Clinical Research Assistant I Salary in the United States
How much does a Clinical Research Assistant I make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Clinical Research Assistant I in the United States is $61,390 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $30.
However, a Clinical Research Assistant I's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $79,157
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $52,790 to $70,690
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $44,960
10%$44,960
50% (Median)$61,390
90%$79,157
Clinical Research Assistant I Salaries by Percentile
Key Factors That Influence Clinical Research Assistant I Salaries
A Clinical Research Assistant I's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Clinical Research Assistant Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Clinical Research Assistant I's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
Clinical Research Nurse Leader (0-0 years): $94,789
Clinical Research Assistant I (0-2 years): $61,344
Clinical Trials Research Associate II (2-4 years): $70,978
Clinical Research Lead Scientist (4-7 years): $100,812
Clinical Research Programs Manager (7+ years): $108,894
How Do Clinical Research Assistant I Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Clinical Research Assistant Is. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Top Paying Cities for Clinical Research Assistant Is
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $77,390
San Francisco: $76,590
Oakland: $74,990
San Jose, CA$77,390
San Francisco, CA$76,590
Oakland, CA$74,990
New York, NY$70,690
Paramus, NJ$69,790
Queens Village, NY$69,790
Passaic, NJ$69,790
Bergenfield, NJ$69,790
Huntington, NY$69,590
Stamford, CT$69,590
Newark, NJ$69,090
Bridgeport, CT$68,990
Vallejo, CA$68,890
New Brunswick, NJ$68,890
Petaluma, CA$68,790
Middlesex, NJ$68,690
Somerset, NJ$68,690
Santa Cruz, CA$68,590
Boston, MA$68,190
Monterey, CA$67,990
Seattle, WA$67,890
Santa Rosa, CA$67,790
Los Angeles, CA$67,790
Juneau, AK$67,690
Washington, DC$67,590
Orange, CA$67,390
Santa Ana, CA$67,190
Long Beach, CA$67,190
Anchorage, AK$67,090
Anaheim, CA$67,090
Santa Maria, CA$66,890
Everett, WA$66,890
Danbury, CT$66,690
Bremerton, WA$66,590
Tacoma, WA$66,390
New Suffolk, NY$66,390
Sacramento, CA$66,390
Santa Barbara, CA$66,290
Brockton, MA$66,190
San Diego, CA$66,190
Trenton, NJ$66,190
Fairbanks, AK$65,990
Lompoc, CA$65,890
Lowell, MA$65,790
Ventura, CA$65,790
Nashua, NH$65,790
Stockton, CA$65,790
Modesto, CA$65,290
Poughkeepsie, NY$65,190
New Haven, CT$65,090
Olympia, WA$65,090
Kennewick, WA$65,090
Lawrence, MA$64,790
Hartford, CT$64,790
Riverside, CA$64,790
New Bedford, MA$64,690
Richland, WA$64,690
San Bernardino, CA$64,590
Norwich, CT$64,590
New London, CT$64,590
Bakersfield, CA$64,590
New Britain, CT$64,590
Atlantic City, NJ$64,590
Portsmouth, NH$64,490
Boulder, CO$64,390
Portland, OR$64,290
Worcester, MA$64,290
Minneapolis, MN$64,090
Philadelphia, PA$63,990
Honolulu, HI$63,790
Saint Paul, MN$63,790
Vineland, NJ$63,790
Providence, RI$63,590
Chicago, IL$63,390
Bellingham, WA$63,390
Springfield, MA$63,290
Baltimore, MD$63,290
Chico, CA$63,090
Pittsfield, MA$62,990
Manchester, NH$62,890
Spokane, WA$62,590
Denver, CO$62,590
Albany, NY$62,290
Troy, NY$62,290
Nassau, NY$62,190
Wilmington, DE$62,090
Schenectady, NY$62,090
Burlington, VT$61,990
Salem, OR$61,990
Portland, ME$61,790
Yakima, WA$61,690
Milwaukee, WI$61,490
Rochester, MN$61,490
Reno, NV$61,490
Fresno, CA$61,490
Allentown, PA$61,390
Ann Arbor, MI$61,390
Detroit, MI$61,390
Colorado Springs, CO$61,290
Syracuse, NY$61,190
Carson City, NV$61,190
Houston, TX$61,190
Eugene, OR$61,090
Gary, IN$61,090
Bismarck, ND$60,990
Galveston, TX$60,990
Springfield, OR$60,990
Medford, OR$60,890
Fort Collins, CO$60,790
Concord, NH$60,790
Austin, TX$60,790
Mesa, AZ$60,690
Reading, PA$60,690
Dallas, TX$60,590
Phoenix, AZ$60,590
Saint Cloud, MN$60,590
Madison, WI$60,490
Utica, NY$60,290
Rochester, NY$60,190
Des Moines, IA$60,190
Raleigh, NC$60,190
Atlanta, GA$60,090
Battle Creek, MI$60,090
Salt Lake City, UT$60,090
Lancaster, PA$59,990
Harrisburg, PA$59,890
Kansas City, MO$59,790
Kansas City, KS$59,790
Champaign, IL$59,790
Fort Worth, TX$59,790
Columbus, OH$59,790
Boca Raton, FL$59,790
