Paid Research Studies at Columbia
Get paid $50–$300+ for online research studies, surveys, and remote focus groups open to NY residents at Columbia, plus in-person studies at Columbia when available. Columbia recruits for paid psychology, economics, and medical studies across Morningside Heights and its separate medical campus uptown, on top of the online studies open to any New Yorker.
Online studies open to NY residents
229 online studies are open to anyone in NY right now — take part from home, on your schedule, plus 4 in-person studies at Columbia.
Multi-Day Study in NYC on Data Collection - $1200
Are you a native Hebrew speaker born and raised in Israel? Participants are invited to a three-day in-person multi-day study about data collection. Qualified participants will receive $1200 if completed by October 28, 2026. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Spots are limited and tend to fill fast. Applying doesn't guarantee a slot, and qualification criteria may change at any time without notice.
Focus Group in NYC on Lifestyle Trends - $275
Are you passionate about sharing content on social media? Participants are invited to a 135-minute online focus group about lifestyle interests like fashion, food, skincare, and makeup. Qualified participants will receive $275 if completed by October 30, 2026. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Spots are limited and tend to fill fast. Applying doesn't guarantee a slot, and qualification criteria may change at any time without notice.
Focus Group in NYC on Technology - $150
Interested in trying new technology? Join an in-person technology testing study in Midtown NYC starting in October 2026. Participants will receive $150 for their time. Adults ages 18 and older may qualify, even if they have participated in a previous study. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Space is limited, subject to availability. Criteria for qualification are subject to change at any time and without notice.
Product Test in NYC on Wearables - $140
Firstsource is recruiting adults for a paid, in-person research study on emerging AI and wearable technology. Participants wear a wearable device connected to a computer, read short prompts aloud, and complete guided research activities with the onsite team. Your input will help inform the design of next-generation devices. Sessions are held on weekdays, primarily Tuesday to Thursday, in Manhattan, New York City, and last up to 2 hours. Sessions are recorded. Compensation is $70 per hour, rounded to the nearest hour, paid by a digital Visa gift card. No technical or research experience is required. This is a voluntary research opportunity, not an employment or internship position. If you are interested in participating, please take the survey to see if you qualify! Spots are limited and tend to fill fast. Applying doesn't guarantee a slot, and qualification criteria may change at any time without notice.
Research Study on Video Advertising - $60
How do marketing agencies leverage AI for video ads? Participants are invited to a 60-minute online research study about their experiences creating AI-driven video content. Qualified participants will receive $60 if completed by November 16, 2026. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Spots are limited and tend to fill fast. Applying doesn't guarantee a slot, and qualification criteria may change at any time without notice.
Research Study on Website Experiences - $34
How do you feel about the websites you use? Participants are invited to an engaging online research study about their experiences with websites. Qualified participants will receive $34 if completed by October 23, 2026. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Spots are limited and tend to fill fast. Applying doesn't guarantee a slot, and qualification criteria may change at any time without notice.
Research Study on Healthcare Compliance Processes - $20
How well do you understand healthcare compliance processes? Participants are invited to a 15-minute online unmoderated task about the management of quality, risk, and compliance in healthcare settings. Qualified participants will receive $20 if completed by October 24, 2026. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Spots are limited and tend to fill fast. Applying doesn't guarantee a slot, and qualification criteria may change at any time without notice.
Research Study on Location Strategy - $150
How do companies in retail and food & beverage decide on new locations? Participants are invited to a 60-minute online research study about growth and location strategy. Qualified participants will receive $150 if completed by November 14, 2026. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Spots are limited and tend to fill fast. Applying doesn't guarantee a slot, and qualification criteria may change at any time without notice.
Research Study on Leadership Well-Being - $50
How do senior leaders practice mindfulness and resilience? Participants are invited to a 60-minute online research study about leadership experiences in high-pressure environments. Qualified participants will receive $50 if completed by October 25, 2026. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Spots are limited and tend to fill fast. Applying doesn't guarantee a slot, and qualification criteria may change at any time without notice.
