Clinical Research Coordinators
Plan, direct, or coordinate clinical research projects. Direct the activities of workers engaged in clinical research projects to ensure compliance with protocols and overall clinical objectives. May evaluate and analyze clinical data.
Also called: Clinical Coordinator, Clinical Data Coordinator, Clinical Manager, Clinical Program Coordinator, Clinical Program Manager, Clinical Project Manager
Median pay
$167,220
Pay for the broader BLS group “Natural Sciences Managers”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$79,710 – $316,850
People employed
108,690
Whole BLS group
Holland code
ICE
Investigative · Conventional · 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 OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
- 2.Do you want the same hours every week?
- 3.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 4.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 5.Do you prefer a steady pace without constant deadlines?
Clinical Research Coordinators pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (47 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Natural Sciences Managers”.
What clinical research coordinators do
- 01Schedule subjects for appointments, procedures, or inpatient stays as required by study protocols.
- 02Perform specific protocol procedures such as interviewing subjects, taking vital signs, and performing electrocardiograms.
- 03Assess eligibility of potential subjects through methods such as screening interviews, reviews of medical records, or discussions with physicians and nurses.
- 04Prepare study-related documentation, such as protocol worksheets, procedural manuals, adverse event reports, institutional review board documents, or progress reports.
- 05Inform patients or caregivers about study aspects and outcomes to be expected.
- 06Record adverse event and side effect data and confer with investigators regarding the reporting of events to oversight agencies.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Administrative
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Administration and Management
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 1 year, up to and including 2 years.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- A certification can help.
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 research coordinators
- Clinical Data Managers85% · group pay
- Social Science Research Assistants84% · —
- Health Education Specialists79% · —
- Clinical Nurse Specialists77% · group pay
- Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators76% · —
Change into clinical research coordinators
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Clinical Data Managers85% · $120,230
- Social Science Research Assistants84% · $61,990
- Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators76% · $78,000
- Health Education Specialists75% · $64,070
- Regulatory Affairs Specialists75% · $80,730
Majors that lead here
- Engineering Physics/Applied Physics
- Operations Research
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General
- Biochemistry
- Biophysics
- Molecular Biology
- Molecular Biochemistry
- Molecular Biophysics
- Structural Biology
- Photobiology
- Radiation Biology/Radiobiology
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.