Research Administrator to Project Manager

Summary: 1 of the 6 core skills listed for Project Manager carry over directly from Research Administrator, and 3 more build on related experience. The US median salary changes by +32% ($72K → $95K). Difficulty: Moderate, typically around 6 months of focused upskilling.

The two roles

Research Administrator: Manages research operations.

Project Manager: Plan, execute, and close projects across various domains. Growth outlook +6%; AI-resistant. Typical education: bachelor. Typical experience: 3-5 years.

Skills that carry over

• Project Management

Builds on related experience

• Agile — builds on Project Management
• Risk Management — builds on Research Compliance
• Scheduling — builds on Project Management

Skills to learn for Project Manager

• Communication
• Leadership

Salary comparison (median, estimated)

Salary figures are estimates benchmarked against public compensation data — see methodology.

Next steps

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Related

Research Administrator career guide | Project Manager career guide

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