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 Program Coordinator · Clinical Program Manager · Clinical Research Administrator · Clinical Research Coordinator · Clinical Research Manager
Median pay (national)
$161,180
$79,830–$239,200+ (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
100,870
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+3.7%
~8,500 openings/yr
Typical entry
Bachelor's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for clinical research coordinators shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $239,200+ versus $79,830 at the bottom 10% — 3.0x. The median of $161,180 leaves roughly 48% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +3.7% from 2024 to 2034 — about as fast as the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 8,500 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 50 states with released data, Massachusetts pays the most for this role (median $218,800, +36% vs the national median), while Indiana sits lowest at $88,610 — a 147% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Writing as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Clinical trial management software, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft PowerPoint as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Science
- Mathematics
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Schedule subjects for appointments, procedures, or inpatient stays as required by study protocols.
- Perform specific protocol procedures such as interviewing subjects, taking vital signs, and performing electrocardiograms.
- Assess eligibility of potential subjects through methods such as screening interviews, reviews of medical records, or discussions with physicians and nurses.
- Inform patients or caregivers about study aspects and outcomes to be expected.
- Monitor study activities to ensure compliance with protocols and with all relevant local, federal, and state regulatory and institutional polices.
- Oversee subject enrollment to ensure that informed consent is properly obtained and documented.
- Maintain required records of study activity including case report forms, drug dispensation records, or regulatory forms.
- Identify protocol problems, inform investigators of problems, or assist in problem resolution efforts, such as protocol revisions.
- Track enrollment status of subjects and document dropout information such as dropout causes and subject contact efforts.
- Code, evaluate, or interpret collected study data.
Tools & technology
- Clinical trial management software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- Python
- R
- SAS
- The MathWorks MATLAB
- 5AM Glassbox Translational Research
- Budgeting software
- ClearTrial
- Clinical data management system CDMS
- Drug coding software
- DZS Software Solutions ClinPlus
- Electronic data capture EDC software
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Administrative
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Administration and Management
- Biology
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics