The Salary of a Clinical Research Associate

Clinical research associates commonly monitor drug research trials.

A clinical research associate monitors the progress of a clinical trial, which typically is conducted at a hospital, clinic or the office of a doctor. Clinical trials involve human subjects. The clinical research associate makes sure the experimenters maintain the integrity of the research and the rights, safety and well-being of participants. Major employers include pharmaceutical firms, academic institutions and contract research organizations, reports Medical Research Management. The salary of most clinical research associates is at least $50,000 per year.

Qualifications

Employers of clinical research associates typically prefer candidates with a minimum of a bachelor's degree in one of the physical sciences or in nursing, and some experience in health care, science or research. Registered nurses, medical technologists, physical therapists, pharmacists and medical doctors are examples of credentials that employers like.

Entry-Level Salaries

The median salary for an entry-level clinical research associate, or a clinical research associate I, was about $58,620 as of February 2011, according to Salary.com. Those in the middle 50 percent of the earnings scale had salaries of $51,840 to $63,810. The top 10 percent were earning more than $68,530 per year, and only the bottom 10 percent had annual pay rates at $45,675 and below.

Salaries with Experience

Salaries increase significantly for clinical research associates as they gain experience. A clinical research associate II, who has two to five years of experience, earns a median salary of $72,990, and the middle 50-percent range is $64,370 to $80,740. For associates with at least five years of experience, the median annual pay rate increases to $89,780. The middle 50 percent of these professionals earn $78,520 to $99,030. The bottom 10 percent have annual salaries below $68,280, and the top 10 percent more than $107,450.

Geography

Clinical research associate salaries vary a great deal by geography. Entry-level positions in Shreveport, Louisiana, for instance, provide a median annual salary of $52,710, while those in Seattle, Washington, have a median annual salary of $65,220. The median annual salary of a clinical research associate I in Salt Lake City, Utah, is $56,790, in Madison, Wisconsin, $56,980, in Cleveland, Ohio, $58,500, and in Washington, D.C., $63,860. Clinical research associates in San Francisco, California, were earning $71,330 as a median annual pay rate, and the top 10 percent there had annual salaries over $83,380.

References

• Medical Research Management: What is a CRA?
• Salary.com: Clinical Research Associate I - U.S. National Averages
• Salary.com: Clinical Research Associate II - U.S. National Averages
• Salary.com: Clinical Research Associate III - U.S. National Averages

Resources

• Salary.com: Clinical Research Associate I - Washington, DC
• Salary.com: Clinical Research Associate I - Seattle, WA
• Salary.com: Clinical Research Associate I - Madison, WI
• Salary.com: Clinical Research Associate I - Cleveland, OH
• Salary.com: Clinical Research Associate I - Shreveport, LA
• Salary.com: Clinical Research Associate I - San Francisco, CA
• Salary.com: Clinical Research Associate I - Salt Lake City, UT
• Society of Clinical Research Associates: Classified Ads