Real Job Titles & Salaries in Clinical Research (2025 Master List)
Clinical research careers offer a wide range of specialized job roles across hospitals, CROs, biotech, and sponsor institutions. Whether you're entering as a CRC or targeting high-level Medical Monitor roles, certification-backed paths are driving demand in 2025. Roles like CRA and Regulatory Associate now command higher flexibility, including hybrid and remote setups. Explore core terms here.
With decentralized trials and real-time data monitoring reshaping operations, professionals with ICH-GCP, CRA, and Regulatory Affairs certifications are now stepping into roles once reserved for MDs. Career transitions from CRC to CTA to PM are increasingly common. Understand CRA role paths or learn about Clinical Trial Project Managers.
Below is a 40-role dataset of real clinical research job titles, salary ranges, promotion tracks, and certification paths—updated for 2025. Whether you're seeking your first role or targeting a six-figure PM track, this table maps it out. See more sponsor roles.
Top 40 Clinical Research Job Titles & Salaries (2025)
| Job Title | Salary Range (USD) | Experience Level | Certifications | Common Employers | Remote-Friendly | Promotion Path |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) | $52,000 – $72,000 | Entry | GCP, CRC Certification | Hospitals, Sites | ✔ | → Sr CRC → CRA |
| Clinical Research Associate (CRA) | $65,000 – $95,000 | Mid | CRA Certification | CROs, Sponsors | ✔ | → Sr CRA → Lead CRA |
| Clinical Trial Assistant (CTA) | $45,000 – $58,000 | Entry | None / In-House | CROs, Biotech | ✔ | → CRA |
| Regulatory Affairs Associate | $60,000 – $82,000 | Mid | RAC | Biotech, Pharma | ✔ | → Regulatory Manager |
| Clinical Data Manager | $75,000 – $105,000 | Mid | CDM Certification | CROs, Pharma | ✔ | → Sr Data Mgr → Lead CDM |
| Principal Investigator (PI) | $120,000 – $210,000+ | Senior | MD, GCP | Sites, Academic | ✘ | → Lead PI |
| Medical Monitor | $140,000 – $200,000 | Senior | MD, AMSLC | Sponsors | ✔ | → Safety Director |
| Clinical Trial Manager | $90,000 – $125,000 | Mid-Senior | PMP, GCP | CROs, Pharma | ✔ | → Clinical Program Manager |
| Site Manager | $70,000 – $95,000 | Mid | CRC, GCP | Hospitals | ✘ | → Site Director |
| Drug Safety Associate | $65,000 – $88,000 | Entry-Mid | PV Certification | Pharma | ✔ | → Sr Safety Associate |
| Medical Science Liaison (MSL) | $110,000 – $160,000 | Senior | PharmD, AMSLC | Sponsors | ✔ | → Sr MSL → Director |
| Clinical Program Manager | $115,000 – $150,000 | Senior | PMP, GCP | Pharma, Biotech | ✔ | → Sr Director |
| Regulatory Affairs Manager | $95,000 – $130,000 | Mid-Senior | RAC | Pharma | ✔ | → Director of Regulatory Affairs |
| Biostatistician | $80,000 – $120,000 | Mid | PhD, SAS Cert | CROs, Biotech | ✔ | → Sr Biostatistician |
| Medical Writer | $70,000 – $100,000 | Mid | MS, GCP | CROs, Pharma | ✔ | → Lead Medical Writer |
| Clinical Systems Analyst | $78,000 – $108,000 | Mid | CDISC | Tech Vendors, CROs | ✔ | → Sr Analyst |
| Regulatory Intelligence Analyst | $85,000 – $110,000 | Mid | RAC, GCP | Pharma | ✔ | → Manager |
