How To Become A Study Coordinator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a study coordinator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Michael Brown

Study coordinators are responsible for managing clinical research activities to ensure that they comply with federal guidelines and institutional policy. They oversee the research process from inception to completion and prepare documentation for institutional review board approval. They also prepare the study budget and collaborate with the funding agency to allocate appropriate funding for all aspects of the clinical research.

Study coordinators primarily ensure that their human subjects are safe and sound. They develop skills and knowledge in clinical trials, study protocol, and patient care while drafting informed consent documents and ensuring that all patients have completed those forms. They also oversee patient involvement and report any adverse events occurring during the clinical research. Study coordinators are often employed by research hospitals, educational facilities, laboratories, and many more.

Study coordinators typically have a bachelor's degree in science, biology, chemistry, or other related fields. Due to the nature of the job, they must have garnered some years of clinical research experience and gained excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Study coordinators earn an average salary of approximately $42,000 per year, or $20 per hour.

What's a day at work look like for a study coordinator?

Michael Brown

Morris L. Clothier Professor of Physics, Swarthmore College

Hard to say. I predict that there will be more remote work than we've had in the past. Our physics graduates engaged in experimental or hands-on research will need to be in a physical laboratory. Our graduates are learning how to do computer modelling in the cloud from home.

ScoreStudy CoordinatorUS Average

Salary

3.7

Avg. Salary $47,435

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.6

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%

Asian 8.92%

Black or African American 2.60%

Hispanic or Latino 15.52%

Unknown 7.63%

White 64.82%

Gender

female 76.29%

male 23.71%

Age - 43.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43.5

Stress level

5.6

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.5

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.3

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a study coordinator

Explore study coordinator education requirements

Most common study coordinator degrees

Bachelor's

61.4 %

Master's

17.8 %

Associate

10.2 %

Start to develop specific study coordinator skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	13.86%
Informed Consent	9.10%
IRB	7.12%
Data Collection	5.45%
FDA	5.43%

Complete relevant study coordinator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New study coordinators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a study coordinator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real study coordinator resumes.

Gain additional study coordinator certifications

Study coordinator certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific study coordinator certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for study coordinators include Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) and Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC).

More About Certifications

Research study coordinator duties and responsibilities

Manage and analyze EKG and sleep data collect from subjects in confidential database.
Establish and maintain strong community partnerships to achieve HIV prevention objectives.
Conduct consent discussions and other study procedures per protocol and CFR and GCP guidelines.
Maintain strict patient confidentiality according to HIPPA regulations, GCP and ICH , 21 CFR and other regulatory documentation.

Prepare your study coordinator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your study coordinator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a study coordinator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable study coordinator resume templates

Build a professional study coordinator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your study coordinator resume.