by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 13 U.S. colleges awarded 250 degrees and certificates in Clinical and Industrial Drug Development. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 95% of graduates. College Factual ranks 8 schools in its 2027 Best Clinical and Industrial Drug Development Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $100,478 one year after completing, rising to $136,209 after four years.
A major in Clinical and Industrial Drug Development covers Clinical And Industrial Drug Development. A Program That Focuses On The Scientific Application Of Pharmacology, Pharmaceutics, And Industrial Management To The Development, Production, Marketing, And Distribution Of Pharmaceutical Products. Includes Instruction In Industrial Microbiology, Plasmids, Expression Vectors, Protein Chemistry, Assay And Evaluation, Drug Synthesis And Purification, Quality Control, Industrial Management, Production Security, Patent Procedures, Intellectual Property Regulations And Issues, Patent Enforcement And Defense, And Research Design And Testing. Examples: [Clinical And Industrial Drug Development (Ms)], [Clinical And Industrial Drug Development (Phd)].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., clinical and industrial drug development is a widely-pursued major, with 250 degrees awarded annually. 13 colleges award clinical and industrial drug development degrees, an average of 19 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 61.
By level, the 250 awards include 9 bachelor’s degrees, 238 master’s degrees and 3 doctorates.
Women earned 65% of clinical and industrial drug development degrees and certificates in the latest year (163 of 250). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (81) and Asian (45), and international students earned 41.
College Factual ranks 8 schools in its 2027 Best Clinical and Industrial Drug Development Schools ranking, including 1 for bachelor’s degrees, 6 for master’s degrees and 5 for doctorates. It also ranks clinical and industrial drug development schools within 4 states. In all, 13 colleges offer clinical and industrial drug development programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Clinical and Industrial Drug Development Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common clinical and industrial drug development credential is the master’s degree: 238 of the 250 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to clinical and industrial drug development call most for Reading Comprehension, Speaking and Critical Thinking, and for knowledge of English Language, Education and Training and Administration and Management, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension and Written Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a clinical and industrial drug development degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 9 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 238 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 3 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to clinical and industrial drug development, at 35.4%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 35.4% |
| Master’s degree | 14.4% |
| Some college courses | 10.0% |
| Doctoral degree | 9.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 8.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 7.5% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 6.9% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 6.2% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.5% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.3% |
Source: O*NET Online.
10 occupations are related to Clinical and Industrial Drug Development, with an average median salary of $126,644; the strongest outlook belongs to Hydroelectric Production Managers, at 14.5% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Plant Manager, Podiatry Teacher, Assistant Professor and Neurology Teacher.
The occupation related to clinical and industrial drug development with the most projected jobs is Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,335,407.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | 542,888 | 10.4% |
| Geothermal Production Managers | 503,620 | 1.9% |
| Biomass Power Plant Managers | 450,707 | 4.2% |
| Quality Control Systems Managers | 241,551 | -3.1% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 219,777 | -3.0% |
| Biofuels Production Managers | 209,709 | 11.1% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 179,495 | 8.7% |
Clinical and Industrial Drug Development graduates earn a median $100,478 one year after completing their program, $136,209 after four years and $140,038 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $100,478 |
| 4 years | $136,209 |
| 5 years | $140,038 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to clinical and industrial drug development is Water Resource Specialists, with a median salary of $179,716.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Water Resource Specialists | $179,716 |
| Biofuels Production Managers | $164,096 |
| Geothermal Production Managers | $160,381 |
| Biomass Power Plant Managers | $146,025 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $132,227 |
| Industrial Production Managers | $126,666 |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | $110,931 |
| Quality Control Systems Managers | $108,531 |
Clinical and Industrial Drug Development has 11 similar majors in the Health Professions field, which together award 17,149 degrees a year; the largest are Pharmacy (11,415), Pharmaceutical Sciences (2,572) and Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration, Other (911). Browse all Health Professions majors or the full list of college majors.
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