Clinical Data Manager
Ensure the integrity of clinical trial data that brings life-saving treatments to patients
About the profession
Clinical Data Managers ensure the quality, integrity, and regulatory compliance of data collected in clinical trials. They design case report forms, build and validate databases, write data management plans, and perform data cleaning and reconciliation. In 2026, the shift to decentralized clinical trials, electronic data capture, and AI-powered data review has transformed the role.
Why choose it
How to Get Started
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Career Match Test →Explore the Career Path section to see progression from junior to senior
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Jump to Learning Path →Personality Fit
Based on the Clinical Data Manager role, here are the RIASEC personality types that tend to thrive in this career. While these alignments are common, individual success depends on motivation, skill development, and finding the right work environment.
Social
Helping, teaching, working with people
Investigative
Research, analysis, problem-solving
Conventional
Organizing, detail-oriented, structured
Not sure if these types match you? Take the full RIASEC assessment (4 min) to discover your personality profile and see how it aligns with hundreds of careers.
Career Path
Your career progression roadmap with salary growth at each level
Career Ladder
Clinical Data Coordinator → Clinical Data Manager → Senior CDM → CDM Director → VP of Data Management
Where are you on this career path?
Click a level below to set your current position
Salary Growth
5
Levels
$220K
Top Salary
11+
Years
Learning Path
Skills you need to develop and courses to get there
🚀
Set your current level first
Go to the Career Path tab and select your current level to see your personalized learning plan.
Go to Career PathCareer levels
Timeline: 0-2 years | Entry Level Base: $60,000 - $75,000/year Top markets (Boston/NJ): $68,000 - $85,000 Enter and clean clinical trial data in EDC systems Manage data queries…
Skills used in this career
Click any skill to see how to learn it and what salary boost it gives
Market 2026–2030
Trends, AI impact, prospects
Open positions globally: 25,000+ Annual growth rate: 10-15% Average time to fill: 35-50 days Pharma: Pfizer, Roche, Novartis, AstraZeneca, Merck CROs: IQVIA, Parexel, PPD, Syneos…
💰 Pay for Data Scientists
BLS OEWS, May 2023The federal survey does not count this job title on its own — it is counted under Data Scientists (15-2051).
Half of U.S. workers in this occupation earn more than this, half earn less.
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Related Reading
Related Holland / RIASEC Types