove, MN | 03/27/2025 | $82,600 |
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