| Clinical Research Scientist | $100,000 – $135,000 | Mid-Senior | PhD, GCP | Sponsors | ✔ | → Sr Scientist |
| Data Reviewer | $60,000 – $85,000 | Entry-Mid | GCP | CROs | ✔ | → Data Manager |
| Site Monitor | $68,000 – $92,000 | Mid | CRA Cert | CROs | ✔ | → CRA |
| Medical Coder – Clinical Trials | $50,000 – $75,000 | Entry | Medical Coding Cert | Sites, CROs | ✔ | → Coding Lead |
| Clinical QA Specialist | $72,000 – $100,000 | Mid | QA Cert, GCP | Pharma | ✔ | → QA Manager |
| Feasibility Specialist | $68,000 – $90,000 | Mid | GCP | CROs | ✔ | → Feasibility Lead |
| Start-Up Specialist | $65,000 – $88,000 | Mid | GCP, CTA Exp | CROs | ✔ | → Start-Up Lead |
| Budget & Contracts Associate | $58,000 – $80,000 | Entry-Mid | Finance, GCP | Sponsors | ✔ | → Sr B&C Manager |
| Ethics Submissions Specialist | $60,000 – $85,000 | Entry-Mid | IRB Knowledge | Sites, CROs | ✔ | → Regulatory Associate |
| Clinical Pharmacovigilance Specialist | $72,000 – $95,000 | Mid | PV Cert, GCP | Pharma | ✔ | → Sr PV Specialist |
| Medical Affairs Associate | $85,000 – $115,000 | Mid | MD, PharmD | Pharma | ✔ | → Medical Manager |
| Trial Master File (TMF) Associate | $55,000 – $75,000 | Entry | eTMF Systems | CROs | ✔ | → TMF Manager |
| Clinical Project Assistant | $50,000 – $70,000 | Entry | None | CROs | ✔ | → Project Coordinator |
| Safety Data Analyst | $68,000 – $95,000 | Mid | PV Cert, SAS | Pharma | ✔ | → Safety Lead |
| EDC Specialist | $72,000 – $98,000 | Mid | EDC Tools | Tech Vendors | ✔ | → EDC Lead |
| Clinical Trial Educator | $65,000 – $90,000 | Mid | Nursing, GCP | Sites | ✘ | → Sr Educator |
| Informed Consent Specialist | $58,000 – $78,000 | Entry-Mid | GCP | Sites | ✘ | → IRB Liaison |
| Protocol Specialist | $75,000 – $105,000 | Mid | PhD, GCP | Sponsors | ✔ | → Protocol Manager |
| Quality Assurance Auditor | $80,000 – $115,000 | Senior | QA Cert, GCP | Sponsors | ✔ | → QA Director |
| Clinical Contracts Manager | $90,000 – $125,000 | Senior | JD, GCP | Sponsors | ✔ | → Legal Affairs Head |
| Global Clinical Trial Manager | $125,000 – $170,000 | Senior | PMP, GCP | Global Sponsors | ✔ | → Global Program Director |
| Trial Design Analyst | $85,000 – $120,000 | Mid | Biostat, GCP | CROs | ✔ | → Lead Analyst |
| Medical Imaging Coordinator | $62,000 – $85,000 | Entry-Mid | DICOM Tools | Sites, CROs | ✔ | → Imaging Lead |
| Site Engagement Manager | $95,000 – $130,000 | Senior | GCP | Sponsors | ✔ | → Sr Engagement Manager |
Hybrid trial setups have made remote CRA, Clinical Systems Analyst, and Regulatory Intelligence roles more accessible than ever. Institutions are actively hiring professionals with cross-discipline experience and multiple certifications. Explore global trial sites.
Those who start as CTAs or CRCs are quickly progressing through layered certification tracks. Data Managers, PV Specialists, and Regulatory professionals are climbing to six-figure roles in under 5 years—especially with certifications like CRA, RAC, and Medical Monitor.
For more breakdowns like this, see the top 100 CROs, or get clarity on sponsor vs. CRO vs. site salary differences. Everything is mapped inside the CCRPS clinical research library.
