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35 Paid Online Research Studies Seeking Participants

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How can one participate in paid online research studies and get paid for your brain, your health, and your opinions?

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  • Nielsen - Download their app and get paid $50!

Well, you’re in the right place.

Today, let’s look at 35 different opportunities to get paid as a participant in research studies.

Types of Paid Online Research Studies

A medical study involves a group of people within an age group, gender, race, ethnic group, or individuals with the same specific health issues.

Participating in these studies often involves answering a combination of interviews, tests, surveys, or experimentation to be able to answer questions on how to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure health disorders and diseases.

Aside from paid medical studies, market research makes use of paid online research to find out what customers want or need from various products and companies.

The cool thing about paid online research studies available today is that even if you are not a part of the target audience, you can still participate in the study in another capacity.

Online research studies can be either quantitative or qualitative.

Quantitative studies are the ones with static, pre-planned answers. A questionnaire with multiple-choice answers is a good example of this study. It is made as such so that the researcher can easily analyze the results.

Qualitative studies are a bit more complex since they involve open-ended answers.

However, this type of study ends up with better data. Focus groups and interviews are both methods used in qualitative studies.

How Much Can You Earn from Paid Research Studies?

Imagine earning up to $1,000 just for sharing your opinion, review of a product, or thoughts about a particular experience without even stepping out of the house.

You don’t even have to spend a cent to participate in these research studies.

Most of the time, you’d only have to be at least 18 years old and currently live in the US.

Even when you’re below 18 years old, researchers sometimes allow you to participate as long as you had a waiver from your parent or legal guardian.

The amount you earn from joining research studies depend on the following:

  • Method of research — Did you join a focus group? Answered a lengthy interview? Filled out a survey form?
  • Length of study — Some interviews only take an hour and earn you $150. Some focus groups could take several sessions and end only after several weeks.
  • Type of payment — Not all companies pay cash. Some use PayPal, while others prefer checks, gift cards, prepaid cards, and so on.

Quick surveys can be as little as $10 and high as $100.

Focus group sessions range between $50 and $500 per session.

Interviews can earn you somewhere from $50 to $400 for an hour of your time.

Simply put, the amount you’ll be paid will vary from study to study.

Join These to Start Making Money Today!

Before digging into the list below, I suggest you sign up for the 3 best focus group/market research companies.

Anyone can participate and you will be invited to take part in research studies, focus groups, and product testing opportunities.

These companies pay in cash and offer cash signup bonuses to get you started.

  • SurveyJunkie - Get paid CASH to share your thoughts on some of the world's biggest brands.
  • Branded Surveys - Work directly with companies like Nike, Samsung, Amazon, and Disney to improve their product lines.

On to the list!

35 Ways to Get Paid for Research Studies Online

The following universities have year-long research studies in a wide range of topics.

1. Northwestern University Department of Psychology

Northwestern Research Studies

Earn from $10 to $40 an hour if you participate in one of the school’s online studies.

The studies change regularly and vary widely from topics such as phone usage, changes in thoughts and feelings, Artificial Intelligence,  sleeping patterns, psychosis, aging, and even products like hearing aids.

2. Harvard University Psychology Study Pool

Harvard Research Studies

Join Harvard’s Psychology Study Pool and earn from $10 to $25 an hour, paid via gift cards.

The online studies are available year-round for both Harvard students and guests.

3. Carnegie Mellon University

CMU Research

If you’re at least 18 years old, can read and speak English, and have never joined any research studies at the Center for Behavioral and Decision Research at Carnegie Mellon, you can sign up for their paid online research studies.

Topics range from personal beliefs, attitudes, decision-making, human judgment, interpersonal perceptions, and group performance, among others.

You’ll earn $8 an hour, paid in gift cards. Each study takes anywhere from 5 and 20 minutes.

Paid participants are needed for in-person studies in labs on campus, but may sometimes be able to participate online on a home computer.

Note that only students are accepted (ID will be requested).

4. Center for Decision Sciences Columbia Business School

CDS Research Study

For participating in an online survey or study, you can earn $16 an hour, as long as you’re 18+ years old and have a PayPal or Amazon.com account to receive payments.

No need to be a student at Columbia Business School, but you need to register in the CDS Virtual Lab Online Panel.

5. MIT Behavioral Research Lab

MIT Research

There are in-person and paid online research studies available at MIT.

Payment amounts vary from study to study, but participants usually earn $11 to $20 per hour for online studies.

Anyone aged 18 or older, residing in the United States, and proficient in spoken and written English can join the BRL participant pool.

Membership is open to all; you don’t need any association with MIT to participate. Other requirements may be needed for studies requiring specific respondents.

6. University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business

UMD Research Studies

As long as you’re a current Smith student (and eligible for certain studies), you can get paid for research studies online here.

Make sure you create an account, sign up for the studies that you want to participate in, and get paid once you fulfill your role.

7. Purdue University

Purdue research studies

You can find a lot of paid online studies here.

Currently, they have studies on Parkinson’s disease (and other neurodegenerative diseases), flavored water, biosensors, mushroom nutrition, linguistics, cancer, and so on.

Participants are paid somewhere between $10 and $500.

What’s great about Purdue University is that the studies are varied and open to the public.

8. Stanford Graduate School of Business

Stanford research studies

You’ll be paid up to $25 an hour for online research studies, but you’d have to be eligible and complete a prescreen form.

You also can’t participate in the same study more than once.

9. UCLA Anderson School of Management

UCLA Lab

The behavioral lab has some paid online studies, if you’re interested in topics like consumer behavior, organizational behavior, judgment, and other similar topics.

Most studies here pay from $10 to $20 an hour.

They also have in-lab and in-person studies.

10. Boston University Behavioral Lab

Boston university research studies

If you’re interested in human behavior and is willing to participate in online studies, try to join if you’re eligible.

These studies pay between $10 and $20 an hour.

The studies from Boston University’s Behavioral Lab is open to both BU students and the general public.

11. University of Maryland Department of Psychology

UMD Psychology Research Studies

You need to create an account at the SONA System website to see available research studies.

Each of the studies have different eligibilities and payment.

12. University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Nebraska Research Studies

This college holds a wide range of research studies revolving MRI research, human brain, behavior, and so on.

There are studies exclusively for seniors, and those that are for teens.

There are two ways to volunteer for these studies:

  • Join the CB3 Research Participant Volunteer Registry (and wait for them to e-mail you)
  • Pick the study and contact researchers directly.

Pay can go as high as $80 per study.

13. American University Psychology Department

American university research studies

Topics vary widely, but they are related to psychology and human behavior.

You can earn up to $20 an hour for just filling out a form as a smoker’s first-hand experience during stressful situations.

14. Respondent.IO

Respondent.io

This next one isn’t a university, but it’s a comprehensive resource if you plan to participate in numerous market research and other online studies.

Pay ranges from $25 to $200.

Eligibility requirements vary between studies.

Make sure to check details and never pay to join a focus group or study.

15. Brand Institute

Brand Institute

Want to be at the forefront of the pharmaceutical industry?

Join consumer market research panel groups by signing up with Brand Institute.

16. mindswarms

mindswarms

It’s sort of like an interview since you are required to answer ten questions with a video.

In exchange for your thoughts, you’ll be paid $50.

Engage Research

Earn somewhere between $50 and $250 by participating in healthcare or consumer market research studies.

18. Probe Market Research

Probe Market Research

The company pays people for online, phone or group interviews about their clients’ products, services, ads, or other campaigns.

Payment goes as high as $400.

19. Penn State University

(Quick shoutout to my Alma Mater… We Are!)

… and they are seeking just about anyone who’s alive to participate in a research study. With over 200 current open studies, odds are, you’ll qualify for something they have available.

Keep an eye out for “Total Compensation” to see just what the study pays.

20. User Interviews

User Interviews

Get paid for your feedback on real projects.

Create an account by filling up a form and wait for project invitations if you’re eligible.

There are online and in-phone interviews available.

21. Yale School of Management

Yale Paid Online Research Studies

If you live anywhere near Yale campus, be sure to sign up for their newsletter as they frequently put out requests for both in person and paid online research studies.

You will be paid, in cash, at the completion of your study.

They also have a Facebook group that announces when new studies are available to participate in.

22. Georgetown University Department of Psychology

Georgetown Research Studies

Georgetown’s Department of Psychology is regularly looking for both students and non-students alike to participate in studies.

Average pay will run you about $10 per hour, so it can be some nice change to pick up in your spare time.

Their research includes personality, memory, and impulse control tests to name a few.

23. UCLA Semel Institute

UCLA Research

UCLA offers both in-person and online research studies to check out.

They have a massive list of open opportunities for you to click through. The highest paying ones often need you to come into their offices for scans and interviews, but there are a lot of remote positions available too.

24. PingPong

PingPong

Web designers and developers working on websites and applications value the input of real-life users and are willing to pay for these users’ opinions and insights

You can get paid anywhere from €15 to €40 per hour and even up to €100 for special projects.

Payment is credited through Transferwise or PayPal.

25. American Consumer Opinion

Yet another survey site, American Consumer Opinion (ACOP) pays you for your answers to their survey questions.

You can even get paid up to $100 if you fit a certain demographic and able to participate in special projects.

Research studies on this site may not be constantly available, though. It’s best to check back frequently.

26. Recruit and Field

Recruit and Field

Recruit and Field is a market research company that hosts paid online research studies all around the US and even in international locations.

They look for participants from any gender and age for their studies, including professionals and medical professionals (doctor, nurse, lab technician).

They normally pay via PayPal but also offer Amazon or digital gift cards.

The pay ranges from $100 to $275 for phone interviews, online surveys, and sometimes in-home product testing.

27. Focus Group

Focus Group is an aptly named online community comprised of participants interested in sharing opinions and views on popular products and brands through in-person, telephone, or online surveys.

The pay ranges from $75 to $200, and specialized health studies may pay more.

28. 20|20 Panel

2020 Panel

Since 1986, 20|20 Panel has been recruiting participants to share their opinion on various companies.

They specialize in qualitative market research, which is achieved via in-person or online roundtable discussions. You can get paid from $50 to $350 to participate in these discussions.

They also send out quick surveys for which you can get paid smaller amounts (from $1 to $10).

29. FindFocusGroups

Wouldn’t it be great if there were a directory of all the paid research opportunities in the country?

FindFocusGroups is probably the closest one, as it lists more than 75,000 verified and legitimate focus groups in the country.

It’s quite simple to search by city and state, and check the information for details on whether the discussions are online or in-person.

It’s difficult to know how much the average payment would be, but upon browsing the first few studies on the homepage, they range from $50 to $300.

30. SIS International

SIS International

SIS International conducts focus group discussions in cities all over the US and globally and collects consumer feedback on anything from appliances, skincare products, gadgets, and just about anything.

Rates range from $25 to $200 for 2 to 3 hours of your time.

31.  Apex Focus Group

Apex Focus Group connects regular people like you and me with researchers, who will pay for participants to join clinical research trials, phone interviews and focus groups.

As a participant at any Apex Focus Group study, you can be paid up to $750 a week.

Online and in-person studies are available.

32.  Fieldwork

If you live near New Jersey, New York City, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, or Minneapolis, you can participate in current Fieldwork research studies.

Most of the paid focus groups are face-to-face (but online are sometimes available).

Each study lasts about 1 or 2 hours. Participants earn between $75 and $100 for their time.

33. Rare Patient Voice

This company mostly looks for participants who have rare diseases and medical conditions. As such, only eligible people can benefit from the studies.

However, anyone who qualifies will receive $120/hour.

You can share your views via online surveys, clinical trials, or web-assisted phone interviews.

34. ClinicalTrials.gov

The federal government continually seeks individuals willing to participate in clinical trials testing different medications and treatments.

Studies are often conducted by the National Institutes of Health.

You can check out a list of ongoing clinical trials at clinicaltrials.gov.

Unlike other paid online research studies on this list, DScout is an app you can download.

You need to register to become a “scout” and participate in research “missions,” which will earn you money after completion.

DScout studies are usually 1-on-1 interviews or video responses, so you’d have to be comfortable in front of the camera.

Missions pay from $50 to $100, each lasting about 30 minutes.

Can I turn these Paid Online Research Studies into a Full-Time Job?

While paid online studies are highly interesting and offer legitimate side cash, this gig cannot replicate the steady income and benefits you can get with a full-time job.

You’d have to consider that many research studies:

  • have eligibility requirements (which means you’re not guaranteed a slot every time)
  • cannot be joined twice (once you’ve participated in a specific study, you can’t do a repeat)
  • have varying payments (there’s no stability in such income)

I do think it’s a legitimate side gig if you’re in between jobs or have a lot of free time on your hands.

You can also get paid answering surveys , joining focus groups , or testing products .

READ THIS NEXT: The EASIEST ways to make money online. See how.

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Get paid to participate in research studies

Find paid user research opportunities in topics you care about. Get paid to share feedback and influence the next generation of products and services.

paid research opportunities online - surveys, interviews, focus groups and more

new projects launch monthly

people participate worldwide

average project incentive

Getting started with paid research is quick and easy

1. create your profile.

Personalize your profile with your professional background, skills, and interests.

2. Get matched

Our matching algorithm will send research studies straight to your inbox based on your details.

3. Apply to studies

Answer a few screening questions online to help researchers know if you are a fit.

4. Get paid

Researchers invite participants to studies. Get paid quickly once your work is finished.

Get paid to influence the products you use daily

get paid to participate in surveys, focus groups and research online

Choose from a wide variety of interesting paid research studies.

Unlock the power of your opinions in paid research projects. Influence tomorrow's products and services, from tech innovations to everyday items. Let your voice shape the future market.

