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Senior clinical research associate vs study director

The differences between senior clinical research associates 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 senior clinical research associate and a study director. Additionally, a senior clinical research associate has an average salary of $95,878, which is higher than the $82,066 average annual salary of a study director.

The top three skills for a senior clinical research associate include patients, informed consent and oncology. The most important skills for a study director are toxicology, data collection, and study design.

Senior clinical research associate vs study director overview

Senior Clinical Research AssociateStudy Director
Yearly salary$95,878$82,066
Hourly rate$46.10$39.45
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs94,0456,789
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
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 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.

Senior clinical research associate vs study director salary

Senior clinical research associates and study directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Senior Clinical Research AssociateStudy Director
Average salary$95,878$82,066
Salary rangeBetween $64,000 And $142,000Between $56,000 And $118,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASacramento, CA
Highest paying stateWashingtonCalifornia
Best paying companyAcorda TherapeuticsAbbVie
Best paying industryPharmaceuticalHealth Care

Differences between senior clinical research associate and study director education

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

Senior Clinical Research AssociateStudy Director
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common majorBiologyBiology
Most common collegeDuke University-

Senior clinical research associate vs study director demographics

Here are the differences between senior clinical research associates' and study directors' demographics:

Senior Clinical Research AssociateStudy Director
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 28.2% Female, 71.8%Male, 54.9% Female, 45.1%
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, 2.5% 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 senior clinical research associate and study director 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

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

Senior clinical research associate vs study director skills

Common senior clinical research associate skills
  • Patients, 11%
  • Informed Consent, 6%
  • Oncology, 5%
  • CRA, 5%
  • Site Management, 5%
  • Field Training, 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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