Clinical Trial Scientist Salary in the United States

How much does a Clinical Trial Scientist make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Clinical Trial Scientist in the United States is $94,460 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $45.

However, a Clinical Trial Scientist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $115,013
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $85,781 to $105,218
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $77,879
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View as table View as graph 25% $85,781 10% $77,879 90% $115,013 75% $105,218 $94,460 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Clinical Trial Scientist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $105,218 $8,768 $2,023 $51
Average $94,460 $7,872 $1,817 $45
25th Percentile $85,781 $7,148 $1,650 $41
Check out Clinical Trial Scientist Job Openings in the United States
Clinical Lab Scientist Hoxworth Blood Center Quality Control Laboratory

University of Cincinnati - Mt Auburn, OH

Clinical Medical Laboratory Scientist

Pro Venture - Belpre, OH

Supervisory Clinical Lab Scientist

US Department of Veterans Affairs - Cleveland, OH

Search More Clinical Trial Scientist Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Clinical Trial Scientist Salaries

A Clinical Trial Scientist'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 Trial Scientist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Clinical Trial Scientist'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $88,277
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $88,934
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $90,248
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $92,218
  • Expert (over 8 years): $95,954
Levels Salary
Entry Level Clinical Trial Scientist$88,277
Intermediate Level Clinical Trial Scientist$88,934
Senior Level Clinical Trial Scientist$90,248
Specialist Level Clinical Trial Scientist$92,218
Expert Level Clinical Trial Scientist$95,954
$88,277 0 yr
$88,934 < 2 yrs
$90,248 2-4 yrs
$92,218 5-8 yrs
$95,954 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Clinical Trial Scientists

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: $119,142
  • San Francisco: $117,838
  • Oakland: $115,354

What Skills Can Increase a Clinical Trial Scientist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 4.9% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Packaging (Mentioned in 2.66% Job Postings): Preparing products through wrapping or bottling to protect the goods from damages during transportation and storage.
  • Continuous Improvement (Mentioned in 1.82% Job Postings): A continual improvement process, also often called a continuous improvement process (abbreviated as CIP or CI), is an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once. Delivery (customer valued) processes are constantly evaluated and improved in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility. Some see CIPs as a meta-process for most management systems (such as business process management, quality management, project management, and program management). W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer of the field, saw it as part of the 'system' whereby feedback from the process and customer were evaluated against organisational goals. The fact that it can be called a management process does not mean that it needs to be executed by 'management'; but rather merely that it makes decisions about the implementation of the delivery process and the design of the delivery process itself.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 4.9%
Packaging 2.66%
Continuous Improvement 1.82%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
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 Trial Scientist's salary.
  • Chemistry: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Supply Chain: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Root Cause Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Chemistry
$104,850
11%
Supply Chain
$104,850
11%
Root Cause Analysis
$103,906
10%
Continuous Improvement
$102,961
9%
Quality Management
$102,016
8%
Project Management
$101,072
7%
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Clinical Trial Scientist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Clinical Trial Scientist roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 25% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Insurance, offers compensation 10% above the average. Conversely, Clinical Trial Scientist positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Clinical Trial Scientist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Clinical Trial Scientist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Insurance$103,906$50.010%
Healthcare$99,183$48.05%

Clinical Trial Scientist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Clinical Trial Scientist'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.

Last Updated on July 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Clinical Trial Scientist

Salaries for a Clinical Trial Scientist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $89,774 in 2023 to around $87,107 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Clinical Trial Scientist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Clinical Trial Scientist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$89,774
2024
$88,151
2025
$87,107
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $89,774
2024 $88,151
2025 $87,107
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Clinical Trial Scientist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Clinical Trial Scientist

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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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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