Work with brands who value your opinion

Shape your daily tools, apps, and services through your insights. Make money by participating in paid studies, turning your experiences into influential feedback.

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Earn money referring friends and colleagues.

When you sign up as a participant, you can make money by referring friends and colleagues.. Share studies with people in your network that are likely to be a good fit.

How do our participants feel about Respondent?

Rated 4.6 out of 200+ reviews on G2.com

participate in online research studies

Nareen Thompson

Property Manager - Real Estate

It's a cool way of spending quality time and earn some money as well as helping to shape decisions.

participate in online research studies

Eric Hollowaty

President - Energy, Oil and Gas

It's tangible - I know the feedback I'm providing is making a difference. Bonus points if it's for a product or service I already, or might in the future, use!

participate in online research studies

Almabelle Dorado

Regulatory Affairs Professional - Cosmetics

I enjoy contributing to a project and giving some of my insights. It gives me a sense of accomplishment when the product is successful.

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I like to share my experience and knowledge and being able to work remotely.

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Jane Kimani

Licensed Agent - Insurance

I enjoy the fact that I can contribute to new innovations and/or improvement of products through my contributions and also get paid for it.

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I like my voice being heard and talking about and trying out new things.

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Get paid to share your opinions with interested brands.

Sign up to get started earning money with paid research today.

Side Hustle Nation

Online Focus Groups: 27 Paid Research Companies that Pay Up to $250 an Hour for Your Opinion

I recently participated in a paid focus group in San Francisco. You know, the kind with the one-way mirror on the wall.

We talked about travel habits and preferences for an hour and half, and I got paid $150 for my time and opinions. Not bad!

online focus groups

The whole thing was pretty quick and painless—and actually kind of interesting—which got me thinking that this could be a great side hustle . Especially if I could do it from home!

So down the rabbit hole I went, trying to find other companies that conduct paid research studies online .

And I should note before we get started that these aren’t the typical companies that pop up when you search for “online surveys.” Those companies, like Swagbucks and  InboxDollars , are legit, but pay relatively little .

The companies I was after here were the ones that pay bigger sums to make it more worth your time. I earned $100 an hour for my little focus group adventure, and you can too.

UserInterviews.com

Earn $50-150/hr, with thousands of new studies added each month.

Respondent

Earn an average of $75 per project, and get notified of upcoming studies you may qualify for.

Rare Patient Voice

Patients and caregivers can earn $120/hour while helping advance medical research.

1. User Interviews

2. respondent, 3. rare patient voice, 4. survey junkie, too many choices, 5. product report card, 6. lightster, 7. pingpong, 8. fieldwork, 10. experience dynamics, 11. american consumer opinion, 12. l&e opinions, 13. focusgroups.org, 14. findfocusgroups.com, 15. sis international, 16. surveyfeeds, 17. recruit and field, 18. focusgroup.com, 19. field voices, 20. probe market research, 22. glg insights, 24. watchlab, 25. mindswarms, 26. 20|20 panel, 27. focus insite, other online focus group and paid research study options, online focus groups alternatives, market research groups: your turn, serious about making extra money, frequently asked questions.

User Interviews facilitates in-person and online consumer conversations about products, websites, and services. The pay rates vary, but the average seems to be around $50-100 an hour.

user interviews

I’ve earned $105 through the site so far, in exchange for about an hour a half.

In one of my studies, I earned a $10 Amazon gift card for completing a short online survey for bald guys! It said it should take 15 minutes, but all the questions were straight yes/no, so it probably only took 5.

User Interviews is a legit facilitator of online (and in-person) consumer research studies. Participants can get paid (generally $50-150/hr) to share their opinion and shape future products and services. While this won’t replace your day job, it can be a nice supplemental income.

  • One of the best-paying survey companies I've found.
  • Easy to sign-up.
  • Lots of new studies added every week.
  • Can be difficult to get selected.

UserInterviews.com

Click here to join User Interviews .

Or check out our full User Interviews review .

Respondent is a cool service that facilitates consumer research studies online—and often pays $100+ an hour !

respondent paid research studies

Once you create your account, you’ll be able to browse all the open studies you might qualify for. The research brief shares the type of person the company is looking to connect with, the expected time commitment, and pay rate .

If it looks like a fit, answer the brief screener questionnaire to throw your hat in the ring. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get selected right away—I’ve been selected for 5 studies out of 50 screeners so far.

While there are some “general population” studies, the best-paying opportunities are for industry professionals— up to $750 an hour!

respondent hourly rates

The company takes a 5% processing fee, but the rest of the funds you earn will hit your PayPal account within 8-10 days of your study. (I’ve earned $395 through Respondent so far! )

Respondent

Click here to join Respondent .

Read our full Respondent.io review here .

YouTube video

(Since recording, I’ve done a couple more studies.)

A leading source for medical research, Rare Patient Voice pays patients and caregivers $120 an hour. You can browse a full list of available studies on their site—nearly all of which are phone or webcam interviews.

rare patient voice homepage

If you suffer from any sort of medical condition (even if it’s not super rare), this one is worth a look.

The site is open to residents of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand.

Rare Patient Voice

While most Survey Junkie earning opportunities don’t pay much, you’ll occasionally get emails for better-paying focus group and product testing studies.

These admittedly are pretty rare, but pay up to $75.

survey junkie

Still, power users of the regular Survey Junkie site/app report earning up to $40 a month. 

Super popular survey app that rewards you for sharing your opinion.

Survey Junkie

The site boasts more than 20 million members and pays out more than $1 million every month.

Click here to sign up for Survey Junkie .

Start here instead. Punch in your name and email below I'll show you step-by-step how to add $500 to your bottom line.

Join the Free 5-Day $500 Challenge

You're in! Want to supercharge your challenge? Grab the companion workbook and earn $125 more (on average).

You'll also receive my best side hustle tips and weekly-ish newsletter. Opt-out anytime.

Another well-established market research company is Product Report Card . They offer paid surveys, product testing and review gigs, and online focus groups.

product report card paid research studies

The best-paying work is for in-home product tests and remote interviews and focus groups — often in the $75-$150/hour range.

Product Report Card will also give you a $5 welcome bonus for completing a short survey after you join. There’s a $25 minimum to cash-out.

Lightster is a unique money making app , where you get matched with brands and researchers based on your profile.

lightster

To get started, you’ll add some demographic information about yourself and answer some questions about your experience and interests.

After that, you may see some questions pop up in the app. Answer those to qualify for paid research conversations that pay $1 per minute.

I got invited to my first half hour session within a couple weeks of downloading the app, and got paid (via Amazon gift card) right away.

I was excited to discover PingPong as a newcomer to the online market research field. The service specializes in user experience testing for apps and websites, with pay rates ranging between €10 and €100 an hour. (Roughly $11-110.)

pingpong research

You might be curious—with the rates in euros—if this one is open to non-Europeans. PingPong let me join as an American and says they welcome testers from all over the world.

Since joining, I’ve received invites to several studies but haven’t been able to book one just yet.

Fieldwork was the company that hosted the San Francisco focus group I participated in. They have locations throughout the US:

  • Los Angeles (Orange County)
  • Minneapolis
  • San Francisco

Compensation starts at $75 for participating in focus groups, which usually last between 1-2 hours. The drawback was I got paid in Visa gift cards instead of cash, so I went to the grocery store and bought Amazon gift cards with them instead.

Maven is a unique on-demand consulting platform. You can set your own rates to participate in one-off expert interviews, paid market research studies, and online industry surveys.

maven consulting

(Experts can also get hired for longer-term consulting projects, as well.)

Maven has been around since 2008, and routinely has projects paying anywhere from $25-$500+. 

Experience Dynamics specializes in user experience and user interface testing (UX and UI). Corporate clients pay Experience Dynamics to help “make their users smile,” and they turn around and pay people like you for honest feedback on website designs and software applications.

According to the site, they recruit testers worldwide with all levels of technology experience. Most studies pay between $50-$150 dollars.

Experience Dynamics also facilitates:

  • Field Studies, 1-2 hour interviews at your home or work
  • Diary Studies, where you record your thoughts over 1-2 weeks
  • Phone Interviews
  • Online Focus Groups
  • Online Surveys

American Consumer Opinion is another market research company where you can qualify for several surveys a year.

Annoyingly, they insist on using their own “virtual currency” point system. Still, you can earn up to $50 worth of points for longer market research surveys.

american consumer opinion

There’s a $10 minimum to cash out and you can deposit your earnings directly into PayPal. To give you an incentive to complete the low-paying screener surveys, American Consumer Opinion will add your name to a monthly $50 drawing .

On L&E Opinions , I found nationwide studies paying $125-250.  The company has been in business over 30 years and pays out millions of dollars in research incentives every year.

participate in online research studies

FocusGroups.org is an aggregator service that lists focus groups and paid research opportunities around the country. When I registered, I saw online focus group options that paid anywhere from $75 to $625!

focusgroups-org

Topics included pets, hygiene, cooking, luxury cars, and lots more. There are some handy filters you can use to select only online or “National” studies.

Another site that pulls in lots of different paid studies, FindFocusGroups.com was a great find. 

At press time, they had the best-looking interface of most of these sites, but hadn’t been updated in several months.

When I checked, the compensation for these ranged from $50 to $200.

Through “compensated interviews” and focus groups, SIS helps brands figure out direction for their products. You’ll have to register for their database to get notified about upcoming paid studies.

I found rates from $25-200, depending on the time required and complexity of the topic. SIS recruits participants from all around the world, not just the US.

Similar to FindFocusGroups above, SurveyFeeds isn’t a market research company itself, but instead a promising “feed” of paid survey opportunities.

I found their Facebook page updated more frequently than their website, so it might be worthwhile to check there and see what you might qualify for.

The online studies I saw ranged from $75 to $300 .

Recruit and Field is one of the longest-running national market research companies. Since 1977, they’ve built up a participant database of over 300,000 consumers, business leaders, and medical professionals.

The company works with lots of name-brand clients and typically pays $100-275 for in-person and online surveys.

I recently earned $250 for a 1-hour call about business banking!

recruit and field payment

FocusGroup.com offers nationwide paid research opportunities. (The site is powered by Sago, a leading market research company.)

focus group

Be on the lookout for the “National” studies that pay between $75 and $200 . These are scheduled over the phone or webcam so you can take the calls from anywhere at times that are convenient to you.

It took a while, but I eventually earned $115 for an online study related to a well-known Seattle-area company.

The next one I did was an hour-long online focus group on credit cards that paid $100.

Other studies I saw were  related to cars, technology, and banking.

I receive a few email notifications every month with studies. Those range from around $2 for 20-minute surveys, up to $150 for 90-minute in-person or online focus groups.

Check out my full FocusGroup.com review to learn more.

When I checked out Field Voices , I found a couple available studies to apply for. One was a neighborhood improvement interview that paid $150 for one hour, and the other was a group workshop on snacking habits that paid $300!

This firm works directly with companies as well, which means they’re not just pulling together lists of other research projects.

Consumers, medical professionals, and executives are in demand for Probe Market Research’s panels. Focus groups pay between $50 and $400, and you can often participate online or over the phone.

Major brands enlist Probe to conduct online surveys, mystery shopping gigs , mock juries, product trials, and more .

The popular and well-rated dscout app connects you with “engaging research missions.” Through those, you can get paid to share your feedback on a product or service.

dscout paid market research

Typical studies pay anywhere from $2 to $100 , paid out via PayPal. The biggest complaints from users are that the often in-depth screener surveys are unpaid.

Less of a market research firm and more of a consulting marketplace, GLG Insights aims to match you up with their clients looking for industry-specific expertise. Request to become a “Council Member” to get notified when relevant paid studies are available.

On GLG, you’ll be asked to connect your LinkedIn profile and upload a resume (or link to an online resume) to verify your career credentials. You can also name your own consulting rate — usually $100-150 and up .

After that, I answered a series of ethics questions based on GLG’s terms and conditions.

Since 2007, Zintro has been connecting researchers with industry experts. According to the site, the vast majority Zintro’s consulting and online focus groups pay between $150 and $300 per hour.

zintro homepage

Popular industries include:

  • Software and tech
  • Banking and finance
  • Healthcare and insurance
  • E-commerce and retail
  • Travel and hospitality
  • and lots more

It’s free to set up your expert profile and start to get invited for calls.

WatchLab has an obnoxiously inadequate website, but they claim to facilitate all sorts of focus groups, usability tests, interviews, mock juries, and more.

The pay varies depending on the research, and may be in the form of gift cards or cash. I saw ranges from $100 to $175 for 1-2 hour focus groups. WatchLab has locations in San Francisco and Chicago, as well as online options.

For in-person focus groups, you get paid on the spot — online may take 4-6 weeks.

Mindswarms is a unique video consumer research platform. They’ll pay you $50 via PayPal to answer 10 questions about a product or service.

These studies normally take around 10 minutes and can be recorded via your webcam or smartphone, but competition to get selected can be fierce.

mindswarms

To create your account you’ll need to record a 60-second video about one of your passions. Or you can do this through the Mindswarms app on iOS or Android .

Earn $50-150 for online focus groups and studies. While the website doesn’t necessarily inspire confidence, 20|20 Panel has been around for over 30 years.

I found several online focus groups paying $50-200 on Focus Insite . The company popped up in my Instagram feed, a signal they’re actively recruiting new participants.

focus insight

You can join their panel database as a medical, technical, or business professional, or just as a general consumer. Alternatively, you can apply directly to the available market research studies listed.

