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Careers›Roles›Clinical Data Manager
Mid-Level

Clinical Data Manager

A clinical trial generates a flood of data, and keeping it clean and analysis-ready is your job: designing the database, writing edit checks, and resolving every discrepancy. The keeper of a trial's data integrity.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
C
I
E
S
R
A
Conventionalorganizing, detail-oriented
Investigativeanalytical, curious
Based on Holland Code framework
Industries that often hire Clinical Data Managers
Professional Services · 30%Financial Services · 18%Technology & Information · 12%Administrative Services · 6%Healthcare · 6%Manufacturing · 4%
Job markets for Clinical Data Managers
Where Clinical Data Manager jobs concentrate · ~269 metro areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
Technology
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
Jump to:What it's likeCareer pathsBy the numbers
What it's like

What it's like to be a Clinical Data Manager

Most of the work is hands-on with study data and systems: building the database, writing validation checks, reviewing incoming data, and issuing queries on discrepancies. You coordinate with sites, monitors, and statisticians, mostly in detailed systems. Catching inconsistencies before they compromise a study is the core of it, and the work has to hold up to audit.

The weight is relentless attention to detail under compliance pressure: timelines tie to study milestones, and audits leave no slack. Tools, sponsors, and therapeutic areas change from study to study, so the specifics rarely transfer cleanly. It spans pharma, CROs, and biotech, each with its own systems and standards to absorb.

It fits someone meticulous, organized, and comfortable inside rule-bound work. If you need creative latitude or fast variety, the precision can feel confining. But if you like bringing order to complex data, and take pride in a study that locks clean, the role tends to satisfy, often remotely and steadily in demand across the industry.

What people in this role value
AchievementModerate
SupportModerate
RecognitionModerate
IndependenceModerate
Working ConditionsLower
RelationshipsLower
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns

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Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

Earning potential across this track
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
Technology & Information$112K+9%
Professional Services$101K-2%
Energy & Utilities$88K-15%
Wholesale & Distribution$85K-17%
Government$80K-22%
Compared to Technology average across all industries
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Clinical Data Managers (SOC 15-2051.02), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Related rolesExplore Technology →
Clinical Data ManagerClinical ManagerClinical Quality AuditorClinical AnalystClinical Trials ManagerClinical Project ManagerClinical Study ManagerClinical Research CoordinatorClinical Research AdministratorClinical Research Nurse CoordinatorOncology Clinical Research CoordinatorClinical Documentation Improvement Specialist (CDIS)Clinical Research AssistantClinical Data CoordinatorData Management ManagerData CoordinatorClinical Data AnalystApplication CoordinatorClinical Data AbstractorClinical Informatics ManagerClinical Data Management Manager (CDM Manager)

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✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$64K–$194K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
233K
U.S. Employment
+33.5%
10yr Growth
23K
Annual Openings

How Clinical Data Manager pay & employment are changing

$80K$77K$74K$71K$68K201920202021202220232024$68K$80K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

Critical ThinkingSpeakingReading ComprehensionActive ListeningWritingActive LearningMonitoringComplex Problem SolvingMathematicsTime Management
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
Mapped SOC Codes
15-2051.02

Explore related roles

Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths

directorClinical Data Management Director (CDM Director)$113KmidClinical Manager$140KmidClinical Quality Auditor$104KmidClinical Analyst$90KmidClinical Trials Manager$161KmidClinical Project Manager$161K
View all Technology roles →

Common questions about what it's like to be a Clinical Data Manager

What does a Clinical Data Manager do?

A clinical trial generates a flood of data, and keeping it clean and analysis-ready is your job: designing the database, writing edit checks, and resolving every discrepancy. The keeper of a trial's data integrity.

How much does a Clinical Data Manager make?

Median pay for a Clinical Data Manager is about $113K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $64K to $194K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).

What skills does a Clinical Data Manager need?

Core skills for this role include Critical Thinking, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, and Writing.

What education do you need to be a Clinical Data Manager?

Most people in this role hold a bachelor's degree.

Is a Clinical Data Manager in demand?

Employment in this field is projected to grow about 33.5% through 2034, with roughly 233,440 people working in it today (BLS).

What jobs are similar to a Clinical Data Manager?

Closely related roles include Clinical Data Management Director (CDM Director), Clinical Manager, and Clinical Quality Auditor.

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.

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