Pittsburgh, PA$59,790
Cincinnati, OH$59,690
Las Vegas, NV$59,690
Cleveland, OH$59,690
Indianapolis, IN$59,690
Richmond, VA$59,690
Petersburg, VA$59,590
Huntsville, AL$59,490
Buffalo, NY$59,390
Appleton, WI$59,390
Dayton, OH$59,390
Lebanon, PA$59,390
Lansing, MI$59,390
Pueblo, CO$59,390
Racine, WI$59,290
Charlotte, NC$59,290
Saint Louis, MO$59,290
York, PA$59,290
Elkhart, IN$59,290
Gastonia, NC$59,290
Billings, MT$59,290
Binghamton, NY$59,190
Toledo, OH$59,190
Rock Hill, SC$59,190
Lorain, OH$59,190
Beaumont, TX$59,190
Benton Harbor, MI$59,190
Rockford, IL$59,090
Springfield, IL$59,090
Elyria, OH$59,090
Fargo, ND$59,090
Flagstaff, AZ$59,090
Fort Lauderdale, FL$58,990
Duluth, MN$58,990
Miami, FL$58,990
Grand Forks, ND$58,890
Cheyenne, WY$58,890
Bangor, ME$58,790
Grand Rapids, MI$58,690
Louisville, KY$58,690
Hialeah, FL$58,690
Cedar Rapids, IA$58,690
Durham, NC$58,690
Casper, WY$58,590
Scranton, PA$58,490
New Orleans, LA$58,490
Virginia Beach, VA$58,490
Akron, OH$58,490
Peoria, IL$58,390
Sarasota, FL$58,390
Jamestown, NY$58,290
Davenport, IA$58,290
Charleston, SC$58,290
Omaha, NE$58,290
Green Bay, WI$58,290
Nashville, TN$58,290
Baton Rouge, LA$58,290
Evansville, IN$58,190
Tucson, AZ$58,190
Saint Petersburg, FL$58,190
Tampa, FL$58,190
Port Arthur, TX$58,190
Bradenton, FL$58,090
Santa Fe, NM$57,990
Orlando, FL$57,890
Clearwater, FL$57,890
La Crosse, WI$57,790
Canton, OH$57,790
Albuquerque, NM$57,690
Newport News, VA$57,690
High Point, NC$57,690
Ogden, UT$57,690
Corpus Christi, TX$57,590
Norfolk, VA$57,590
Laramie, WY$57,590
Rock Island, IL$57,590
Moline, IL$57,490
Boise, ID$57,490
Fort Myers, FL$57,490
Jacksonville, FL$57,490
Saginaw, MI$57,490
Salisbury, NC$57,490
Memphis, TN$57,390
Tulsa, OK$57,390
Waterloo, IA$57,390
Spartanburg, SC$57,290
Lincoln, NE$57,290
Fort Wayne, IN$57,290
Provo, UT$57,290
San Antonio, TX$57,190
Cedar Falls, IA$57,190
Greensboro, NC$57,090
South Bend, IN$57,090
Savannah, GA$57,090
Muskegon, MI$57,090
Birmingham, AL$56,990
Winston Salem, NC$56,990
Lake Charles, LA$56,890
Anderson, IN$56,890
Wichita, KS$56,790
Lima, OH$56,790
Tuscaloosa, AL$56,790
Augusta, GA$56,790
Lexington, KY$56,790
Greenville, SC$56,790
Columbia, SC$56,690
Springfield, OH$56,690
Asheville, NC$56,590
Bloomington, IN$56,590
Knoxville, TN$56,290
Shreveport, LA$56,290
Roanoke, VA$56,190
Wilmington, NC$56,190
Topeka, KS$56,090
Frankfort, KY$56,090
Oklahoma City, OK$56,090
Chillicothe, OH$56,090
Longview, TX$56,090
Melbourne, FL$56,090
Sioux Falls, SD$55,990
Altoona, PA$55,890
Terre Haute, IN$55,890
Mobile, AL$55,890
Amarillo, TX$55,790
Killeen, TX$55,790
Fayetteville, AR$55,790
Chattanooga, TN$55,790
Sioux City, IA$55,690
Idaho Falls, ID$55,690
Lynchburg, VA$55,590
Gainesville, FL$55,590
Daytona Beach, FL$55,490
Youngstown, OH$55,490
Portsmouth, OH$55,490
Little Rock, AR$55,490
Lafayette, LA$55,490
Clarksville, TN$55,390
Pensacola, FL$55,390
Temple, TX$55,390
Hopkinsville, KY$55,290
Erie, PA$55,190
Florence, SC$55,190
Great Falls, MT$55,090
Charleston, WV$55,090
Macon, GA$54,990
Tallahassee, FL$54,990
Fayetteville, NC$54,990
Waco, TX$54,990
Helena, MT$54,890
Pine Bluff, AR$54,890
Vincennes, IN$54,790
Lubbock, TX$54,790
Alamogordo, NM$54,790
Rapid City, SD$54,690
Twin Falls, ID$54,690
Jackson, MS$54,590
Huntington, WV$54,590
Greenville, MS$54,590
Parkersburg, WV$54,490
Montgomery, AL$54,490
Wichita Falls, TX$54,390
Springfield, MO$54,390
Biloxi, MS$54,390
Monroe, LA$54,390
Columbus, GA$54,290
Johnstown, PA$54,290
Sumter, SC$54,290
Pascagoula, MS$54,190
Abilene, TX$54,190
Kingsport, TN$53,990
Albany, GA$53,990
Gulfport, MS$53,990
Alexandria, LA$53,790
Fort Smith, AR$53,590
El Paso, TX$53,490
Las Cruces, NM$53,190
Harlingen, TX$52,990
Pocatello, ID$52,990
Florence, AL$52,890
Brownsville, TX$52,890
Mcallen, TX$52,790
Dothan, AL$52,690
Columbus, MS$52,390
Altus, OK$52,090
Lawton, OK$51,990
Pierre, SD$51,690
What Skills Can Increase a Clinical Research Assistant I's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Integrity (Mentioned in 5.09% Job Postings): Is about having strong principles and values, which you demonstrate through your conduct in the work environment. A common integrity definition states that people with integrity do the right thing even when nobody is watching.