The companies listed above certainly aren’t the only research companies around, and for this side hustle, it makes sense to join as many firms as you’re comfortable with.

That way, you’re presented with all the opportunities available, not just the projects managed by one company.

Here are a few more to consider:

  • Prolific  — When academic and research institutions need opinions from the general population, they turn to Prolific. The pay is a bit lower — often in the $8-15/hr range — but in my Prolific review , I found plenty of quick and easy surveys available, and you can cash out to PayPal.
  • Ascendency Research — On average, studies pay $60-350. Many are local to the Twin Cities, MN, but they have some national studies, too.
  • Elliott Benson — Conducting paid market research since 1995.
  • PRC Market Research — You can browse upcoming projects (and their pay rate) before registering. Most studies pay $100-300/hour.
  • NewtonX — Strictly for industry professionals to share their insight and get paid.
  • Focus Forward — A unique aggregator of paid focus group and survey opportunities.
  • UserTesting – Earn $10 for completing 20-minute online user tests of websites, apps, shopping portals, and more. This is pretty fun but you have to be fast because these tests get snatched up quickly.
  • Pulse Labs – Earn up to $100 a week providing video feedback on products.
  • Intellizoom – Get paid an average of $10 testing and reviewing websites.
  • UserBrain – Receive new websites to test every week, and earn $5 for each 5-15 minute test.
  • Google User Experience – Google pays gift cards for feedback on their products.
  • Nelson Recruiting — Nationwide market research company established in 1980.
  • Marketade – Specializes in remote usability testing, market validation, navigation research, and more.
  • Engage Studies – Earn as much as $100 per focus group through this research company.
  • Tell Us Your Opinion – Mainly operating in Tulsa but may have online/phone opportunities as well.
  • Adler Weiner Research – In-person studies in Chicagoland and Southern California, plus remote studies nationwide.
  • Advanced Focus – Hosts market research panels and focus groups in New York City.
  • Nichols Research – Get paid to participate in in-person focus groups, primarily in Northern California.
  • Herron Associates — In-person studies in Indianapolis, IN and Tampa, FL.
  • PrizeRebel – Earn $10-12 an hour doing surveys or completing other tasks. (Just avoid the low-paying ones.)

As with any side hustle, there’s an opportunity cost. As in, what else could you be doing with your time?

I encourage you to check out our monster list of side hustle ideas , but here are a few that are similarly flexible.

Become a Bookkeeper

One of the first jobs that many companies hire out is “someone to keep the books.” If you have experience in this field, or just love numbers, becoming a remote bookkeeper could way to make extra money.

Most businesses don’t need a full-time bookkeeper so they’re open to hiring someone part-time. Most virtual bookkeepers charge $100-300 per client per month.

Network with business owners locally or online and let them know about your service. It might make sense to check out this  free training on how to start a remote bookkeeping business .

make extra money by starting a bookkeeping business

Alternative Investments

If you’re after passive income , you might consider adding some alternative investments .

For example,  Fundrise  allows you to invest in professionally-vetted commercial real estate. This spreads your risk around with properties in multiple geographical locations–and minimums as low as $10 .

fundrise review

Disclosure: I’ve been a Fundrise investor since 2015, and earn a commission when you join through my referral link. Opinions are my own.

Resell Furniture Returns

Reselling furniture returns is a unique low-risk side hustle .

How it works is you join Sharetown as a local “reverse logistics” rep. Sharetown partners with direct-to-consumer mattress and furniture brands to handle their return requests.

When customers decide they don’t want to keep the item, you’ll get dispatched to go pick it up. After that, you’ll:

  • clean it up
  • photograph it
  • list it for resale on sites like Facebook Marketplace

side hustle with sharetown

The Sharetown reps I’ve connected with target $150-250 per flip — and, importantly — you don’t have to pay Sharetown for the inventory until the item sells.

Check out my full Sharetown review to learn more.

YouTube video

Sharetown reps make money by reselling gently-used furniture and bed-in-a-box mattresses. Top reps earn $4000+ per month.

  • Low startup costs
  • Great earning power
  • No hunting for inventory
  • Requires a truck or SUV
  • Bulky items to store
  • Not available in all areas

Become a Sharetown Rep

Mobile Notary Service

Becoming a mobile notary loan signing agent is one of the most popular gigs among the Side Hustle Nation community. The flexible, part-time side hustle involves walking new homeowners through their stack of mortgage documents.

loan signing agent side hustle

Appointments typically take around an hour and pay $75-150.

One big drawback to focus groups or online surveys is you’re limited in how much you can earn. It’s a great side hustle, but it’ll never be a full-time income.

Focus groups or paid research studies won’t pay your mortgage, but one or two a month will definitely help build your side hustle snowball .

Have you had any success in landing paid focus group studies? What do you think of this little supplemental side hustle?

Let me know in the comments below!

  • Start Your Free $500 Challenge . My free 5-day email course shows you how to add $500 to your bottom line.
  • Join the free Side Hustle Nation Community . The free Facebook group is the best place to connect with other side hustlers and get your questions answered.
  • Download The Side Hustle Show . My free podcast shares how to make extra money with actionable weekly episodes.

side hustle show cover art

The award-winning Side Hustle Show is a Top 10 Entrepreneurship podcast with over 1,200 5-star ratings!

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participate in online research studies

Is there such thing as an online focus group?

Yes! Several companies facilitate online consumer research focus groups, which is great because that means you can earn money from the comfort of your home or office. Check out our full list to learn more.

How much do focus groups pay?

The pay for focus groups depends on how long the session lasts. Most commonly, you’ll find rates average around $100 an hour.

Where can I find legit paid focus groups?

Companies like Respondent, Fieldwork, and FocusGroup.com are all legit facilitators of paid focus groups. Or, for the best results, you might try an aggregator service like FindFocusGroups.com, which pools together focus group opportunities from several sources. Be sure to check the list of providers on Side Hustle Nation as well.

How do online focus groups work?

Online focus groups work either via conference call or more commonly, through a group video chat to more closely mimic the in-person experience. A moderator will lead the group discussion and participants can chime in through their webcam and computer microphone or phone line.

********* Stock photo  by Akhenaton Images via Shutterstock

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Nick Loper

About the Author

Nick Loper is a side hustle expert who loves helping people earn more money and start businesses they care about. He hosts the award-winning Side Hustle Show, where he's interviewed over 500 successful entrepreneurs, and is the bestselling author of Buy Buttons , The Side Hustle , and $1,000 100 Ways .

His work has been featured in The New York Times, Entrepreneur, Forbes, TIME, Newsweek, Business Insider, MSN, Yahoo Finance, The Los Angeles Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Financial Times, Bankrate, Hubspot, Ahrefs, Shopify, Investopedia, VICE, Vox, Mashable, ChooseFI, Bigger Pockets, The Penny Hoarder, GoBankingRates, and more.

58 thoughts on “Online Focus Groups: 27 Paid Research Companies that Pay Up to $250 an Hour for Your Opinion”

Nice job, Nick! I have only ever been able to score low paying “mystery shopper” gigs. I get a free meal and $15 or $20 for my trouble. It usually takes about an hour, so am making $15 – $20 per hour. I have repeatedly mystery shopped a “Roy Rogers” restaurant that is on the NYS thruway. Almost every time I have had to travel to or from my daughter’s college campus I have been able to get a free meal, $10 or $15, and a portion of my tolls paid. I wouldn’t make the effort except that I am already driving by and there is a good chance that I would need a bathroom break anyway. Everybody wins. :>) I will be checking on a couple of the sites you provided to see if there is anything I qualify for.

Thanks Kevin. I’ve been half-heartedly attempting to find a mystery shopping expert to school me on how it really works :)

Hi Nick – If you are still reading these comments, I hope you will remove User Interviews from your list. After reading your article, I applied with them and was excited at first, but they have a serious flaw. They do not screen what the companies post for the surveys. First you have to take a questionnaire to see if you will be selected for the survey. Time after time you spend time answering the flawed questionnaire, and then not being selected, probably because of being forced to complete an answer that is not correct. Here’s an example that I just sent to Tabitha at User Interviews:

“I was applying for the Medical Injectibles survey, and the first several questions went well. Then there was the question “Do you care for a child with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis?” with the options of yes or no. I checked no, and I cannot imagine there are vast numbers of people who would have been able to check yes.

The next question was required, and it asked for the age of the person I care for, and had a box, also required, asking for the required medications.

Why was I prompted with that question when I had answered no?”

So that was yet another questionnaire that was flawed that completely wasted my time because I could not proceed. I have asked them to remove me from all further communication as I want nothing to do with them anymore, and I honestly don’t think you should be recommending them.

Hmm sorry for the trouble, Balinda. I agree, their conditional logic on the screener surveys could be better — or they could just advance to a “thanks but you’re not a fit” page. When those types of funky follow-up questions happen for me, I just back out and go back to the list since it’s clear I’m not going to qualify.

Nick, this list is AWESOME! I’ve been using User Interviews for about a month and a half and it seems like I hardly ever get selected for any of the surveys. In fact, I’ve only been selected for 1 so far (which literally took 10 minutes and I got a $30 Amazon gift card) and the second one I got approved for, by the time I got around to actually confirming my spot that evening, it was already fully booked up! I’m wondering with all the different options available if it would be feasible to make some decent side money – assuming the time commitment doesn’t get overwhelming. I’m gonna dig into this a little I think and see what I can come up with.

Hey Kyle, I hope you found some good “side jobs.” You mentioned that you used user interviews and only got 1 job. I’m so surprised by that. I have been using them for a few months and I have made a good bit of money. I had a 20 minute telephone survey and was paid $150! I had another that was in person. They came to my apt (they originally said to see my wardrobe in closet, but never did) they interviewed me on camera for about 10-15 minutes and then we went to a clothing store! They asked me if I liked the store, clothes, etc. In all I was with them about an hour. I got $350! I could have made another $100 for doing “homework,” but I was too busy. That’s just 2 of jobs I had from them. Anyway, I just wanted you to know, bcuz you should keep trying with them. I plan on hitting all these new ones, thanks to Nick! Good Luck!

It’s funny you bring this topic up. I LITERALLY started signing up for focus groups last Monday (going on two weeks) and I’ve already made $650. Most have came from respondent. I also signed up for the Reddit r/paidstudy group as well as the cool work ideas.com FB which posts multiple studies a day. I’m loving it so far!

Hi Nick, I’ve been using ACOP for a few years now it does take a long time to gather up money. I usually wait till I get up around $50 or so to cash in. The problem I find is it takes two to three months for it to show up in my Pay Pal account, very slow turn around.

Nick, I’ve been doing these for several years. I probably average about $1,000 per year doing these. This a great comprehensive list!

I tried Mindswarms. I had no trouble creating a profile video (though it really does not flatter me, nor had I trouble applying for studies. However, I have been on there for over a month, and I have been rejected for every. Single. Study. Besides that, they do not ever bother telling me, or giving me helpful suggestions. Their FAQ section is so useless as to be counterproductive. And I suspect that my mind and my interests are not average enough to make Mindswarms (or online studies/surveys in general) worth my while.

Here is a good rule of thumb: if you prefer the musical works of Vasily Kalinnikov (or just know who Vasily Kalinnikov was) over “Lady” Gaga, do not bother with surveys. Only the most average individuals with the most average minds can succeed with this rubbish. Or so my experiences would indicate.

Actually, the opposite is true. just regular surveys do kind of suck. However, the focus groups and interviews and so forth, all the ones that I’ve actually gotten into have been because I’m weird or different. That’s why so many people get declined. They look for people who don’t conform, mostly because they’re looking for new and innovative ideas. Why would you research the monotonous and mundane?

Thanks so much for the information. I signed up on Respondent today and have a 71% match on 1 survey. We’ll see how it goes.

I just tried to sign up with Respondent, and probably I’m the only one in the world with this problem of not having any social media sites. They want to verify your work on LinkedIn or your FB profile. I don’t have a FB account nor do I have a LinkedIn account. I know, I must be living in a cave, but the work I do does not allow me to use social media. What to do? I guess Respondent is out. Bummer.

This is pretty much the same for me too, Shari. Even if I had an account on social media I would only have my family and close friends on it. I wouldn’t want to give some site access. I also ran into one (can’t remember the name) where they wanted you to upload a video of yourself in order to get the surveys. I am also not comfortable with that. I’ve signed up with all that was listed above. We’ll see how it goes. Good luck to you!

Since I haven’t seen it noted in the comments or main blog anywhere I just wanted to put it out there that technically if you make over $600 with any single company like this they are supposed to issue a 1099 for your payouts. Normally if you accumulate that much over a year they may not bother BUT I was lucky enough to get into a study that paid $875 which immediately put me over that threshold. So then they issued a 1099 for all my earnings from them in that year. That hurt at tax time. This year I’m going to spread it out over as many companies as I can to hopefull get a lot but no single one over $600. And if you are lucky enough to get into a single high paying study, keep the tax implication in mind.

Very nice blog post. Thanks for sharing. On respondent I made $30 today. Not bad!

Thanks Nick, this list is AWESOME! I’ve been doing surveys and focus groups for about a year. I’ve had some great paying, easy jobs. I’ve also spent, what felt like like forever, time trying to qualify for them to no avail. However, from my experience, I can definitely say not to give up! Surveys are time consuming with little pay, for the most part. Focus groups, interviews, etc., is where the money is! I have been looking for more sites and you just gave me a bunch! I am gonna try them all! Keep the info coming! Thanks again!

I’m wondering if the earning need to be claimed on our taxes? Is there a record that we are being paid? Do these companies ask for any personal information? Thanks

Try Jackson/Adept in Los Angeles. They have a Beverly Hills and Encino location.

