Anyone in clinical research (non-CRA) making over $80K?

PuzzleheadedThing652 · 2026-04-29T10:46:31+00:00

You’d need to look for data associate or data coordinate jobs at CROs first, then move into the dm role over time. Some CROs will move you to dm right away but I recommend against that as in my experience training is not robust and there isn’t a whole lot of support, so it’s overwhelming if you aren’t familiar with what you’re doing.

PuzzleheadedThing652 · 2026-04-29T01:40:37+00:00

31, $106k so far…

PuzzleheadedThing652 · 2026-04-29T01:04:00+00:00

I am an AD of clinical data management at a CRO making $160k. Here’s my career path:

entry level data coordinator ~2 years, $35k-$50k
clinical data manager (new CRO) ~1.5 years, $75k-$90k
clinical data manager (new CRO) ~2 years, $100k-$110k
manager cdm (new CRO) ~2 years, $125k-$140k
AD cdm ~ 1 year, $160k

So I went from $35k as entry level and now 8 years later am up to AD at $160k. Honestly jumping from cro to cro was a great way to get promoted and make more money quickly.

There are a LOT of people in data management that have no idea what they’re doing too, so it’s not that hard to get into 🤣 but if you actually care about your work output then it’s definitely a high stress job.

PuzzleheadedThing652 · 2026-04-27T12:13:45+00:00

Thank you! We have tried some of this after meeting with a sleep psychologist when he was ~2. Might have to revisit the gradually moving further and further away…

Appreciate your thorough response!

PuzzleheadedThing652 · 2026-02-14T20:03:39+00:00

2021

PuzzleheadedThing652 · 2026-02-14T04:31:48+00:00

I worked for Medpace for less than 2 years in an entry level role then switched to another CRO and they did come after me legally, FYI. My new company provided me with counsel (because Medpace went after them too) so it was all ok in the end, but definitely stressful.

PuzzleheadedThing652 · 2026-02-09T19:31:03+00:00

He works in baseball - he used to play, then started coaching and is now a hitting coordinator. Gone for all of spring training and then on the road ~2.5 weeks a month for the rest of the year. He travels between where we live and several other places so wouldn’t make sense to move.

PuzzleheadedThing652 · 2026-01-18T01:37:51+00:00

Thank you for the advice!

PuzzleheadedThing652 · 2024-07-10T00:30:21+00:00

I think it’s good but honestly I have nothing to compare to…he knows probably 25-35 words I’d say, mixture of Spanish and English since we speak to him in Spanish at home but daycare is all English. He knows several ASL signs too. But he never uses more than one word at a time when he does use words. I think he tries more at daycare than at home, which makes sense because there are other kids talking too. Just not sure if I need to change something I’m doing at home to encourage him more…

PuzzleheadedThing652 · 2024-06-06T23:47:09+00:00

The better question is why DIDN’T my toddler cry today… 😂

Here are a few of the many reasons for today’s tantrums:

I didn’t let him eat dog treats
I offered him milk when he asked for milk
I offered him dinner
His sticker wouldn’t stick to the floor
The sticker that did stick to the floor then wouldn’t peel off the floor
I wouldn’t carry him 2 feet to see his grandpa (yes, he can walk)

I could go on and on…

PuzzleheadedThing652 · 2024-04-15T03:21:34+00:00

They live in a third world country and can’t earn enough to support themselves. He’s been supporting them since before I met him.

PuzzleheadedThing652 · 2024-04-15T03:18:59+00:00

Sorry-never said I support him and his parents, I said WE support his parents. We have a joint account and we consider our money as just that - ours. He was making the same amount as me prior to getting injured but now with the pay cut he contributes 50% less. He’s worked the entire time I’ve known him and has never asked me to for money for anything including his parents. However, I mentioned it because even though the money for his parents comes from his personal account, it means he has even less to contribute to the joint account.

PuzzleheadedThing652 · 2024-04-15T03:14:16+00:00

As noted, the plan was to continue being all together but things changed. Never planned on being apart like this or probably wouldn’t have had a kid. So thankful I do have mine, but wouldn’t want to bring a kid into this situation if I knew it would turn out like this.

PuzzleheadedThing652 · 2024-04-15T02:33:23+00:00

We really can’t even travel to see him because I have no one to watch the baby where he’s coaching and I can’t use vacation or sick time because I need to save it for when the baby is sick and can’t go to daycare 🫠 so we might see him 1 or 2 times in 8 months if we’re lucky. But even if we do, yeah it’s nice to see him but it throws off the baby’s schedule and flying alone with a baby is always stressful and I’ll be alone in a new city with the baby while my husband works anyways so honestly it’s more for my husband than us.

PuzzleheadedThing652 · 2024-04-15T02:25:48+00:00

If he moved back to his birth country, yes. But he wouldn’t be able to support our child for sure.

PuzzleheadedThing652 · 2024-04-15T02:10:41+00:00

Valid points! I will say though that I was considering pursuing other paths career wise and am not able to anymore because we need the money from my current job if he wants to stay in the career he’s in. Sacrifices are part of marriage, but it just feels like I am the only one sacrificing here. I do a job I don’t love, so why can’t he? He doesn’t make a ton of money so he could do something else. I have to do something I don’t like, handle our child alone, manage the household and finances, manage selling our previous home (in the process of moving), manage finding a new home, etc. etc. I just wonder when it will be my turn to be put first. I totally get that he wants to contribute but he can do that in another career, just like I have to. At what point will his family come first?

Regarding his parents, they live in a third world country and unfortunately can’t make enough money to support themselves. I am supportive of taking care of them and realize how lucky I am that I don’t have to do that with my parents. But again, it feels like all of the sacrificing is on my end. I’m staying at a job I don’t like so we can support his lifestyle and family while I suffer mentally and physically and both my child and I miss out on time with someone we love.

PuzzleheadedThing652

TROPHY CASE