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Senior clinical research associate vs clinical project manager

The differences between senior clinical research associates and clinical project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a senior clinical research associate and a clinical project manager. Additionally, a clinical project manager has an average salary of $100,510, which is higher than the $95,878 average annual salary of a senior clinical research associate.

The top three skills for a senior clinical research associate include patients, informed consent and oncology. The most important skills for a clinical project manager are manage cross, patients, and clinical research.

Senior clinical research associate vs clinical project manager overview

Senior Clinical Research AssociateClinical Project Manager
Yearly salary$95,878$100,510
Hourly rate$46.10$48.32
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs94,045153,837
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

What does a senior clinical research associate do?

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.

What does a clinical project manager do?

A clinical project manager specializes in developing and organizing clinical trials. Their responsibilities revolve around planning and coordinating with all necessary personnel and experts, scheduling meetings, and preparing necessary documentation, ensuring compliance with all laws and regulations. Moreover, a clinical project manager must devise strategies and train all staff, develop protocols and guidelines, coordinate with vendors and suppliers, evaluate staff and verify documentation, and assist in all activities to ensure that every process aligns with the project's agenda. Should there be any issues or concerns, a clinical project manager must conduct corrective measures right away.

Senior clinical research associate vs clinical project manager salary

Senior clinical research associates and clinical project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Senior Clinical Research AssociateClinical Project Manager
Average salary$95,878$100,510
Salary rangeBetween $64,000 And $142,000Between $74,000 And $136,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASouth San Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateWashingtonCalifornia
Best paying companyAcorda TherapeuticsIntuitive Surgical
Best paying industryPharmaceuticalPharmaceutical

Differences between senior clinical research associate and clinical project manager education

There are a few differences between a senior clinical research associate and a clinical project manager in terms of educational background:

Senior Clinical Research AssociateClinical Project Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common majorBiologyNursing
Most common collegeDuke UniversityUniversity of Pennsylvania

Senior clinical research associate vs clinical project manager demographics

Here are the differences between senior clinical research associates' and clinical project managers' demographics:

Senior Clinical Research AssociateClinical Project Manager
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 28.2% Female, 71.8%Male, 32.5% Female, 67.5%
Race ratioBlack 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%Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 10.8% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between senior clinical research associate and clinical project manager duties and responsibilities

Senior clinical research associate example responsibilities.

  • Manage a consultant to review scientific support and create dossiers on each product that make health claims in the EU.
  • Interact with FDA and other regulatory authorities to manage and facilitate approval of regulatory submissions.
  • Monitor U.S. sites in accordance with ICH and GCP guidelines.
  • Maintain investigators and subjects files, review investigators files for compliance with GCP and FDA regulations, review drug utilization records.
  • Verify informed consent procedures and protocol requirements base on applicable regulatory requirements to ensure protection of study patients.
  • Provide site management for both therapeutic and supportive care oncology protocols that are complex and require knowledge in advance therapeutic areas.
  • Show more

Clinical project manager example responsibilities.

  • Develop, manage, motivate and ensure professional development of project staff (13 CRAs).
  • Manage domestic and international oncology clinical study sites.
  • Manage multiple pharmaceutical studies ensuring compliance with FDA guidelines.
  • Manage the operational aspects and execution of clinical studies focusing on oncology.
  • Supervise rotating team of CRA's contract with the CRO, educating on therapeutic area, and ensuring ICH GCP compliance.
  • Ensure GCP / ICH regulatory compliance on studies, preventing study deviations and provide swift resolutions to possible violations.
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Senior clinical research associate vs clinical project manager skills

Common senior clinical research associate skills
  • Patients, 11%
  • Informed Consent, 6%
  • Oncology, 5%
  • CRA, 5%
  • Site Management, 5%
  • Field Training, 4%
Common clinical project manager skills
  • Manage Cross, 12%
  • Patients, 9%
  • Clinical Research, 8%
  • Project Management, 7%
  • Clinical Trials, 5%
  • Oversight, 5%

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