Here are Metro Detroit Focus Groups and my reviews of them

Morpace Inc. 31700 Middlebelt Road Suite 200 Farmington Hills, MI 48334 Phone: (248) 737-5300 http://www.morpace.com Pays $80-$250 Focus Group Surveys (In Person). If they over fill the group which happened to me on one occassion then you get paid instantly without doing the survey. They pay by check or cash after the 1-2 hour in person survey. They offer surveys 1-2 times a year.

Shifrin Hayworth 26400 Lahser Rd #430, Southfield, MI 48033 Phone: (248) 223-0020 https://www.shifrin-hayworth.com/ Pays $50-$300 Focus Group Surveys (In Person). They pay by check or cash in person after the 1-2 hour survey. They offer surveys about 1-2 times a year.

I recently learned that you can only participate in 1 survey every 6 months which is why after being asked if you’ve done one recently you get disqualified.

I just did a study for them last week. They promised a $200 virtual gift card within 48 hours but it’s been a week and still nothing. They’ve stopped answering my emails and I can’t find a phone number for them, which seems pretty shady.

Did they ever get back to you/pay you?

So I have had really good luck with a lot of these companies you listed. I am a stay at home mom have been looking into all this and actively participating for about 6 weeks and made over 3000 dollars I have made 630 dollars on users interviews, 585 on respondents, 310 on user testing, 270 on validately usability studies , 250 on 20/20 panel, about 140 on intellizoom/ what users do Usability studies, 90 dollars on TrymyUI, and 50 on ping pong research. I have also made 375 dolars from focus point global. plus more companies that i got under 20 each from so there is money to be made here if you invest the time. I have done one on one studies with a web cam, phone interviews, product testing (shampoos, and even new cereal), online diary studies (usually about things you eat), and lots of usability studies. the key is knowing how to answer the screener questions. Thank you so much for your list I am going to check out the companies I have not uses yet

Whoa that’s awesome Casondra – thanks for sharing!

Hi Nick-I just found this post and thank you for “heads up”… I’m writing to share with you two top performers here in Seattle for in-person focus groups. In-Sight Space and Fieldwork / Seattle.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have had a few gigs with each of these company’s who conduct only focus groups. Most of the time the pay is cash on the spot and the groups range from 45 minutes to 2 hours. These two company’s have frequent remarkably high-paying gigs. It’s fairly common to attend a 90 minute focus group that pays anywhere from 150.00 – 350.00. On occasion I’ve landed one of their mock jury groups, sometimes held at one of Seattle’s finest hotels and lasts close to 8 hours. These mock jury groups have paid me between 300.00 to 550.00 for the gig and always provide a catered breakfast and lunch. Again, thanks for sharing your information and I hope you’re able to use my information and experience to help others.

Sincerely, Jason B.

Nice, Jason — thanks for sharing!

I’m registered with two companies for focus group and mock jury participation. I’ve done both and found them enjoyable and worthwhile. Usually payment was cash. One time it was a VISA gift card. The mock juries required more hours than the focus groups. One was Friday evening, all day Saturday, and Saturday evening. My experience has been food and beverages were provided when the event was more than 3 hours.

Participants were usually limited to one event in 6 months.

I’ve seen a large dropoff in opportunities since I reached a certain age. Sigh.

Very occasionally the local newspaper has a classified ad for focus group participants.

I need the mock jury site

Ok…I see several people are interested in Mystery Shopping so I thought I’d share a little info. I have done a lot of mystery shopping in the past and love it. Not amazing money but interesting and I enjoyed it. So…here are a few sites to start with…I hope this is OK…I see a few people said they would send information, but a lot of others requested info and I don’t know if they got what they needed. I hope this helps. So…first… this is the official website of the Mystery Shopping Professionals Association…it has a ton of good info and resources https://www.mspa-global.org/index.html Work available always depends on the type of job you are interested in and where you are located so the best companies to work with will vary for different people. Here are some other resources that may help… https://www.mysteryshopperjobfinder.com/members/resources/mspa-interview/ https://www.mysteryshopforum.com/ https://www.mysteryshoppermagazine.com/?source=forum-top-discussions and last but not least… https://www.shadowshopper.com Shadow Shopper…the first thing that pops up when you google Shadow Shopper will be scam alerts. I’m here to tell you it is not a scam. I have used them for years off and on. They do have a fee option, and to get anywhere, you probably will want to use it at least for a short time. But a lot of job boards charge a small fee. Basically it is where companies post work that they need to get done and shoppers go to find work. It’s a great way to see what is available in your area and skill set and interest and sign up with those companies offering that work. You can go out on your own and start just looking into shopping sites, but that sign up processing can be lengthy and if you pick one that doesn’t offer work in your area or jobs you want, you have wasted time and effort. Once you sign up with a few companies that you’ve found on Shadow Shopper, move on until you want to look for more. No need to keep your subscription if you have the work your want. Just my suggestion, but it has landed me several really good opportunities. One lasted years and was around made me around $2000/yr. Oh…and if you are wanting a list of companies…go here… it’s a tedious process to choose, but it’s an option… https://www.mysteryshopforum.com/companies/ Good luck and enjoy :)

Thank you Anna!

I’ve used Focus Pointe Global and Schlesinger in the Boston area for years. I’ve made really good money with them ($75-200 per session). People seem to over-estimate how difficult this all is. Sign up in the database, fill out a survey if you get an e-mail, if you pre-qualify for a study they call you to screen you again, you either qualify or you don’t on that phone call. If you’re picked, you go to their office and sit with the other people picked and just give your opinion for about 90 minutes. The hardest part for me is fighting traffic to get to the office in the city. These focus groups have been a lifesaver for me in periods of unemployment.

Will you get called every week about a survey? No, you definitely won’t, maybe not every month either. But if you sign up with 5-10 companies your chances of getting picked go up. And I agree that sites like Swagbucks are more or less a waste of time. It’s very small money.

Everyone is asking: How do I join? You have to go to the companies website and sign up for the panel (“Join the Panel”) and then wait. Also, the bigger companies post surveys on their Facebook pages so sign up for their notifications.

I do the best with Respondent, User Interviews and UTest.com. Also check out Affectiva’s job listings if you’re in the Boston area. I’ve made a lot helping to test out their automotive AI.

I have been doing focus groups online for prob 3 years or so. I have done a lot of them with watchlab and user interviews. Also accelerant research is a good one. Field work is another I’ve done them with. I’m sure there is more that I’ve used but i gotta tell u that these have been a life saver for me at times. I most recently did one that paid $400 which is the most I’ve made. I am signed up and in the databases of all that u listed plus a few others like accelerant research. Oh yeah another great place is Elliot Benson research.

Thanks for sharing Shelley!

you might try Mturk if you money to pay…

Great job on this article! I’ve been doing focus groups for many years. Probably made about $2,000 or so altogether.

I’d also recommend instapanel. I’ve been using them for several years to complete video surveys. They pay $20 for about 5-10 minutes of work. Here’s a link: https://instapanel.com/ .

I work for one of the market research companies that hire these focus group facilities/recruiters to get us the research we need. For in person focus groups (in facility) you can expect to get paid around $100 per hour, and more expensive if you’re in a specialty group (certain ailments, professionals such as tech). For online focus groups they run around $75 per hour.

If you want to know the panels to join around your area to join focus groups, I’d recommend going on Green Book (for research) and search on recruiters or facility around your neighborhood. This is where researchers go to find panels to do research with and you’ll get more opportunities with the facilities/recruiters there.

I don’t recommend online surveys bc you might terminate out of many surveys before you complete one and they won’t pay you more than $5 for one, and that’s on the rare end. Hope this helps!

Appreciate the insight — thanks Michelle!

I love love love all the great information I just obtained by reading your blog. OMG ! If anyone has any leads for Indiana specifically please let me know. I know of Herron Associates does a lot of research focus groups. Just go to their website and sign up. Ive done a few for them in the past and made anywhere from $50-150 for about an hour or so in person focus group. I think those are great and very interesting. If anyone wants to contact me to give me some tips on the mystery shopping I’d greatly appreciate it. TIA ( Thanks in Advance) Carrie

Thanks a bunch for the informative post! I signed up for several of the ones you have on this list and already got selected for a study. Just curious – most of the prescreen questions ask if you’ve recently participated in a study. If you have (I’ll fall into this bucket once I complete the study I just got picked for), does that greatly reduce your chances of being selected for another one?

Hi, are any of these open to people under 18?

All clinical trials are for ages 18-99.

Amalia, I apologize. I read your question to quickly & transposed the numbers. I thought you said 81.I’m rarely asked to prove my age, but they may have some way of checking. Product reviews are open to 16+, I believe. I’ve never had to show my ID online, only when I do things in person. Obviously medical care you’d show your ID.

Withpower.com is a great website to checkout medical trials. There are all sorts & bonus if you need medical care & don’t have the money to pay for it. Some just monitor or interview you…all the way up to getting medicated treatment for your condition. I even saw dental work on there.

Every clinical research compensated me for my time & travel. It’s always paid out very well for me & it’s definitely worth the time. I got $365 for downloading an app on my phone that I recorded how long I slept the night before.They sent a little survey with 4 questions every day to the app & I told them what time I went to bed, did I wake up during the night, how long did it take me to get back to sleep, and what time I woke up. I got paid in intervals at week 2, 6, 10, & 14. Super easy money.

I’m on #4 of this list now. User interviews has been fair to me. I’ve seen product reviews, online, and focus groups on there. If they let you know that you are qualified, act quickly!

Clinical research & focus groups are my favorite. I used to like doing product reviews & I still do. But once you really start getting into it, the rewards get better & better. Thank you so much, Nick. Yes, I referred you when signing up. You deserve it.

Hi Nick, this is a great job.

Many of these websites do not authorize participants from Nigeria and Africa. They have country-based restrictions. It sucks.

I have a master’s degree in business administration. I have a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. I have a postgraduate diploma in economics, a postgraduate diploma in education and a professional diploma in early childhood education. I have a CEFR Level C1 in IELTS exam. I have done some surveys in my country, Nigeria and I performed well.

What survey sites do you recommend that do not have country-based restrictions? I am really curious Nick.

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Virtual Lab Online Research Studies

The pimco decision research virtual lab at the roman family center for decision research allows people from around the world to take paid research studies online using surveys, zoom video calls, and other remote tools..

Video Transcript

Transcript coming soon.

By participating in online behavioral science studies, you play a vital role in helping Chicago Booth researchers better understand judgment and decision-making.

Note: the Virtual Lab will be closed June 3-7.

Here's how you can take paid surveys and interactive studies from the comfort of home. Sign Up (New Participants)   Log In (Existing Participants)

Take Studies in the Virtual Lab

You'll need:.

  • A computer, smartphone, or tablet
  • Internet connection

How to Get Started

  • Sign up for an account. Within 1 business day, you'll receive an email with your login info and other important information.
  • Tell us about yourself. The first time you log into your account, you'll be prompted to take a short prescreen survey about you and your background. Watch a video tutorial.
  • Sign up for paid surveys: When you log in, you'll see the studies you are eligible to take. By default, participants are eligible for surveys, one of our two types of studies.
  • Optional: Take the Zoom Prerequisite Study Pays $3 / 10-15 min. / Appointments Tu-Fri, 11am-4pm CT Many of our highest-paying studies are conducted via Zoom, a video chat platform. To become eligible for these more advanced studies, you must pass the Zoom Prerequisite Study. You'll need a computer with a working microphone, webcam, and audio. Video tutorial .

After completing these introductory tasks, you'll be able to sign up for behavioral science studies on our online research platform, Sona . Sign Up to Participate

Compensation

Participants are paid at a rate of $12 per hour ($1 for every 5 minutes). After completing a study, you'll be emailed an Amazon digital gift card as payment , typically within two business days.

Please note that if you are located outside of the United States, you will only be able to redeem Amazon electronic gift cards via the USA-based amazon.com site, and not on Amazon sites based in other countries.

What to Expect

Behavioral science combines psychology, economics, and other fields to better understand human decision-making.The Virtual Lab's online research studies involve simple, everyday tasks like filling out surveys, providing your opinions, or chatting with a study partner.

Interactive studies are conducted using Zoom, a video chat platform. These tend to be our highest paying studies and require appointments scheduled Tuesday-Friday. Before taking Zoom studies, you must first complete the Zoom Prerequisite Study. Tips for using Zoom .

We pride ourselves on creating an inclusive and safe environment for all participants and researchers, so please review the Virtual Lab code of conduct before participating.

Questions? Email us at [email protected] .

Current Participants

Log into your account to see the paid research studies you are currently eligible to complete. Don't see any studies? Check back soon! New studies & time slots are posted each weeknight by 8pm.

Surveys are available on-demand 24/7 and can be completed any time before the study's deadline.

Zoom studies are conducted Tuesday-Friday 11am-4 pm CT (UTC -5).

For Researchers

If you are a researcher interested in conducting online studies in the Virtual Lab, please visit the Researcher Portal  (requires CNET ID) or contact the Virtual Lab to discuss your options. The labs team can help with IRB approval, study design, data analysis, and more.

Follow the Roman Family Center for Decision Research

participate in online research studies

  • Harvard Business School →
  • Behavioral Research →
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Participate in Research

The Behavioral Lab (BeLab) studies human behavior and decision-making by inviting participants to participate in paid online or in-person studies and contribute to cutting-edge research.

Login or Request an account through Sona, our participant management system, to participate in paid behavioral research studies. 

What Do These Studies Involve?

Who is eligible to participate.