Oncology (Mentioned in 2.46% Job Postings): Designing, constructing, and repairing dental prosthetics and restorative and orthodontic devices to help patients correct dental conditions.
Data Collection (Mentioned in 1.46% Job Postings): Data collection is the process of gathering and measuring information on targeted variables in an established system, which then enables one to answer relevant questions and evaluate outcomes. Data collection is a component of research in all fields of study including physical and social sciences, humanities, and business. While methods vary by discipline, the emphasis on ensuring accurate and honest collection remains the same. The goal for all data collection is to capture quality evidence that allows analysis to lead to the formulation of convincing and credible answers to the questions that have been posed.
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Clinical Research Assistant I's salary.
Line Management: Can increase your salary by up to 33%.
Dedication: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Patient Safety: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Clinical Research Assistant I Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise
Clinical Research Assistant I salary potential scales significantly with company size.
Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $69,018.
While startup companies pay approximate $58,601.
Clinical Research Assistant I Salary by Company Size
Company Size
Employees
Average Salary
Startup
1~50
$58,601
Growth Stage
51~500
$61,917
Established
501~5000
$66,701
Enterprise
5000+
$69,018
Clinical Research Assistant I Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Clinical Research Assistant I roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Healthcare and Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average.
In contrast, Clinical Research Assistant positions in Pharmaceuticals or Biotechnology typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Clinical Research Assistant I as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Clinical Research Assistant I
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare
$73,668
$35.0
20%
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
$67,529
$32.0
10%
Clinical Research Assistant I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Clinical Research Assistant I's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$52,790
Average$61,390/year
$70,690
$4,399
Average$5,116/month
$5,891
$1,015
Average$1,181/week
$1,359
$25
Average$30/hour
$34
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$70,690
$5,891
$1,359
$34
Average
$61,390
$5,116
$1,181
$30
25th Percentile
$52,790
$4,399
$1,015
$25
Clinical Research Assistant I Salary Growth & Career Path
Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings.
As a Clinical Research Assistant I, you have the following paths for advancement.
The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles.
By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.
Clinical Research Assistant I Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role
Estimate Salary
Projected Raise
Clinical Data Monitor II
$77,500
26%
Clinical Trials Research Associate II
$71,000
16%
Salaries of Jobs related to Clinical Research Assistant I
Salaries for a Clinical Research Assistant I can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary increased from $56,713 in 2023
to around $56,724 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Clinical Research Assistant I salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Clinical Research Assistant I Over Time
$???
$56,713
$56,824
$56,724
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$56,713
2024
$56,824
2025
$56,724
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Clinical Research Assistant I
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Clinical Research Assistant I
Here are companies hiring for Clinical Research Assistant I and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Clinical Research Assistant I
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Clinical Research Assistant I?
The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Clinical Research Assistant I roles,
with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
