Side-by-side distribution
Clinical Research
$72,990
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 37.3%
- Live roles
- 1,078
Microbiologist
$30.50/hr
per hour · USD
- Disclosing
- 23.8%
- Live roles
- 42
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 Associate Manager - Neurology (Remote)
Associate Principal Scientist, Clinical Research
RN - Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator - MGH
Clinical Research Associate 2, IQVIA
Highest-paying jobs
Clinical Microbiologist Scientist- Lab
Microbiologist II
Associate Microbiologist
Microbiologist I (12 month contract)
Assistant Microbiologist I (3rd shift, Tues-Sat) - Sturgis, MI Plant
Assistant Microbiologist I - 3rd shift - Columbus Plant
Entry Level - Microbiologist I - Nights - Casa Grande, AZ
Entry Level - Microbiologist I - Nights - Casa Grande, AZ
Associate Microbiologist
QC Microbiologist 1
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
University of Pennsylvania
|
$50,366 | 45 |
Washington University in St. Louis
|
$68,250 | 43 |
|
IQVIA
|
$126,950 | 41 |
| WC Worldwide Clinical Trials | $145,000 | 35 |
ICON plc
|
$124,335 | 28 |
| MG Mass General Brigham | $52,010 | 27 |
| FO Fortrea | $110,000 | 14 |
University of Chicago
|
$67,500 | 11 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Abbott
|
$59,488 | 4 |
|
Marshall Medical Center
|
$115,430 | 1 |
| ME Medtronic | $98,000 | 1 |
|
Kenvue
|
$69,568 | 1 |
|
Conagra Brands
|
$69,000 | 1 |
|
NAMSA
|
$67,007 | 1 |
| GH GE HealthCare | $59,500 | 1 |
Clinical Research salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $132,650 | 7 |
| New York | $124,335 | 8 |
| Los Angeles | $124,335 | 4 |
| Denver | $113,544 | 6 |
| Seattle | $102,753 | 3 |
| Chicago | $67,500 | 17 |
| Austin | $53,454 | 5 |
| Boston | $52,010 | 29 |
Clinical Research vs Microbiologist: which pays more?
The median for Clinical Research is $72,990 per year (typically $60,341–$115,000), versus $30.50/hr for Microbiologist ($28.60/hr–$32.21/hr). That puts Clinical Research about 15% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Clinical Research and Microbiologist 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.