To participate, you must be:

  • Based in the United States
  • 18 years of age or older
  • Able to show a valid photo ID (government or school issued)
  • Able to understand and speak English
  • Comfortable using a computer

BeLab Building Exterior

Where Is The BeLab Located

BeLab Building Exterior

How Do I Get To The Lab?

By public transportation.

The lab is about a 7-minute walk from the Harvard Station MBTA stop, that includes the Red Line and various bus lines. The lab is also one block away from the MBTA bus 1 stop at Mt. Auburn and Putnam.

Parking in Cambridge is limited and heavily regulated. When possible, we recommend that participants use public transportation. If you decide to drive to the BeLab, there are a few metered parking spaces on Mass Ave and Arrow Street and nearby paid parking garages.

15 Legitimate Places to Participate in Paid Research Studies

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The content on DollarSprout includes links to our advertising partners. When you read our content and click on one of our partners’ links, and then decide to complete an offer — whether it’s downloading an app, opening an account, or some other action — we may earn a commission from that advertiser, at no extra cost to you.

Our ultimate goal is to educate and inform, not lure you into signing up for certain offers. Compensation from our partners may impact what products we cover and where they appear on the site, but does not have any impact on the objectivity of our reviews or advice.

From testing products and services to sleep and diet studies, here's a list of vetted places you can participate in paid focus groups.

Anna Baluch

  • Side Hustles

participate in online research studies

Our mission at DollarSprout is to help readers improve their financial lives, and we regularly partner with companies that share that same vision. If a purchase or signup is made through one of our Partners’ links, we may receive compensation for the referral. Learn more here .

A few years ago, I got an invitation to attend a research study hosted by a local skincare company. They were launching a new line of products and wanted feedback from 20 to 25 year-old-women with dry skin.

Since I was a new college grad who needed extra cash, I decided to go. They asked me various questions regarding my current skincare regimen, the products I used, and how I felt about them. It only took an hour, and I got a $75 Visa gift card and a few product samples. Not a bad way to kill an hour.

If you like the idea of getting paid to share your opinions, you’re in luck. There are plenty of places that host paid research studies. While the study I did was in-person, there are many online research studies you can do at home.

Websites That Offer Paid Research Studies

You can find online focus groups that’ll pay you for your time and feedback through a variety of websites. Each site has its own requirements and payment structure, so it’s a good idea to explore all the options available.

1. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is a survey site that’s been around since 2005. It will pay you to take surveys and express your opinions to big brands who want to improve their products and services. After you answer several questions about yourself and create a profile, the site will match you to surveys that are relevant to you.

Any time you complete a survey, you’ll earn virtual points, which you can redeem for PayPal cash or online gift cards. Most surveys take anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes, and you can expect to make between 100 to 200 points or $1 to $3 per survey. You won’t have to buy any products or sign up for other websites.

2. American Consumer Opinion

American Consumer Opinion is a survey panel that partners with large companies who want customer opinions. To join, you’ll enter basic information such as your age and where you live. Then, you’ll take a general household survey where you’ll share details about your lifestyle.

You’ll likely receive survey invitations via email several times a year. The number of points you’ll rack up will depend on the length of the surveys.

While short surveys are typically worth anywhere between 5 and 50 points, you can earn up to 5,000 points with longer ones. One point equals $0.01, and you can cash your points in for PayPal cash or donate them to charity.

Related: 17 Best Places to Take Paid Online Surveys for Money

3. Respondent

Respondent is unique because it organizes one-on-one paid research studies online and in person. You can sign up with your email address or via your Facebook or LinkedIn profile through the site.

Once you do, you’ll fill out some basic personal information such as your name, birthday, and email address. They’ll also ask for demographic details like your gender, ethnicity, and educational background.

After you’ve signed up, you’ll browse all of the “projects” available and details like the pay and how long they take to complete. When you see a project that interests you, you can apply to it through a short questionnaire. You’ll be emailed if the company chooses you for their project.

Most of the projects focus on small business or technology and pay anywhere from $50 to $85 via PayPal for 45 minutes to an hour of your time.

4. FocusGroup.com

FocusGroup.com began in 1988 and offers surveys as well as in-person and online focus groups via phone and webcam. After you create a profile, you’ll be emailed surveys and focus group invitations.

The majority of the site’s surveys and focus groups revolve around health and wellness, pet products, finances, and shopping habits.

You’ll earn between $75 and $150 if you participate in focus groups and points for surveys, which you can apply toward a prepaid Visa debit card. You can cash out 100 points for $1.00.

5. Plaza Research

Plaza Research pays parents, kids, teens, students, doctors, and business professionals to share their opinions on new products and services. It hosts surveys and a variety of in-person focus groups throughout the country.

If you attend a focus group, you’ll likely be asked to try a new product, watch a TV commercial, or discuss your thoughts about future products. To receive survey and focus group invitations, fill out an online form. The form will ask you questions about your education, electronic use, employment, household, pets, and more.

You’ll get an email if you’re a good fit for a survey or focus group. The amount you’ll earn depends on its length and scope. Most participants will earn between $50 and $200, paid via check, for two hours of their time.

Related: How to Get Paid to Write Reviews

6. Mindswarms

You can create an account online or via the Mindswarms mobile app and get paid to answer questions via your smartphone or webcam.

After you apply to a survey that appeals to you, you’ll answer a few targeted questions to make sure you’re a good fit for it. If you are, you’ll answer seven questions and earn about $50. The money will be sent to your PayPal account within 24 hours. You can also redeem your earnings for an Amazon gift card.

7. Fieldwork

Fieldwork has facilitated marketing research studies since 1980. The company hosts in-person focus groups in 11 cities across the U.S. If you don’t live near any of these cities, you can still register for Fieldwork’s national database and participate in online or phone interviews.

To register, fill out an online questionnaire and wait for Fieldwork to call or email you when an opportunity is available. Most in-person focus groups last between one and two hours and can be on random topics such as cereal and video games. Compensation is usually a $75 Visa gift card.

8. User Interviews

User Interviews organizes focus groups in-person, via phone, or video streaming about products, services, and websites. For a chance to participate, create a profile with your birthday, gender, household income, marital status, and education level.

If you find a project that interests you, complete a short screener survey to see if you’re eligible. If you are, you can sign up for the focus group and earn an average of $50/hr. You’ll get paid via check.

9. Brand Institute

Brand Institute is a branding agency that supports healthcare and pharmaceutical companies with their marketing initiatives. You can become a Brand Institute panel member after you fill out a short online registration form. If you qualify for a paid research study, you’ll get an email notification and can participate right away.

Payment depends on the survey you take, and you’re more likely to receive invites for higher-paying surveys if you have a medical background. You can earn between $2 and $30 via check or PayPal. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and others in healthcare report that they receive about four surveys a month.

Engage finds respondents for various market research and usability studies. It offers both in-person focus groups and online discussions for panel members. You can join the healthcare panel if you’re a medical professional or consumer panel if you’re an everyday consumer.

You’ll have to provide information about your income, marital status, education level, and job. Once you do, you’ll receive an email notification whenever you qualify for a study. Most studies cover topics like cars, electronics, food products, music, and medical conditions. They usually pay $50 to $250 via check or PayPal.

Universities that Facilitate Paid Focus Groups

Find research opportunities at your local university

  You can also find paid focus groups at colleges and universities. Many of them offer year-round opportunities and focus on psychology and human behavior. While most of these studies are performed online, a few require that you participate in person.

You don’t have to be a student to participate, and payment is typically in the form of PayPal cash, gift cards, or a check. If you’d like to earn money via college-run focus groups, take a look at the schools near your home. Their websites will likely include details about these types of opportunities.

  • Purdue University ( See studies )
  • Center for Decision Sciences Columbia Business School ( See studies )
  • Northwestern University Department of Psychology ( See studies )
  • Harvard University Psychology Study Pool ( See studies )
  • MIT Behavioral Research Lab ( See studies )

DollarSprout co-founder Jeff Proctor participated in a six-week research study on high-fat diets at Virginia Tech. During the study, he was compensated with meals and $500.

“It was a great experience but very involved,” he said. “I had to check in every day to get weighed, choose my meals, and get several blood and urine samples taken.”

How to Tell if a Focus Group Opportunity is Legit

Even though many focus group opportunities are legitimate, there are plenty of work-from-home scams out there. If you have to pay to participate or reveal confidential information such as your Social Security number or credit card details, that’s a red flag. Stay away from any focus groups that force you to buy products or services or sign up for other websites.

If you find an opportunity that interests you, do some online research to make sure it’s valid. Check the Better Business Bureau to see its rating and read any complaints. This way you can avoid a situation where you get excited about a focus group and then find out it’s a scam.

A legitimate company will never charge you to attend a focus group or take a survey. In addition, they’ll have a privacy policy that’s prominently displayed on their website and will only email you from a business email account, rather than one from a free service like Gmail or Yahoo.

Related: How One Woman Earns $5,000 per Month as a Surrogate Mother 

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  • Be a fluent speaker of English
  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Have a Paypal account to receive payments or be able to accept an Amazon.com gift certificate for participation

To be eligible to receive payment for our study you must be using a web browser with cookies enabled :

  • Windows: Internet Explorer verison 5 or later
  • Windows: Netscape 6 or later
  • Mac: Safari
  • Any: Firefox

If this sounds like you, please complete the following page. If you qualify, we will contact you by email in advance of the experiment.

Will I get paid?

You will not receive payment for filling out the form to register for our Online Panel. However, you will be paid for completing our online studies you will be invited to. Payments are mainly handled by PayPal ( www.paypal.com/ ) a free service. Therefore, make sure that the email you sign up with is the same email address associated with your Paypal account . This way your earnings can be directly deposited in your account. Alternatively, in many of our studies, you can choose to receive payment in the form of an Amazon.com gift certificate. If you do not wish to be paid via Paypal or with an Amazon.com gift certificate, please do not participate in this research. Payment is approximately $16 per hour , however this varies depending on the length of the study. You may also earn bonus payments, which depend on the study as well.

How is data I provide stored?

Information about you will be kept in strict confidentiality and stored on a remote server hosted by Amazon Web Services (AWS). Your information will not be shared with anyone outside the Center for Decision Sciences and you will not be contacted except as it concerns the Center for Decision Sciences Virtual Lab. Your personal information will be kept indefinitely until request for deletion and will under no circumstances be given out to third parties. You may choose to remove yourself from our online participant panel at any time without penalty by emailing [email protected] with the email address associated with your account. Likewise, the Center for Decision Sciences reserves the right to remove participants from our panel at any time. Please note that removal from the online panel itself doesn’t guarantee removal from past studies in which you have already participated. If removal occurs, periodic emails will be sent to ask if you prefer to have your information completely deleted from our system.  

What do I consent to?

By registering in the CDS Virtual Lab Online Panel, you consent to receive email invitations from the Center for Decision Sciences to participate in online surveys for which you may qualify. Except as it concerns online studies, you will not be contacted. Your participation in online studies is entirely voluntary. You may choose to participate in certain surveys and decline to participate in others. However, you will not be able to participate in our web-based online studies if you do not join the online panel.

What research studies am I going to participate in?

For more information on the Center for Decision Sciences and our research projects please visit our homepage . If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at [email protected] .  

If at any time you have questions or concerns about your rights or welfare as a research subject, contact the Columbia University Morningside Institutional Review Board (IRB) by email at [email protected] , or by phone at 212-851-7040.

What are the research purpose, risks, and benefits?

The purpose of the CDS Virtual Lab Online Panel is to create a mailing list of participants (also called panelists) that r eceive invitations to participate in paid online surveys.   There are no foreseeable risks to joining the online panel.   There is no direct benefit to joining the panel (payment is not considered a benefit of research). It will take approximately 5 minutes to complete the registration form.

  You can register now by clicking the button below!  

Warning icon

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

  • Participate in Research Studies

Paid Research Opportunities

The following studies are recruiting participants and pay for your time. Read the descriptions and requirements. If you are interested, email the researcher asking to participate. Information on some studies is also posted on bulletin boards in Swift Hall.

Daily Experiences Across Relationships (DEAR) Study

Northwestern’s Relationships and Motivation Lab and University of Chicago’s CEDAR Lab are conducting a 6-month study about people’s life experiences and romantic relationships. This study consists of all online surveys that can be done from home. It involves a quick introductory zoom session with a member of our research team, an hour-long initial survey, 2 weeks of short 5-minute surveys, and three 25-minute follow-up surveys that come 2, 4, and 6 months later. You and your partner can earn up to $120 each for participating ($240 per couple).

You may be eligible if you:

  • Have been in a relationship for at least 6-months
  • Both of you are at least 25 years old, current US residents, and fluent English-speakers
  • Have regular internet access
  • Have a romantic partner who is willing to participate

Please contact Erin at [email protected] for more information!

Principle investigator: Eli Finkel

Study Title: Daily Experiences Across Relationships Study

IRB #: STU00219294-MOD0001

Cognitive Architecture of Bilingual Language Processing

The  Bilingualism and Psycholinguistics Research Group  at Northwestern University is looking for  Korean-English bilinguals  for an EEG study on language and cognition. We are interested in how languages are represented in the mind. Electroencephalography (EEG) is a safe and non-invasive neuroimaging technique. We are recording the neural activity at the surface of the scalp as it naturally occurs in the brain. The testing session takes approximately 3 hours to complete. For your time and effort, you will be compensated $15 per hour.

You may be eligible to participate if: 

-You are proficient in Korean and English.

-You are between the ages of 18 and 35.

-You are right-handed.

-You have normal or corrected-to-normal vision (glasses, contacts).

-You have no history of neurologic, cognitive, or psychiatric disorders. 

