Side-by-side distribution
Clinical Research
$71,935
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 37.9%
- Live roles
- 991
Pharmaceutical Sales
$98,750
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 49.4%
- Live roles
- 160
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)
Senior Clinical Research Associate, Sponsor Dedicated
Clinical Research Associate, Sponsor Dedicated, Oncology
Highest-paying jobs
Sales Development Representative - Medical Equipment
Respiratory Pharmaceutical Sales Representative – Greater Baltimore, MD
Respiratory Pharmaceutical Sales Representative – Salisbury, MD
Respiratory Pharmaceutical Sales Representative - Bel-Air, MD
Sales Representative - Specialty Medical Products
Respiratory Pharmaceutical Sales Representative – Syracuse, NY
Medical Sales Representative (Iowa)
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative - GI - St. Louis, MO
Medical Sales Representative - Acute Care
Medical Sales Representative - Acute Care
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
University of Pennsylvania
|
$50,366 | 40 |
Washington University in St. Louis
|
$68,250 | 36 |
|
IQVIA
|
$127,225 | 32 |
| WC Worldwide Clinical Trials | $145,000 | 29 |
| MG Mass General Brigham | $52,010 | 29 |
ICON plc
|
$124,335 | 26 |
University of Chicago
|
$67,500 | 18 |
| BI Beth Israel Lahey Health | $50,066 | 13 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Inizio Engage
|
$85,500 | 52 |
| ME Medline | $125,000 | 7 |
|
GSK
|
$156,000 | 4 |
|
IQVIA
|
$107,500 | 4 |
|
Cardinal Health
|
$117,040 | 2 |
Danaher
|
$95,000 | 2 |
CHG Healthcare
|
$60,000 | 2 |
|
Huzzle
|
$561,479 | 1 |
Clinical Research salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $183,250 | 4 |
| New York | $124,335 | 14 |
| Los Angeles | $124,335 | 5 |
| Denver | $124,335 | 6 |
| Chicago | $67,500 | 25 |
| Boston | $52,010 | 30 |
| Austin | $40,000 | 3 |
Clinical Research vs Pharmaceutical Sales: which pays more?
The median for Clinical Research is $71,935 per year (typically $59,661–$111,425), versus $98,750 for Pharmaceutical Sales ($79,580–$134,625). That puts Pharmaceutical Sales about 37% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Clinical Research and Pharmaceutical Sales 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.