Side-by-side distribution
Clinical Research
$71,675
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 38.1%
- Live roles
- 1,044
Regulatory Affairs
$148,145
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 37.7%
- Live roles
- 395
Highest-paying jobs
Senior Clinical Research Associate - Oncology
Clinical AI Researcher
Client Relationship Associate Director, Connected Devices PM (Clinical Research)
Associate Clinical Research Director
Associate Principal Scientist, Clinical Research
RN - Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator - MGH
Senior Clinical Research Associate - Early-Stage Development (ESD) (REMOTE)
Senior Clinical Research Associate (Midwest)
Senior Clinical Research Associate (Remote - Field Based)
Senior Clinical Research Associate, Sponsor Dedicated
Highest-paying jobs
Associate Director, Regulatory Affairs (on-site)
Regulatory Affairs Associate Director, Globalization (Registrations)
Associate Director, Regulatory Affairs
Associate Director, Regulatory Affairs (Robotics & Digital Solutions) - MedTech Surgery
Senior Regulatory Affairs Manager – Digital Solutions (on-site)
Associate Director Regulatory Affairs – Vascular (on-site)
Sr Manager Regulatory Affairs- LATAM
Senior Manager, Government & Regulatory Affairs
Senior Manager, Regulatory Affairs, Advertising & Promotion
Associate Director / Director, Regulatory Affairs - CMC
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
University of Pennsylvania
|
$50,366 | 42 |
Washington University in St. Louis
|
$68,250 | 38 |
| MG Mass General Brigham | $52,010 | 34 |
|
IQVIA
|
$127,500 | 33 |
| WC Worldwide Clinical Trials | $145,000 | 29 |
ICON plc
|
$124,335 | 26 |
University of Chicago
|
$67,500 | 18 |
| BI Beth Israel Lahey Health | $50,066 | 14 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Abbott
|
$149,000 | 23 |
|
BD
|
$124,650 | 8 |
|
Regeneron
|
$169,300 | 6 |
Stryker
|
$111,050 | 5 |
| ME Medtronic | $93,000 | 5 |
|
Johnson & Johnson
|
$156,402 | 4 |
Travere Therapeutics
|
$152,000 | 4 |
Roche
|
$171,700 | 3 |
Clinical Research salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $124,335 | 11 |
| Los Angeles | $124,335 | 6 |
| Denver | $124,335 | 6 |
| San Francisco | $117,702 | 8 |
| Seattle | $113,544 | 4 |
| Chicago | $67,500 | 21 |
| Boston | $52,010 | 31 |
| Austin | $40,000 | 3 |
Regulatory Affairs salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $180,850 | 6 |
| Boston | $172,500 | 5 |
| Chicago | $110,100 | 3 |
Clinical Research vs Regulatory Affairs: which pays more?
The median for Clinical Research is $71,675 per year (typically $59,696–$111,125), versus $148,145 for Regulatory Affairs ($114,500–$175,250). That puts Regulatory Affairs about 107% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Clinical Research and Regulatory Affairs 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.