The study takes place at Northwestern’s Evanston campus at 2240 Campus Drive (Frances Searle Building) in room 3-367. Appointments will be scheduled at a time that is most convenient for you. 

If you are interested, please email Ashley Chung-Fat-Yim at  [email protected]  or give us a call at 847-467-2709.

Principal Investigator:  Dr. Viorica Marian

Study Title:  Cognitive Architecture of Bilingual Language Processing

IRB #:  STU00023477

Can over-the-counter hearing aids help with hearing loss?

The Hearing Aid Laboratory at Northwestern University is looking for participants for a research study about how over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids impact how we listen and communicate with others. We are looking for adults with known or suspected mild-to-moderate hearing loss to bring a communication partner with them (i.e., spouse, friend, neighbor, adult child, etc.) to have a conversation together while wearing OTC hearing aids.

What to expect:

  • The study involves a total of 2 visits to our lab.
  • The first visit involves tests of memory, hearing, and communication with a partner for one visit to our lab, lasting approximately 2 hours. We will provide you with a free comprehensive hearing test, and you will be fit with OTC hearing aids during your visit to the lab.
  • The second visit involves a test of speech in background noise while wearing OTC hearing aids.

You may be eligible to participate if:

• You have diagnosed or suspected mild to moderate hearing loss in both ears

• You are 18 years or older

• You are able to bring someone with you to your first visit

• You have normal or corrected-to-normal vision (glasses, contacts)

• No history of neurologic, cognitive, or psychiatric disorders

The person you bring to the study with you is eligible if:

• They have no hearing loss, OR wear hearing aids consistently if they have hearing loss

• Are at least 18 years of age

• English is their primary language

• Normal or corrected-to-normal vision (glasses, contacts)

The study takes place in either Northwestern’s main campus at 2240 Campus Drive in Evanston, or at our downtown location at 710 N Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. Visits will be scheduled at the located that is most convenient for you. 

If you are interested, please email us at [email protected]  or give us a call at 847-467-0897.

You can also fill out an initial interest form by clicking here.  

Principal Investigator: Dr. Pamela Souza

Study Title: Investigation of direct-to-consumer hearing aids on conversation efficiency and listening effort

IRB #: STU00217791

Visual Adaptation, Selective Attention, and Shape Coding: An Integrative Investigation of Visual Attention; Understanding the Mechanisms that Control the Dynamics of Perceptual Switches

The laboratories of Dr. Satoru Suzuki and Dr. Marcia Grabowecky are currently seeking healthy adults to participate in research on perception. Studies take place on the Northwestern University Evanston campus. Participants are compensated $15/hour for volunteering. Note: no transportation or parking costs will be covered.

If you are interested in participating, please contact our laboratory by telephone (847) 467-6539, or email for more information: [email protected]  

Once you contact the laboratory, you will be informed of studies in progress and their specific requirements (for example, handedness, age range, gender) and procedures. Typically, studies involve responding to images or sounds presented by a computer and last from 1-2 hours. Some studies also require responding to personality or mood questionnaires, or having physiological responses recorded (for example, brain waves or eye movements). The details of the particular study will be provided when you contact the laboratory. If you are interested in volunteering and you qualify to participate in any ongoing studies, an appointment will be scheduled.

Principal Investigators: Dr. Satoru Suzuki and Dr. Marcia Grabowecky

Study Title: Visual Adaptation, Selective Attention, and Shape Coding: An Integrative Investigation of Visual Attention; Understanding the Mechanisms that Control the Dynamics of Perceptual Switches 

IRB #: CR1_STU00013229 

Psychosis Risk Outcomes Network Study

We are seeking young people who are concerned about recent changes in mood, thinking or behavior. This research project aims to increase understanding of mental health concerns in young people and how to prevent the development of a more serious mental illness such as psychosis.

You may be eligible for the study if you meet any of the following criteria:

  • Ages 12 - 30
  • Noticing a recent change in thinking, behavior, or experiences, such as:
  • Confusion about what is real or imaginary
  • Feeling not in control of your own thoughts of ideas
  • Feeling suspicious or paranoid
  • Having experiences that may not be real, such as hearing sounds or seeing things that may not be there
  • Having trouble communicating clearly

The study would entail visits over a 2-year period, and you would be paid $30 per hour for your participation.  Eligible participants will be asked to come in for various assessments including:

  • clinical interviews
  • biological assessments (MRI & EEG brain scans; blood and saliva testing)
  • cognitive testing

If you are interested, please email us at [email protected]  or fill out this online eligibility survey , and a member of our team will get back to you shortly.

Principal investigator: Dr. Vijay Mittal Study Title: ProNET IRB #: STU00215145

Good at sleeping?

The Cognitive Neuroscience Lab in the Department of Psychology at Northwestern is recruiting volunteers to participate in sleep research ( STU00034353 )

 Compensation is provided for studies ($12.50/hr)

You can participate in Chicago or at our sleep lab on the Evanston campus.

 To sign up and learn more about the The Paller Lab, visit:    www.northwestern.edu/people/kap/apply  

Principal Investigator: Dr. Ken Paller

Study Title: Strategically strengthening declarative memories during sleep: Learning, Creative Problem-Solving, REM Sleep, and Dreaming

IRB# STU00034353-MOD0044

  • Work From Home

16 ways to participate in research studies offered online

Helal Uddin Chowdhury

If you like the basic idea of ​​doing surveys for cash but want to take it to another level and earn more, you can consider participating in paid research studies online and in online focus groups.

There are many different types of paid research studies available, but most fit more broadly into two main categories: medical and psychological. Some studies, especially medical ones, require you to travel to a specific location, but a significant amount of psychological research these days is conducted remotely!

Most studies don’t take a lot of time – perhaps a few hours a week for a short period, or even just one afternoon – but the pay can be quite good. It’s not at all uncommon to earn $50 to $100 an hour, and many universities transfer funds through PayPal for distance learning, so it’s usually pretty easy to get your money.

Before you read the list below, I recommend getting our weekly work at home newsletter list! I send you new ideas every week.

How to participate in research studies

This is quite simple. From the list below, click on the links to the panel or panels you are interested in joining

Usually you need to create an account and then confirm your details

After that, you can just log in and see what research studies or focus groups are available to try. Sometimes these places will email you with the opportunity, but I recommend logging in daily to check if they don’t.

Where to get paid to study research online

Below, we’ve put together a list of universities and other organizations that often seek paid research participants, most of which have easily accessible sign-up forms for online studies. But remember, just because you signed up, doesn’t mean you’ll be selected.

1 – Respondent

This company conducts online research for various industry professionals. You can study from anywhere in the world and many of them pay upwards of $100. Payment is made through PayPal. You won’t get selected for every study you try to qualify for, but get accepted once a month to earn some nice extra money here. So we do not recommend this site!

Go here to join Answerer, or read our Answerer review.

2 – User interviews

This company has a range of studies on an ongoing basis. They are hosted by top organizations and aim to help influence the products and services of tomorrow You can usually earn $50 to $100 (or more) for the time you spend. Most studies are conducted online and the amount you make depends on the complexity and length of the study. Another very similar to the answer (above) that we highly recommend!

Go here to join a user interview or read our user interview review.

3 – 20|20 panel

This panel has been around for years and years! They are definitely legit, and most of their studies pay you $50 to $150 for your participation. Although I have never been selected for anything from here, I know someone who has been and this person enjoyed the experience and was instantly rewarded. They are one of the market research focus groups, asking you primarily about the brand.

You can read our 20|20 Panel review, or Go here to sign up .

4 – Carnegie Mellon University

According to the participant sign-up page, “For online studies, participants will typically be compensated with an online gift card within one to two weeks of study completion. Payments for online studies are typically around $8 per hour, or participants may be entered into a lottery for a chance to win a large prize.”

Among the university paid research study panels, it has one of the most straightforward sign-up pages

go here To sign up with Carnegie Mellon University.

5 – Columbia Business School

According to the website, the average payment rate is $16/hour. Most studies last 15-45 minutes, so a typical payment can be between $5 – $12.

go here To sign up with Columbia Business School.

6 – ELAB at Yale School of Management

Elab at Yale School of Management – ​​In exchange for your participation in their study, you can enter a prize drawing and also receive an Amazon voucher.

Most of their studies are in person, but they may occasionally have some that are conducted online.

go here To sign up with eLab.

7 – Johnson Cornell University

All studies pay in cash, online cash transfer, or gift card or prize lottery.

go here Johnson to sign up with Cornell.

8 – Kellogg School of Management

Online studies can compensate up to $17/hour and virtual studies can compensate up to $20-25. Payment can be in the form of an Amazon gift card.

go here To sign up with the Kellogg School of Management.

9 – Kent State University Psychology Research

Kent State University Psychology Research – Anyone can get money to study research online with Kent State. Much of this will be paid to study psychology.

go here To sign up with Kent State.

10 – MIT Behavioral Research Lab

You can participate in online psychology research studies with MIT. Participants are typically compensated with cash or gift certificates. See individual study details for specific payment amounts. According to the site, you’ll typically earn $12 to $20 per hour studying online.

go here To sign up with the MIT Behavioral Research Lab.

11 – University of Colorado at Boulder

They have several research studies open that you can participate in at any time. Many can be completed online. However, it is not entirely clear whether you need to be a local resident to complete these. Payment methods vary, but Amazon and Visa gift cards seem to be common.

go here To sign up with the University of Colorado at Boulder.

12 – MIT Agelab

You must first create an account to become a research volunteer, and then they say they will contact you about the current study, including eligibility to participate and compensation offered.

go here To sign up with MIT Agelab.

13 – Field work

This company has focus groups you can attend in person at various locations across the US. Most major cities have one. You can earn around $75 for your time.

go here To sign up with Fieldwork.

14 – Focus groups

It’s a panel at Schlesinger that conducts focus groups about the products and services you’re using. Opportunities are available online, in person and through phone focus groups. Focus Group will pay you in rewards points that you can exchange for a Visa debit card.

go here To sign up with a focus group.

15 – Voice of the rare patient

This site contains a lot of research in the medical field. Most of them pay you $100 if you qualify. Most of these focus groups seem to be conducted by phone.

go here To sign up with Rare Patient Voice.

16 – FocusGroups.org

This company does not conduct focus groups themselves, rather they list those that are open and available through other companies. I’ve heard good things about becoming a member here if you’re looking for studies to actively participate in, so be sure to sign up with them if you want to do it regularly. FocusGroups.org is definitely legit and we recommend creating an account here.

go here To sign up with FocusGroups.org.

Tips for Success in Online Research Studies

If you want to participate in a research study and get paid, the first thing to remember is that it won’t make you rich or replace your day job.

That said, you can make really good extra money doing this. You can earn much more with survey panels, reward sites and other types of side earners.

If you want to be successful and make as much extra as possible (probably hundreds of extra per month), I recommend:

  • Staying on top of what education is available. Check these sites daily to see what you can try to qualify for
  • Please fill out your profile completely on this site. The more these panels know about you and your specific demographics and preferences, the more likely you are to find a study for which you are a good fit.
  • Not to be a flake. If you’re accepted to be part of a study, follow up and do the phone call, online survey, or in-person interview as you said you would. You don’t pay if you don’t do what you say.
  • Don’t let yourself be fooled! Although the opportunities I listed above are legitimate, you can find many online that are not If something doesn’t feel right to you, don’t register for it.

Hope you find the above list helpful if you are interested in becoming a volunteer for a research study. Remember that you may have to sign up for several studies to be selected, but if you are interested enough to persist, your efforts will pay off in the end.

If you haven’t already subscribed to our weekly work at home update, you can do so here. It’s free, and you’ll find ways to earn extra cash and real work at home jobs!

Bonus – get mine Work at home e-book bundles Right now for just $5 (total of 8 eBooks)

If you want more links to jobs across a ton of categories (virtual assisting, data entry, transcription, and more), you might want to download my Work at home e-book bundle .

Ebook bundle work at home

It includes the following e-books ($1 each if you buy them individually):

Download it here .

After your purchase you will receive an email with a link to download the PDF files.

Anna

Anna Thurman is a home blogger and mother of two. He has been researching and reviewing remote jobs for over 13 years. His results are published weekly here at Real Ways to Earn.

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Make money online

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Influence the Future of Technology, Products and Services

participate in online research studies

Learn About Emerging Technology

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Get Paid to Share your Valuable Opinions

Influence the future of technology, products & services, earn money sharing your valuable opinions on daily-use products, services, and technology..

  • Witness technological advancements and product enhancements firsthand.
  • Get rewarded for providing your opinions and feedback.
  • Stay informed about the latest emerging technology and innovative products

How it works:

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Sign Up & Participate

Join our growing community of technology professionals, computer users, gamers, and people like you who participate in research studies such as online surveys, one-on-one interviews, user tests, and more.

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Share your feedback and influence future development of the products and services you use every day from technology and productivity apps to online games and tools for developers and educators. There’s something for everyone.

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Keep informed about emerging technologies, products, and services. Help others learn by sharing your valuable user experience with the companies designing these products and services.

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Participants are paid quickly for each completed research engagement. Payments are sent electronically and can be converted to cash, prepaid cards, gift cards and more.

By registering on the URI Participant Portal , you can select studies that are based on profiles that match your experience and interests. You can choose as many profiles as you wish and may be asked to answer a series of questions in order to be considered for the study. To increase your chances of being chosen to participate, select the profile(s) that fit you best.

Everyone qualifies for consumer studies, there is no prior experience required for these studies.

Studies for people who play console, computer, mobile or VR/AR video games.

