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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.
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.
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 associates and study directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Clinical Research Associate | Study Director | |
| Average salary | $95,878 | $82,066 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $142,000 | Between $56,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Sacramento, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Acorda Therapeutics | AbbVie |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a senior clinical research associate and a study director in terms of educational background:
| Senior Clinical Research Associate | Study Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | Duke University | - |
Here are the differences between senior clinical research associates' and study directors' demographics:
| Senior Clinical Research Associate | Study Director | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.2% Female, 71.8% | Male, 54.9% Female, 45.1% |
| Race ratio | Black 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 Percentage | 9% | 9% |