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clinical and translational science

A program of study that prepares clinicians to direct a broad range of scientific or clinical or translational studies, translate scientific knowledge into clinical practice, and bridge clinical science with laboratory investigations. Includes instruction in bioinformatics, Information technology, biostatistics, epidemiology, grant writing, management and analysis of clinical data, clinical and translational research law and policy, responsible conduct of research, and scientific writing.

Types of Degrees clinical and translational science Majors Are Earning

People majoring in clinical and translational science can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	8
Master’s Degree	51
Doctor’s Degree	20

What clinical and translational science Majors Need to Know

Studies in clinical and translational science emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that clinical and translational science graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in clinical and translational science emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Biology — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 6.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Chemistry — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a clinical and translational science program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Writing — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Science — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Active Learning — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to clinical and translational science careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Category Flexibility — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, clinical and translational science graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.6 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.5 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.2 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by clinical and translational science professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
National Instruments LabVIEW	Development environment software	—
Presentation software	Presentation software	—
Waters Empower 2	Data base user interface and query software	—
Thermo ToxLab	Analytical or scientific software	—
IBM Notes	Electronic mail software	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Dynamics	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Exchange	Electronic mail software	—
Minitab	Analytical or scientific software	—
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
Spreadsheet software	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for clinical and translational science graduates include:

• Clinical Researcher
• Pharmacologist
• Medical Health Researcher
• Medical Laboratory Scientist (Medical Lab Scientist)
• Clinical Pharmacologist
• Cytologist
• Gerontologist
• Laboratory Scientist (Lab Scientist)
• Medical Science Liaison (MSL)
• Clinical Scientist
• Medical Physicist
• Medical Scientist
• Researcher
• Physician Scientist
• Pharmacognosist

What Can You Do With a clinical and translational science Degree?

Graduates with a degree in clinical and translational science commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists	8.9%	$111,314	$90,148–$132,479

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to clinical and translational science graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	35.9%
Post-doctoral training	24.7%
Master’s degree	24.6%
Bachelor’s degree	8.0%
Post-master’s certificate	6.8%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in clinical and translational science?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 53.2% women and 46.8% men among clinical and translational science graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	42	53.2%
Men	37	46.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of clinical and translational science graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	30	38.0%
Asian	21	26.6%
Hispanic or Latino	6	7.6%
Black or African American	4	5.1%
Two or More Races	2	2.5%
Race Unknown	7	8.9%
International Students	9	11.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do clinical and translational science Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of clinical and translational science graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$160,729
4 years	$166,630
5 years	$197,894

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $197,894 — roughly 23% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in clinical and translational science Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, clinical and translational science graduates earn a median of $166,630 four years after completion — roughly 338% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies	1,163
Medical Science/Scientist	1,047
Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies, Other	33
Temporomandibular Disorders and Orofacial Pain	4
Pain Management	—
Tropical Medicine	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.