Information Workers

If you use productivity software at work such as Microsoft Office Suit e or Google Suite these studies are for you.

Person with a Disability

These studies are intended for people with physical, sensory, or mental conditions or impairments.

Technology Professionals

These studies are for people who are software/devops engineers, data professionals, data scientists, IT professionals, etc.

If you travel for business or pleasure these studies are for you.

Miscellaneous

We also have studies for students, educators, health care workers, seniors, parents, etc.

Our Participants tell us

Study Participant

Get paid to share your opinions.

Influence the future of technology, products and services., refer a friend.

We’re always looking for more people like you! If you know someone who would be interested in participating in a study, please have them sign up in our database!

What to expect when participating

Help center.

The URI Help Center is your place for commonly asked questions regarding participating in research studies, we encourage you to visit the Help Center. 

Remember: URI is testing the product, not you.

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User Research International

+1 425 242 8030 17602 NE Union Hill Road Redmond, WA 98052 [email protected]

FOR PARTICIPANTS

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Privacy Overview

  • Participate in ASU research

Would you like to make an impact on the next groundbreaking research discovery? Look no further than Research Plus Me: ASU’s new research study discovery site ! You will find opportunities to participate online or in person — and most studies will compensate you for your time. 

Research studies couldn’t happen without the contributions of people from all walks of life, from all around the world. You can join regardless of your age or health status.

Learn more .

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Online Lab

Build the future

Participate in online studies and help the scientific community to design innovative policies. In return, you will receive a fixed payment of 5 euros plus another variable payment based on your result.

About studies

It is an online game or questionnaire designed by a group of reserachers aiming to test how a new strategy works before implementing it in the real world. Volunteers participate anonymously.

PARTICIPANTS 

They can play from any computer, tablet or mobile phone. It is free and intuitive. Participants make decisions for a few minutes and once they finish they receive a payment of 5 euros plus a variable payment for their result.

Check available studies. Seats run out very quickly. If you want to be notified when opening new studies sign up as participant.

Type of studies

Each study is different. Go to available studies and check all details. 

Live support for online experiments and research studies

Individual studies

You will play making decisions individually and anonymously. You will have a certain time to complete the study and you will receive a minimum payment of 5 euros plus another payment based on your result

Multiplayer online experiment

Multiplayer experiments

You will play against other participants and you all will have play at the same time. Your decisions will be anonymous and you will receive a minimum payment of 12 euros per hour

Interviews and usability tests

In this case you will have an interview with a member of our team. They will ask you questions about a situation or a product to get your opinion. You will receive a minimum payment of 15 euros per hour

Guide for participants

10 Frequent Asked Questions

What is a study?

It is an online game or questionnaire. Participants take anonimous decisions and get a payment according to their results (5 euros guaranteed + a variable ammount depending on their choices). Our studies are designed by worldwide researchers and institutions willing to test their strategies before real implementation. Check all details about the study before.

What do I need to do?

Volunteers will make decisions online for a few minutes. You will need to use a device with good internet connection (computer, tablet or mobile phone). At the end, participants receive their payment.

Will I always get a payment?

Yes. All participants who complete the study will always receive a minimum payment of 5 euros.

What do I need to participate?

Any phone, tablet or laptop with Internet connection. In case you need a particular device it will be specified in the study description.

Do I need to know anything?

No, prior knowledge is not required. At the beginning of the study you will read the rules of the game. From that moment on you will make the decisions that you consider appropriate, always anonymously. There are no right answers, you just have to be yourself.  The payment you receive will depend on the results of your decisions. 

Who can participate?

In general terms, everyone can participate. However, sometimes we need specific profiles. You can see the profile of the required participant in the description of the study. 

Where can I see new studies who are looking for participants?

Use the form below to register and you will receive an email when we open a study for your profile.

Is it free to participate?

Yes, its free. There is no cost of any kind either to reserve the place or to receive payment. Even if you don’t have a good result you will receive the minimum payment of 5 euros.

How do I receive the payment?

We use Paypal, a secure, free and trusted platform. If you don´t have an account yet you can create an account for free .

Is it 100% anonymous?

Yes, your decisions are anonymous and will never be associated to your identity. Researchers will see decisions but will never know who has made them. To do that, we will send you a participant personal code. You will use it to start the study. We´ll ask you for some personal data intended to check the identity and suitability of required profiles for specific studies and will be used for recruitment and payment purposes only.  Data will only be managed by ourselves and is protected by our privacy policy and will never be disclosed to third parties. You can read all details here .

Available studies

Open studies right now. We´ll send invites to registered participants when we start data collection

DECEMBER 2023

Study #DecisionGame

  • Individual online questionnaire
  • Use a phone/tablet/laptop

University of Bologna

NOVEMBER 2023

Study #PlanetaDinero

  • Multiplayer online game

participate in online research studies

SEPTEMBER 2023

Study #NokiaLab

  • Individual decision making game

participate in online research studies

Sign up and participate

You will send an invitation email as soon as we launch a study suitable for your profile

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  • About | Experience

A smart network connecting serious researchers with eager participants

Want to join studies.

  • Earn cash or other incentives
  • Studies match your specific profile
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Are You a Researcher?

  • No hassle participant recruitment
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FindParticipants.com is the resource for academic researchers enabling immediate access to thousands of interested research participants, and a platform for research participants to participate in research studies worldwide.

We make research simple, quick, and effective for research studies of any size, for any academic researcher, anywhere in the world!

The FindParticipants.com Platform

Participants in 135 countries, researchers from 1,723 universities, studies across 1,483 disciplines.

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Current Studies

Twitter users wanted, university of westminster.

We are inviting people to take part in a project where we explore ways to link people's questionnaire responses with material they have shared on social media. To take part, you must have an activ... Read More...

Twitter users wanted.

Twitter users wanted, $10 reward. We are inviting people to take part in a project where we explore ways to link people's questionnaire responses with material they have shared on social media. T... Read More...

Caregiving for a loved one 65 years or older? Join a study

Brandeis university.

Are you a caregiver interested in increasing your physical activity and using a fitness app? We are seeking family caregivers to join a fitness app study that can better promote your health and w... Read More...

Android smartphone study of food pictures

University of essex.

I am a researcher from the University of Essex and I am running a research study that involves photographing food that you eat and throw away for 8 days. We need 25 more participants who have Andro... Read More...

Supervision experiences of home-based counselors

Capella university.

For study investigating the supervision experiences of new professional counselors while completing home-based counseling Dates and times for participating are flexible, and will include a... Read More...

Android smartphone-based study of food pictures

I am a researcher from the University of Essex and I am running a research study that involves photographing food that you eat and throw away for 8 days. We need participants who have Android phon... Read More...

  • Show More Studies

Participate in Studies

Help us further our discoveries of how the mind works

You do not have to be affiliated with Stanford University to participate in Psychology research. The majority of our paid studies take place on the Stanford campus, but we also offer opportunities to take part in our experiments online. We appreciate your participation, which is vital to the continued success of our department. Out of consideration for our researchers' time and resources, we ask that you please only sign up for studies you can attend and that you cancel any appointments you are unable to make.

Stanford students in Psychology classes can not receive course credit for participating in paid studies. Please check your course syllabus for participation instructions.

Sign up to participate

Existing participants can  log in  to browse our current studies and sign up for open timeslots.

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Join Our Panel

Get paid to share your opinion.

We need engaged and enthusiastic participants from all walks of life in the US and Canada including shoppers, business executives, medical professionals, and more. We conduct focus groups, product and device tests, taste tests, mock juries, online surveys, in-person interviews, and more!  The best part is, we compensate you for your time and participation.

To get involved, follow one of the links below. From there, you can sign up for one of our panels by providing a profile of yourself – the basics of who you are and what makes you tick. You are not going to qualify for every focus group, online survey, or taste test, so we pay you when you do. Once we have a paid research study that matches your demographics (your gender, age, location, buying habits, etc), we send you an email or text with screening questions to determine if you qualify. If you’re the right fit, the questions will either be automatically presented to you online OR we will call to schedule a time and provide you with all of the details for an online or in-person focus group, taste test, mock jury, or even a shop-along/ride-along. Once you have completed the study, we will either email you an electronic payment or mail/hand you a check or Visa cash card. It’s an easy way to make extra money – not rewards or points – just by voicing your opinions!

You’re online already. Why not make a little money at it?

participate in online research studies

Do you shop online or in-person? Are you employed, retired, unemployed, or a student? If you answered yes to any of these questions, please join our panel as we need your opinions!

participate in online research studies

If you are a Medical Professional (or hero as we call you!), we need your opinion now more than ever! Please join our paid panel now.

YOU MATTER! MAKE YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

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Stanford GSB researchers are looking for participants willing to take part in organizational and marketing studies.

You may participate either in-person in our lab or online on your home computer. Studies typically include cash or gift card payments averaging $25 an hour. None of our studies involves physical exertion or medical procedures.

Stanford Community Members

If you have a stanford.edu email address, you may register on Sona Systems . On the site, you will be able to view available studies and the compensation amounts before signing up. You are also eligible to participate in the pools below (you will not need a Stanford email address to register through those websites).

All Other Participants

If you do not have a stanford.edu email address, we offer the following ways to participate in our research:

  • Sona Systems National Participant Pool : On the site, you will be able to view available studies and the compensation amounts. The studies in this pool are completely online.
  • Mechanical Turk : MTurk, which is run by Amazon, hires participants to complete tasks for compensation. There is no way to specifically search for Stanford studies on MTurk.
  • Survey Sampling International : SSI hires individuals to take surveys for compensation. There is no way to specifically search for Stanford studies on the SSI site.
  • Eligibility
  • You must be 18 years of age or older.
  • You may have only one Sona account.
  • You may not participate in the same study more than once.
  • You must complete a prescreen form.
  • You may not participate if you are a graduate student in psychology, organizational behavior, or marketing.
  • If you are not a U.S. citizen, you may still participate in most studies run through the Behavioral Lab.

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Paid participants are needed for in-person studies in labs on the Carnegie Mellon University campus only. Therefore, we ask that only residents of Pittsburgh request a CBDR participant account. Please be sure to read the participation policies below before entering your information to request a CBDR account for research participation.

Lab Expectations of Participants

  • Participants must present a valid state-issued or student photo ID in order to participate in each in-person study. The name on the valid ID must  exactly  match the spelling of the name used to sign up for an account. Any participant who presents an ID with a name that does not exactly match the name on their account will not be able to participate in the study and will not be compensated.  
  • Participants must show up on time to participate in studies; participants who show up after the listed study starting time may not be able to participate and will not be compensated.
  • Participants are expected to attend all study sessions for which they sign up, or to cancel sign-ups on the website at least 24 hours in advance. Missing a study without online cancellation will result in an unexcused no-show. Participants who accumulate three unexcused no-shows will be banned from participating in studies for at least three months.
  • Participants are asked to cancel or reschedule their study session if they are feeling unwell. This includes but is not limited to symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, fatigue, or any other signs of illness. 
  • Participants and researchers are required to maintain an environment of respect. Participants may not be under the influence of alcohol or illicit drugs while participating in studies.  Use of vulgar or discriminatory language, threatening behavior, inappropriate communication, system abuse, etc. will result in permanent restriction from the system and from participation in studies.  

Payment Details

For in-person studies, participants will be compensated immediately with cash or gift cards. Payment usually averages around $10 per hour for in-person studies. For online studies, p articipants will typically be compensated with online gift cards within one to two weeks after the study closes. Payment usually averages around $8 per hour for online studies, or participants may be e ntered into a lottery for a chance to win a larger prize. Payment information for each study can always be found in the study description. Participants must be a resident of the United States in order to recieve remote compensation. 

CMU students participating in the Research Participation Program may also earn course credit for participating in specifically labeled studies. These CREDIT studies may not be completed for cash payment unless explicitly stated. Studies labeled "CREDIT" are therefore intended for CMU students only.

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Studies vary widely across the broad spectrum of behavioral and decision research. Examples of topics studied are personal attitudes and beliefs, human judgment and decision-making, preferences, interpersonal perceptions, group performance, interaction with computers and machines, and perceptions of public policy.

Study Length

Each individual study posting will always contain the anticipated length. Online studies are typically shorter, ranging from 5 minutes to an hour (or longer). In-person lab studies are typically longer, ranging from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours. Some studies require multiple sessions or may fall outside of these ranges.

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  • Must NOT be PhDs in Economics, Psychology, Organizational Behavior, or Marketing

Request a CBDR Account

Once you have read the participation policies you may sign up to create an account. Account creation may take up to 72 weekday hours. Do not resubmit information — this will return an error message.  If you are a Carnegie Mellon student, please register with your CMU email address so that we may verify your student status.  We are unfortunately unable to accept participants that are not residents of the United States at this time.

Once you receive your account information, you will be able to view and sign up for studies through our Sona Systems website .

For general questions about the participation pool, please first look at the FAQ section on the Sona Systems website .

Any questions about a particular study (including but not limited to questions about compensation, preparation, meeting time, eligibility, etc.) should be directed to the researcher(s) listed in the study posting online. In the case that a participant feels any matter must be reviewed by the lab system administrators, participants may email the CBDR lab manager at [email protected] .

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New Data Reveal How Adults Participated in the Arts During COVID-19

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A masked audience watches a performance at the Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 2020. Photo courtesy of the Lied Center for Performing Arts at University of Nebraska.