How to get paid for research studies at Columbia
Most paid research open to Columbia is now online — remote focus groups over video, online interviews, paid surveys, product tests, and diary studies you can do from home, open to anyone in NY. Columbia recruits for paid psychology, economics, and medical studies across Morningside Heights and its separate medical campus uptown, on top of the online studies open to any New Yorker. StudySnag aggregates these into one feed so you don't have to hunt across panels, Craigslist, and university boards.
Most studies pay $50–$300, and paid clinical trials can pay significantly more. Because the studies are remote, you can take part whether you're near Morningside Heights or Washington Heights or anywhere else in NY — and in-person focus groups and trials at Columbia are listed here whenever recruiters are running them.
Not tied to Columbia specifically? Browse paid studies near you, or go straight to paid psychology studies and other ways to get paid for your opinion.
Columbia's two campuses sit at opposite ends of Manhattan, so a student here can pick up behavioural studies near Morningside Heights and clinical studies at the Irving Medical Center uptown without ever leaving the subway line.
Getting started is free: create an account, tell us a little about yourself, and browse the studies you qualify for at Columbia. Registering takes one tap, and you're paid directly by the research panel on completion.
Who runs paid research at Columbia
- The Irving Medical Center
- Columbia's medical campus in Washington Heights, roughly fifty blocks north of the undergraduate one, running clinical trials that recruit from upper Manhattan generally.
- The Zuckerman Institute
- A large neuroscience research centre on the Manhattanville campus, running behavioural and imaging studies that pay above standard departmental rates.
- The business school behavioural lab
- Short decision-making and economics experiments paying cash, and among the quickest studies on campus to complete.
What paid studies at Columbia actually pay
Columbia's three recruiting centres pay quite differently, and the geography is what determines whether a student uses them. Departmental studies at Morningside Heights pay standard rates. The neuroscience institute pays more, particularly for imaging. The medical campus pays clinical rates but is fifty blocks north, and that distance is the only thing keeping most undergraduates from it.
Getting to in-person studies at Columbia
The 1 train is the whole answer: it runs from 116th Street at the undergraduate campus straight to 168th Street at the medical centre, so Columbia's two research worlds are about twenty minutes apart on a single line with no change. Very few universities with campuses this far apart are connected so directly.
When recruiting picks up at Columbia
Departmental and business school recruiting follows the semester and empties over the summer, when a large share of students leave the city. The medical centre and the neuroscience institute recruit year-round from upper Manhattan.
Paid research studies at Columbia — FAQ
Can Columbia undergraduates join studies at the medical campus?+
Yes, and the 1 train makes it about twenty minutes with no change. The Irving Medical Center's trials recruit on age and health criteria from upper Manhattan rather than by enrolment, so being an undergraduate neither helps nor hurts.
How is this different from the NYU and New York pages?+
The NYU page covers that university's own recruiting downtown. The New York page covers the commercial market-research and advertising industry across the metro. This page covers Columbia specifically — Morningside Heights, Manhattanville, and the medical campus uptown.
How much do paid research studies at Columbia pay?+
Most paid studies for Columbia participants pay between $50 and $300, while clinical trials can pay much more. You'll always see the exact payout before you register.
Are there online paid studies for Columbia students?+
Yes. Many studies are fully online and open to anyone in NY, so you can take part from Morningside Heights or anywhere nearby. In-person focus groups and clinical trials are also listed when available.
Do I need to be a student to join?+
No — anyone US-based can join. Columbia students are especially in demand, but it's open to everyone.
How do I get started?+
Create a free StudySnag account, tell us a bit about yourself, and browse the studies you qualify for at Columbia. Registering for a study takes one tap.
Paid research studies in other cities
Paid research studies for students
How much do paid research studies at Columbia pay?
Paid research studies open to NY residents and Columbia students typically pay $50–$300+, and clinical trials pay more; the top study on StudySnag right now pays $1,200. Right now 229 online studies are open to anyone in NY, plus 4 in-person studies at Columbia. You always see the exact payout before you register, and it's free to join.
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