Side-by-side distribution
Clinical Trial
$155,800
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 23.8%
- Live roles
- 227
Medical Affairs
$186,375
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 41.5%
- Live roles
- 460
Highest-paying jobs
Clinical Trial Reimbursement (CTR) Senior Manager, HE&R
Senior Clinical Trial Manager - Metabolic
Senior Clinical Trial Manager - Cardiovascular, CAR-T
Senior Clinical Trial Manager - Oncology
Senior Clinical Trial Manager - Psychiatry
Senior Clinical Trial Manager - Oncology - U.S.
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
Highest-paying jobs
Medical Science Liaison - Southern California
Medical Science Liaison – NYC, Long Island
Medical Science Liaison – Midwest
Medical Science Liaison - Florida
Medical Science Liaison, Northeast
Medical Science Liaison - Chicago
Regional Medical Scientific Director (aka Medical Science Liaison) Immunology - GI (Mid-Atlantic States)
Regional Medical Scientific Director (aka Medical Science Liaison) Immunology - GI (Upper Midwest)
Senior Medical Science Liaison, Neuroimmunology (NV-UT-CO)
Medical Science Liaison (MSL) – Neuromuscular (WA, OR) Remote
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| WC Worldwide Clinical Trials | $167,000 | 5 |
IQVIA
|
$155,050 | 3 |
Corcept Therapeutics
|
$178,025 | 2 |
Eikon Therapeutics
|
$158,125 | 2 |
|
Moderna
|
$156,000 | 2 |
| BI Biogen | $150,750 | 2 |
|
Abbott
|
$143,500 | 2 |
Bristol Myers Squibb
|
$140,128 | 2 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Bristol Myers Squibb
|
$183,676 | 22 |
Johnson & Johnson
|
$159,125 | 21 |
Eisai
|
$166,850 | 12 |
GSK
|
$225,000 | 11 |
|
Organon
|
$250,150 | 7 |
| NO Novartis | $229,000 | 6 |
Sanofi
|
$178,750 | 6 |
|
Gilead Sciences
|
$194,220 | 5 |
Clinical Trial salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Boston | $147,500 | 3 |
Medical Affairs salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Denver | $225,000 | 6 |
| Seattle | $202,000 | 5 |
| San Francisco | $190,000 | 3 |
| Los Angeles | $190,000 | 9 |
| Boston | $186,375 | 9 |
| Chicago | $183,676 | 11 |
| Atlanta | $183,676 | 5 |
| New York | $180,938 | 16 |
| Austin | $175,000 | 5 |
Clinical Trial vs Medical Affairs: which pays more?
The median for Clinical Trial is $155,800 per year (typically $125,625–$167,000), versus $186,375 for Medical Affairs ($166,850–$214,150). That puts Medical Affairs about 20% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Clinical Trial and Medical 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.