Washington, DC —What was the impact of COVID-19 on arts participation? New research released today by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) notes that between July 2021 and July 2022, more than half of all adults created and/or performed art—similar to findings in 2017, the last time the survey was conducted. During the same time period, just under half of all adults attended in-person arts events, a significant drop from 2017. A separate survey shows that 82 percent of respondents watched or listened to arts activities through digital media between 2021 and 2022. These and other findings about in-person and virtual arts participation, and about adults’ reading habits, are available in two new NEA research publications: Arts Participation Patterns in 2022: Highlights from the Survey of Public Participation in the Arts and Online Audiences for Arts Programming: A Survey of Virtual Participation Amid COVID-19 .

Chair of the NEA, Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, said, “The National Endowment for the Arts has a longstanding commitment to providing the arts and culture field and the general public with accurate and relevant research. Taken together, these reports help to reveal the state of arts participation in our country and serve as an important resource in understanding areas that are growing in interest, those that showed a decline, as well as demographic gaps in participation, among other trends.”

Arts Participation Patterns in 2022: Highlights from the Survey of Public Participation in the Arts

Since 1982, the Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (SPPA) has been administered roughly every five years by the U.S. Census Bureau. This report is the first look through the lens of federal survey data at how adults participated in arts activities for one year of the pandemic: a 12-month period from July 2021 to July 2022. The report examines areas such as attending arts events, personally creating or performing art, reading books or literature, watching or listening to arts content via media, or learning an art form. A comprehensive statistical report of the 2022 SPPA data will be released next year. 

Key findings from this report include:

Art Making:

  • More than half (52 percent) of the nation’s adults did some form of art making in 2022. This is similar to the share of adults who, using a different set of measures, reported creating and/or performing art in 2017.
  • For most art forms, the share of adults personally creating and/or performing has either grown modestly or held flat since 2017. Art making activities that showed growth from 2017 included leatherwork, metalwork, and woodwork. and playing musical instruments. Other activities, such as working with textiles, taking artistic photos, or doing creative writing, took a dip in 2020 but have since returned to 2017 levels.
  • Social dancing is the most popular activity across all forms of personal arts performance and creation, involving 22 percent of adults.
  • The next most popular activity is singing, whether alone or in a choir, though the proportion of adults singing declined by five percentage points from 2017 to 2022.
  • Other declines in personal creation and performance included performing or practicing dance; restoring, rebuilding, or customizing objects; and cooking as an artistic activity.
  • Most adults who learned an arts subject did so through friends or family, or by teaching oneself.

Arts Attendance—In-person:

  • Just under half (48 percent) of all adults attended at least one arts event in person. This is six percentage points less than reported in 2017.
  • Attendance rates declined in comparison to 2017 for virtually every type of arts activity specified in the survey—art museum or gallery visits, and attendance at jazz, classical, or Latin/salsa music performances, musical and non-musical plays, craft fairs and outdoor performing arts festivals, operas, and ballet and other dance forms, and movies. 
  • However, attendance rates grew 15 percent, to 21 percent of adults, for the “other” performing arts category. This could include all kinds of music, dance, and theater events not specified by the survey, such as rock or pop, rap or hip-hop, folk or country, or music from other countries and cultural traditions, in addition to comedy/improv, circus acts, or magic shows. 
  • As for visual arts attendance, the only activity not to see a severe decline was visits to parks, buildings, monuments, or neighborhoods for historic or design purposes—this participation rate slipped by only two percentage points.
  • In 2022, open-air facilities (e.g., parks, pavilions, amphitheaters) were among the most popular sites of in-person arts attendance.
  • Social media and peer-to-peer communications were the most commonly cited mechanisms for learning about in-person arts events that survey respondents attended.

Arts Consumption Via Media:

  • As in prior years, the largest share of adults who participated in the arts did so by consuming art through electronic or digital media (75 percent).
  • The rate of music-listening via electronic or digital media held steady between 2017 and 2022, with the exception of jazz and classical music or opera, which saw declines. 
  • Many other forms of arts consumption via media saw declines in the five-year period, including watching or listening to theater productions and dance performances, as well as programs, podcasts, or other video or audio content about the visual arts or about books or writers.
  • In 2022, 53 percent of U.S. adults read literature and/or books of some kind (compared to 57.1 percent in 2017).
  • Data indicate a sharp decline in reading over the last decade. The percent of U.S. adults who read at least one book (in print or electronically) in 2022 was 48.5, 6.1 percentage points lower than in 2012. 
  • The percent of U.S. adults who read literature—novels or short stories, poetry, and plays—was lower in 2022 than in 2017. In particular, the percent of U.S. adults who read novels or short stories declined at a 17 percent rate, from 45.2 percent in 2012 to 37.6 percent in 2022—the lowest share on record with the survey. 
  • The percent of U.S. adults who read poetry dropped to 9.2 percent in 2022 from 11.7 percent in 2017, but remained above the 2012 level of 6.7 percent. A new survey question for 2022 asked about poetry listening, with 4.8 percent of adults (11.8 million) reporting having listened to poetry via broadcasts, recordings, or web streaming. (More information is available in the April 2023 NEA blog post: New Survey Reports Size of Poetry’s Audience – Streaming Included )

Demographic Differences:

  • Companion tables to this report examine arts attendance by different demographic groups. For most activity/event types, the declines seen in arts attendance were borne by both genders, Whites, older adults, and those with higher education levels. Exceptions include:
  • Musical plays; classical music; outdoor performing arts festivals, and craft fairs—declines were also seen in Hispanic attendees
  • Non-musical plays and Latin music—declines were also seen in younger age groups 
  • Non-ballet dance forms—declines were also seen in African American and Hispanic attendees, and in younger adults
  • Art museums and galleries—declines were also seen in African American and Asian visitors

Raw data for the full 2022 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts will be available later this year at the NEA’s National Archive of Data on Arts and Culture .

Online Audiences for Arts Programming: A Survey of Virtual Participation Amid COVID-19

The 2022 General Social Survey (GSS), administered by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago, is another tool for understanding arts participation. Supported by the NEA in partnership with the National Science Foundation, the 2022 GSS Arts Module asked respondents to reflect on their arts experiences during the first year of the pandemic (from March 2020 to March 2021) and to report whether, in the most recent 12-month period, they participated at a higher, lower, or identical rate. The report also examines how responses varied by demographic subgroup.

  • 82 percent of respondents attended some type of digital arts activity between 2021 and 2022, such as: viewing or listening to archived and livestreamed web performing arts events; listening to arts-related podcasts; viewing or listening to archived and livestreamed web reading events; taking online art classes; and attending online art exhibits or tours. (This is roughly comparable to the 75 percent of adults reporting engagement with digital arts activities in the 2022 SPPA, which used different question-items and methods.)
  • The greatest share of adults (70 percent) attended web-archived performing arts events, followed by 43 percent attending livestreamed performing arts events. (70 percent is updated from 69 percent using the GSS 2022 Cross-section data Release 2, which was released November 2023.)
  • Roughly 30 percent of respondents reported doing one or more digital arts activities more often than in the first year of the pandemic.
  • Overall, a slightly larger share of women than men reported engaging with any type of digital arts activity. This trend was consistent across many digital activity types, except for watching or listening to livestreamed performing arts events. 
  • More women than men reported participating in one or more digital arts activity more often than in the first year of COVID-19.
  • Adults aged 18-24 reported higher rates of engagement with digital arts activities than did older age groups and also were also more likely than other age groups to say they now did these activities more often than in the first year of the pandemic.
  • Almost all Black/African Americans and other non-Hispanic and non-White respondents, and the vast majority of Hispanic respondents, reported engaging with at least one type of digital arts content over the most recent 12-month period. 
  • Roughly half of all Black/African American and other non-Hispanic and non-White respondents, and over a third of Hispanic respondents, reported doing one or more digital activity more often than in the first year of the pandemic—compared to 24 percent of White respondents.
  • Respondents from all educational backgrounds reported strong engagement with digital arts activities, with those with graduate degrees reporting the highest rate and those with less than a high school diploma reporting the lowest. Nevertheless, 42 percent of adults who had not earned a high school diploma said they now engaged with one or more digital arts activities more often than in the first year of the pandemic, which was the highest rate for any education group. (42 percent is updated from 41 percent using the GSS 2022 Cross-section data Release 2, which was released November 2023.)

Related Content

“arts attendance and reading trends, by demographic group”: tables for 2017 and 2022, about the national endowment for the arts.

Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the Arts Endowment supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. Visit arts.gov to learn more.

Liz Auclair, [email protected], 202-682-5744

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    You will find opportunities to participate online or in person — and most studies will compensate you for your time. Research studies couldn't happen without the contributions of people from all walks of life, from all around the world. You can join regardless of your age or health status. Learn more.

  12. Participate in online paid research studies

    They can play from any computer, tablet or mobile phone. It is free and intuitive. Participants make decisions for a few minutes and once they finish they receive a payment of 5 euros plus a variable payment for their result. GUIDE FOR PARTICIPANTS. OPEN SEATS. Check available studies. Seats run out very quickly.

  13. ResearchMatch

    ResearchMatch helps you find a clinical trial or research study near you, or across the country, by matching you with researchers from leading medical research institutions. Whether you are a healthy volunteer or have a health condition, ResearchMatch connects you to research opportunities so you can make a difference and advance scientific discoveries by participating in research studies ...

  14. Participate in Research

    Participate in Research CBDR is always looking for new research study participants. Participants are primarily needed for in-person studies in labs on campus, but may sometimes be able to participate online on a home computer. Please read the participation policies below before entering your information to request a CBDR account for research ...

  15. FindParticipants.com

    FindParticipants.com is the resource for academic researchers enabling immediate access to thousands of interested research participants, and a platform for research participants to participate in research studies worldwide.. We make research simple, quick, and effective for research studies of any size, for any academic researcher, anywhere in the world!

  16. Participate in Studies

    You do not have to be affiliated with Stanford University to participate in Psychology research. The majority of our paid studies take place on the Stanford campus, but we also offer opportunities to take part in our experiments online. We appreciate your participation, which is vital to the continued success of our department. Out of ...

  17. Resolution Research

    If you are a Medical Professional (or hero as we call you!), we need your opinion now more than ever! Please join our paid panel now. YOU MATTER! MAKE YOUR VOICE BE HEARD! Make extra money by participating in paid research studies including online surveys, mock juries, taste tests, focus groups, and more!

  18. 31 Paid Studies (And How You Can Make Money Participating)

    9. Find Focus Groups. You can search for paid research studies through FindFocusGroups.com, a centralized aggregator for focus group opportunities. Both regional and online focus groups are available. Compensation for most focus groups begins at $100 for a one-hour local session. 10. Focus Group by Schlesinger.

  19. Participate in a Study

    Participate in a Study. Stanford GSB researchers are looking for participants willing to take part in organizational and marketing studies. You may participate either in-person in our lab or online on your home computer. Studies typically include cash or gift card payments averaging $25 an hour. None of our studies involves physical exertion or ...

  20. User Interviews

    The fastest & easiest way to recruit high quality participants for any type of user research study. Make better decisions by getting feedback from real users.

  21. Participate in Research

    Participate in Research CBDR is always looking for new research study participants. Paid participants are needed for in-person studies in labs on campus, but may sometimes be able to participate online on a home computer. Please read the participation policies below before entering your information to request a CBDR account for research ...

  22. Find Studies

    Participate in Research› Find Studies. Find Studies. Research studies are looking for volunteers just like you. Both healthy volunteers and participants with specific health conditions are needed to help answer important questions impacting the health of our friends and family. Join us to improve the health of others.

  23. 15 Best Sites To Find Paid Research Studies In 2024

    4. American Consumer Opinion. American Consumer Opinion is a paid research study site that has been around for over 20 years connecting businesses with consumers. Businesses and organizations rely on consumer feedback to improve their products and services, so your online surveys provide valuable info.

  24. Google UX Design Professional Certificate

    In the U.S. and Canada, Coursera charges $49 per month after the initial 7-day free trial period. The Google UX Design Certificate can be completed in less than 6 months at under 10 hours per week of part-time study, so most learners can complete the certificate for less than $300 USD.

  25. Best Accredited Online Bachelor's Degree Programs for 2024

    Business was the most popular field of study in 2021-22, with nearly 392,000 bachelor's degrees awarded. ... Many states offer grants and scholarships for students enrolled in online programs. Research your state's financial aid office for details. ... What technology requirements do I need to participate in an accredited online bachelor's program?

  26. Internet & Technology

    ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions.

  27. Cannabis Use Focus Group

    Calling Cannabis Users (21+) in the US: Earn $125 for a Paid Online Cannabis Study (60 Minutes) Live in the US and have experiences with cannabis use? We're seeking participants aged 21+ for a paid online market research study to understand your experiences! Here's your exciting opportunity: Share your cannabis story: Participate in a confidential Calling Cannabis Users in the US: Earn $125 ...

  28. Best Online Therapy Services We Tested In 2024

    Research also shows that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may be just as effective online as it is in person, but further studies are needed Ruwaard J, Lange A, Schrieken B, Dolan CV, Emmelkamp ...

  29. New Data Reveal How Adults Participated in the Arts During COVID-19

    These and other findings about in-person and virtual arts participation, and about adults' reading habits, are available in two new NEA research publications: Arts Participation Patterns in 2022: Highlights from the Survey of Public Participation in the Arts and Online Audiences for Arts Programming: A Survey of Virtual Participation Amid ...

  30. Full article: Assessment of Entrustable Professional Activities Among

    Design of the Survey. This is a case-vignette study using standardised written cases. Case vignettes (n = 6) on the topics thyroid disease, pituitary disease, adrenal disease, calcium and bone disorders, diabetes mellitus, and gonadal disorders were written by a team of two endocrinologists and a medical education expert.It is pivotal in vignette studies that the written scenarios are ...