Study coordinator vs clinical project manager

The differences between study coordinators 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 study coordinator and a clinical project manager. Additionally, a clinical project manager has an average salary of $100,510, which is higher than the $47,435 average annual salary of a study coordinator.

The top three skills for a study coordinator include patients, informed consent and IRB. The most important skills for a clinical project manager are manage cross, patients, and clinical research.

Study coordinator vs clinical project manager overview

	Study Coordinator	Clinical Project Manager
Yearly salary	$47,435	$100,510
Hourly rate	$22.81	$48.32
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	14,929	153,837
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	2

What does a study coordinator do?

Study coordinators oversee the entire process of clinical research from its inception to its completion. The coordinators make certain that human subjects are safe and well-protected. They identify the eligibility of the subject through clinical record screening and medical information extracting. It is their responsibility to maintain the regulatory documents based on the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They should develop skills and knowledge in clinical trials, study protocol, and patient care.

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.

Study coordinator vs clinical project manager salary

Study coordinators and clinical project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Study Coordinator	Clinical Project Manager
Average salary	$47,435	$100,510
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $65,000	Between $74,000 And $136,000
Highest paying City	Oakland, CA	South San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Connecticut	California
Best paying company	Bloodworks Northwest	Intuitive Surgical
Best paying industry	Health Care	Pharmaceutical

Differences between study coordinator and clinical project manager education

There are a few differences between a study coordinator and a clinical project manager in terms of educational background:

	Study Coordinator	Clinical Project Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	University of Pennsylvania

Study coordinator vs clinical project manager demographics

Here are the differences between study coordinators' and clinical project managers' demographics:

	Study Coordinator	Clinical Project Manager
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 23.7% Female, 76.3%	Male, 32.5% Female, 67.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 8.9% White, 64.8% 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 Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between study coordinator and clinical project manager duties and responsibilities

Study coordinator example 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.
Maintain accurate IRB, regulatory and study documentation to insure compliance with protocol and good clinical practice guidelines.
Coordinate day-to-day study activities including data collection and statistical analysis, protocol development/implementation, IRB relations, and staff development.

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.

Study coordinator vs clinical project manager skills

Common study coordinator skills

Patients, 14%
Informed Consent, 9%
IRB, 7%
Data Collection, 5%
FDA, 5%
Clinical Trials, 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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Study Coordinator
Study Coordinator vs Clinical Project Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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