Side-by-side distribution
Clinical Research
$71,850
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 37.4%
- Live roles
- 1,009
Clinical Trial
$155,425
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 24.8%
- Live roles
- 226
Highest-paying jobs
Clinical Research Associate
Clinical AI Researcher
Client Relationship Associate Director, Connected Devices PM (Clinical Research)
Associate Clinical Research Director
Associate Principal Scientist, Clinical Research
Associate Principal Scientist, Clinical Research
RN - Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator - MGH
Senior Clinical Research Associate (Remote - Field Based)
Clinical Research Associate, Sponsor Dedicated, Oncology
Senior Clinical Research Associate, Sponsor Dedicated
Highest-paying jobs
Clinical Trial Reimbursement (CTR) Senior Manager, HE&R
Senior Clinical Trial Manager - Oncology - U.S.
Senior Clinical Trial Manager - Metabolic
Senior Clinical Trial Manager - Oncology
Senior Clinical Trial Manager - Cardiovascular, CAR-T
Senior Clinical Trial Manager - Psychiatry
Sr Manager, Technical Operations - Clinical Trial Capabilities
Trial Master File Sr. Manager, Clinical Operations
Sr. Clinical Trial Manager, Therapeutics and Oncology
Clinical Trial Manager/Senior Clinical Trial Manager
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
University of Pennsylvania
|
$50,366 | 40 |
Washington University in St. Louis
|
$68,250 | 38 |
| WC Worldwide Clinical Trials | $145,000 | 31 |
|
IQVIA
|
$127,500 | 31 |
ICON plc
|
$124,335 | 28 |
| MG Mass General Brigham | $52,010 | 28 |
University of Chicago
|
$67,500 | 18 |
| BI Beth Israel Lahey Health | $50,066 | 13 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| WC Worldwide Clinical Trials | $167,000 | 5 |
|
IQVIA
|
$137,400 | 4 |
St Vincent's Health Australia
|
$95,079 | 3 |
Corcept Therapeutics
|
$178,025 | 2 |
Eikon Therapeutics
|
$158,125 | 2 |
|
Moderna
|
$156,000 | 2 |
| BI Biogen | $150,750 | 2 |
|
Abbott
|
$143,500 | 2 |
Clinical Research salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $183,250 | 5 |
| New York | $124,335 | 13 |
| Los Angeles | $124,335 | 6 |
| Denver | $124,335 | 7 |
| Seattle | $113,544 | 4 |
| Chicago | $67,500 | 23 |
| Boston | $52,010 | 29 |
| Austin | $40,000 | 3 |
Clinical Trial salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $156,000 | 3 |
| Boston | $135,000 | 5 |
Clinical Research vs Clinical Trial: which pays more?
The median for Clinical Research is $71,850 per year (typically $59,670–$110,300), versus $155,425 for Clinical Trial ($119,563–$167,000). That puts Clinical Trial about 116% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Clinical Research and Clinical Trial 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.