Clinical Data Managers
Apply knowledge of health care and database management to analyze clinical data, and to identify and report trends.
Also called: Abstractor, Analyst, Application Analyst, Application Coordinator, Clinical Applications Director, Clinical Biostatistics Director
Median pay
$120,230
Pay for the broader BLS group “Data Scientists”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$67,240 – $199,130
People employed
262,440
Whole BLS group
Holland code
CIE
Conventional · Investigative · Enterprising
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
- 2.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 3.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 4.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 5.Are you comfortable following clear instructions?
- 6.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Clinical Data Managers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (48 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Data Scientists”.
What clinical data managers do
- 01Design and validate clinical databases, including designing or testing logic checks.
- 02Process clinical data, including receipt, entry, verification, or filing of information.
- 03Generate data queries, based on validation checks or errors and omissions identified during data entry, to resolve identified problems.
- 04Develop project-specific data management plans that address areas such as coding, reporting, or transfer of data, database locks, and work flow processes.
- 05Monitor work productivity or quality to ensure compliance with standard operating procedures.
- 06Prepare appropriate formatting to data sets as requested.
Skills that matter most
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Writing
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mathematics
- Medicine and Dentistry
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Intellectual Curiosity
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: over 1 month, up to and including 3 months.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from clinical data managers
- Social Science Research Assistants92% · —
- Statistical Assistants87% · —
- Health Informatics Specialists85% · group pay
- Clinical Research Coordinators85% · group pay
- Document Management Specialists83% · group pay
Change into clinical data managers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Social Science Research Assistants92% · $61,990
- Statistical Assistants90% · $50,330
- Health Informatics Specialists87% · $105,850
- Clinical Research Coordinators85% · $167,220
- Document Management Specialists83% · $116,580
Majors that lead here
- Artificial Intelligence
- Information Technology
- Computer Science
- Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database Administration
- Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation
- Bioinformatics
- Computational Biology
- Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Other
- Mathematics, General
- Applied Mathematics, General
- Computational Mathematics
- Computational and Applied Mathematics
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.