Side-by-side distribution
Biotech Research
$94,975
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 35.8%
- Live roles
- 1,684
Clinical Research
$68,650
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 36.1%
- Live roles
- 1,100
Highest-paying jobs
Senior Clinical Research Associate - Oncology (US)
Principal Scientist / Associate Director, Agentic AI Research for Materials Science
Associate Principal, Patient-Centered Research
Postdoctoral Research Associate - Uncertainty Modeling
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Associate Vice President, Market & Client Research (Hospital and Healthcare) - REMOTE
Associate Director, Health Economics & Outcomes Research, Solid Tumors
Associate Medical Director, Clinical Research
Associate Medical Director, Clinical Research
Fundamental Research Group Associate (Biotech)
Highest-paying jobs
Senior Clinical Research Associate - Oncology (US)
Associate Medical Director, Clinical Research
Associate Medical Director, Clinical Research
Clinical AI Researcher
Client Relationship Associate Director, Connected Devices PM (Clinical Research)
Associate Clinical Research Director
Clinical Research Clinician, Associate Director
Associate Principal Scientist, Clinical Research
Clinical Research Associate - Sponsor Dedicated
Clinical Research Associate 2, IQVIA
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
IQVIA
|
$130,450 | 38 |
The University of Texas at Austin
|
$50,864 | 36 |
| WC Worldwide Clinical Trials | $145,000 | 35 |
| NU Northeastern University | $72,754 | 31 |
ICON plc
|
$124,335 | 24 |
USC
|
$71,045 | 18 |
| SJ St. Jude Children's Research Hospital | $72,500 | 15 |
| BN Brookhaven National Laboratory | $82,400 | 13 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
University of Pennsylvania
|
$50,366 | 48 |
|
IQVIA
|
$121,275 | 46 |
Washington University in St. Louis
|
$68,250 | 44 |
| WC Worldwide Clinical Trials | $145,000 | 35 |
| MG Mass General Brigham | $52,010 | 31 |
|
ICON plc
|
$124,335 | 24 |
| FO Fortrea | $110,000 | 11 |
University of Kansas Medical Center
|
$76,000 | 11 |
Biotech Research salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $142,500 | 76 |
| Atlanta | $132,650 | 3 |
| San Francisco | $124,600 | 25 |
| Seattle | $113,544 | 6 |
| Denver | $113,544 | 8 |
| London | $113,500 | 3 |
| Chicago | $102,753 | 13 |
| Los Angeles | $74,000 | 29 |
| Boston | $72,754 | 50 |
| Toronto | $58,524 | 4 |
Clinical Research salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $132,650 | 6 |
| New York | $124,335 | 5 |
| Los Angeles | $124,335 | 4 |
| Denver | $113,544 | 6 |
| Seattle | $102,753 | 3 |
| Chicago | $65,770 | 16 |
| Austin | $53,454 | 5 |
| Boston | $52,010 | 33 |
Biotech Research vs Clinical Research: which pays more?
The median for Biotech Research is $94,975 per year (typically $70,107–$131,688), versus $68,650 for Clinical Research ($58,708–$110,000). That puts Biotech Research about 38% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Biotech Research and Clinical Research are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.