Side-by-side distribution
Clinical Trial
$155,900
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 21%
- Live roles
- 271
Pharmaceutical Sales
$87,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 47%
- Live roles
- 168
Highest-paying jobs
Associate Clinical Trials Director
Senior Clinical Trial Manager (Oncology, Sponsor Dedicated)
(Senior) Clinical Trial Manager (II), IQVIA Biotech
Senior Clinical Trial Manager - Psychiatry (US)
Senior Clinical Trial Manager - Cardiovascular, CAR-T (US)
Senior Clinical Trial Manager - Oncology
Senior Clinical Trial Manager - Metabolic - U.S.
Senior Clinical Trial Manager - Hematology/Lymphoma (US)
Senior Manager Clinical Trial Liaison
Manager or Sr. Manager, Clinical Trial Feasibility Lead
Highest-paying jobs
Sales Development Representative - Medical Equipment
Respiratory Pharmaceutical Sales Representative - Bel-Air, MD
Respiratory Pharmaceutical Sales Representative – Beckley, West Virginia
Respiratory Pharmaceutical Sales Representative – Dayton, OH (North)
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative - Edison, NJ
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative - NY/NY
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative - NY/NY
Respiratory Pharmaceutical Sales Representative – Cincinnati, OH (West)
Pharmaceutical Field Sales Representative
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative - GI - St. Louis, MO
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
IQVIA
|
$152,825 | 6 |
| WC Worldwide Clinical Trials | $167,000 | 5 |
Novartis
|
$88,711 | 3 |
Centessa Pharmaceuticals, LLC
|
$197,600 | 2 |
Corcept Therapeutics
|
$178,025 | 2 |
Nurix
|
$175,407 | 2 |
|
Kymera Therapeutics
|
$172,500 | 2 |
Adicet Bio
|
$156,000 | 2 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Inizio Engage
|
$80,000 | 47 |
Skilled Wound Care
|
$73,000 | 11 |
Amplity Health
|
$87,500 | 8 |
|
GSK
|
$156,000 | 7 |
| ME Medline | $122,500 | 6 |
Danaher
|
$95,000 | 2 |
CHG Healthcare
|
$60,000 | 2 |
Cardinal Health
|
$49,920 | 2 |
Clinical Trial salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Boston | $150,600 | 5 |
Pharmaceutical Sales salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $80,000 | 3 |
| Los Angeles | $77,000 | 4 |
Clinical Trial vs Pharmaceutical Sales: which pays more?
The median for Clinical Trial is $155,900 per year (typically $128,125–$167,000), versus $87,500 for Pharmaceutical Sales ($75,500–$130,000). That puts Clinical Trial about 78% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Clinical Trial 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.