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Research & Development Management

Types of Degrees Research & Development Management Majors Are Earning

Those studying Research & Development Management can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	5
Bachelor’s Degree	18
Master’s Degree	245

What Research & Development Management Majors Need to Know

Programs in Research & Development Management build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Research & Development Management graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Research & Development Management emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Administrative — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills developed in a Research & Development Management program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Research & Development Management careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Research & Development Management graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.3 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Research & Development Management professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
StataCorp Stata	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft SharePoint	Document management software	—
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Research & Development Management graduates include:

• Clinical Manager
• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Trials Manager
• Clinical Project Manager
• Research Director
• Quarrying Manager
• Research Development Director
• Environmental Program Manager
• Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator
• Clinical Study Manager
• Clinical Coordinator
• Postdoctoral Researcher
• Clinical Trial Coordinator
• Oncology Clinical Research Coordinator
• Clinical Program Coordinator

What Can You Do With a Research & Development Management Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Research & Development Management commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Medical and Health Services Managers	8.8%	$129,557	$109,003–$150,111

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

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Research & Development Management graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	52.5%
Master’s degree	12.4%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	8.0%
Doctoral degree	6.7%
Postsecondary certificate	5.8%
High school diploma or equivalent	5.4%
Some college courses	4.2%
Post-doctoral training	2.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.6%
First professional degree	0.6%
Post-master’s certificate	0.2%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Research & Development Management?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 56.7% women and 43.3% men among Research & Development Management graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	152	56.7%
Men	116	43.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Research & Development Management graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	144	53.7%
Asian	23	8.6%
Hispanic or Latino	28	10.4%
Black or African American	36	13.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.4%
Two or More Races	9	3.4%
Race Unknown	14	5.2%
International Students	12	4.5%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Research & Development Management Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Research & Development Management 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	$62,537
4 years	$63,883
5 years	$71,749

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $71,749 — roughly 15% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Research & Development Management Programs

Online study is tracked by IPEDS for Research & Development Management. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	1	0
Bachelor’s	2	0
Master’s	11	4
Doctoral (Research)	2	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Research & Development Management Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Research & Development Management graduates earn a median of $63,883 four years after completion — roughly 68% 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
Business Administration, Management and Operations	402,942
Business Administration and Management, General	336,590
Business/Commerce, General	57,976
Organizational Leadership	15,674
Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other	12,497
Operations Management and Supervision	12,273
Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management	10,865
Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies	10,661
Project Management	4,784
Accounting and Finance	3,502
Office Management and Supervision	3,126
Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management	2,454

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.