Clinical Research Coordinators
Machines can already do 45% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 74%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Clinical Research Coordinators in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 45% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 6% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2028, and 74% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 108,690 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $167,220 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 76% for contact with people.
- Also called: Clinical Coordinator, Clinical Program Coordinator, Clinical Program Manager, Clinical Research Administrator.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintain required records of study activity including case report forms, drug dispensation records, or regulatory forms | 11% | 70% to 95% | |
| Perform specific protocol procedures such as interviewing subjects, taking vital signs, and performing electrocardiograms | 9% | 3% to 30% | |
| Prepare study-related documentation, such as protocol worksheets, procedural manuals, adverse event reports, institutional review board documents, or progress reports | 9% | 70% to 95% | |
| Assess eligibility of potential subjects through methods such as screening interviews, reviews of medical records, or discussions with physicians and nurses | 6% | 55% to 85% | |
| Schedule subjects for appointments, procedures, or inpatient stays as required by study protocols | 5% | 60% to 90% | |
| Monitor study activities to ensure compliance with protocols and with all relevant local, federal, and state regulatory and institutional polices | 5% | 40% to 80% | |
| Oversee subject enrollment to ensure that informed consent is properly obtained and documented | 5% | 40% to 80% | |
| Maintain contact with sponsors to schedule and coordinate site visits or to answer questions about issues such as incomplete data | 5% | 25% to 50% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills clinical research coordinators use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Project Management Specialists67% of tasks by 2035 · US median $102,320
- Concierges62% of tasks by 2035 · US median $38,950
- Talent Directors49% of tasks by 2035 · US median $90,360
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers61% of tasks by 2035 · US median $69,500
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Clinical Research Coordinators?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2028. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of clinical research coordinators?
Machines can do 45% of the tasks of clinical research coordinators today and 74% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 11-9121.01 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Clinical Research Coordinators: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/clinical-research-coordinators/