Paid Research Studies in Los Angeles (LA)
Get paid $50–$300+ for online research studies, surveys, and remote focus groups open to CA residents, plus in-person studies in Los Angeles when available. LA recruiters run heavy entertainment, product-testing, and health studies, and most online studies pay California residents.
Online studies open to CA residents
244 online studies are open to anyone in CA right now — take part from home, on your schedule, plus 13 in-person studies in Los Angeles.
CASTING McDonald’s Crew + Fans for a Commercial - $800+
CASTING McDONALD'S CREW + FANS FOR A COMMERCIAL! 🍔🍟 PAID! Vitamin Enriched, a real people casting company, is casting for current and former McDonald's employees, crew members, operators, customers, fans and franchisees for an upcoming commercial about their most loyal team members! We're looking for the most passionate people across the U.S. who have a special connection to McDonald’s and want to share their experience and what they've contributed to the brand. Maybe you're a former crew member who started working at McDonald's as a teenager, and those were the best days. Maybe you're a current crew member who is known as a local celebrity within your community. Maybe you're a manager or operator who has spent years building a team and creating opportunities for the people who work with you. Maybe you're a devoted McDonald's fan or customer with a unique story to tell. Whatever your story is, we want to hear from you. If you are interested in participating, please fill out the form to be considered! Space is limited, subject to availability. Criteria for qualification are subject to change at any time and without notice
Focus Group in LA on Social Issues - $375
What are your thoughts on social issues affecting society? Join an in-person focus group in Westwood, Los Angeles, on October 23, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (9:30 AM arrival). Receive $375 for the full session or $175 if dismissed within the first hour. 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.
Focus Group in LA on Exercise - $350
How does exercise fit into your everyday life? Join a 90-minute in-home research interview in LA from November 4-6, with a mandatory 45-minute homework task. Receive $200 for the interview and $150 for the pre-task, for a total of $350. 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.
1-on-1 Interview in Irvine on Vehicle Features - $350
Are you a driver interested in exploring the latest vehicle technology? Participants are invited to a 120-minute in-person 1-on-1 interview about new vehicle features through VR. Qualified participants will receive $350 if completed by November 12, 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 LA on Gaming / Entertainment - #325
Are you interested in gaming and entertainment? Join an in-home research study in Los Angeles from November 2-6, featuring a 2.5-hour interview and 30-minute homework assignment. Receive $325 for your time and feedback. 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.
Focus Group in Irvine on Health Products - $250
What health products do you use and trust? Join a 90-minute in-person focus group in Irvine, California, on various dates in November. Receive $250 for your time and feedback. Spots are limited, so sign up soon! 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.
Focus Group in LA on Last War & Whiteout Survival - $250
Are you a fan of kingdom-building games like Last War: Survival or Whiteout Survival? Participants are invited to a 150-minute in-person focus group about these engaging games. Qualified participants will receive $250 if completed by November 2, 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 LA on Mobile Strategy Games - $250
Are you a fan of mobile strategy games like Clash of Kings or Evony? Participants are invited to a 180-minute in-person focus group about kingdom-building games and player experiences. Qualified participants will receive $250 if completed by November 1, 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 LA on Yellowstone TV Show - $250
Are you a passionate fan of the Yellowstone TV series? Participants are invited to a 150-minute in-person focus group about the Yellowstone universe and its spin-offs like 1883 and 1923. Qualified participants will receive $250 if completed by November 1, 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 in Los Angeles
Most paid research open to Los Angeles (LA) 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 CA. LA recruiters run heavy entertainment, product-testing, and health studies, and most online studies pay California residents. 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 Downtown LA or Santa Monica or anywhere else in CA — and in-person focus groups and trials in Los Angeles are listed here whenever recruiters are running them.
Not tied to Los Angeles specifically? Browse paid studies near you, or go straight to paid market research and other ways to get paid for your opinion.
Getting started is free: create an account, tell us a little about yourself, and browse the studies you qualify for in Los Angeles. Registering takes one tap, and you're paid directly by the research panel on completion.
Who runs paid research in Los Angeles
- Film and television audience testing
- Studios preview unreleased films and pilots on recruited audiences before locking the final cut — a category of paid research that barely exists outside Los Angeles.
- The Westside and Valley focus-group facilities
- Commercial research suites cluster in West LA, Encino, and Orange County, running consumer and product sessions for brands rather than studios.
- Cedars-Sinai, UCLA Health and Keck Medicine
- The region's academic medical centres run paid clinical trials recruiting across a very large geographic catchment.
- Automotive research clinics
- Car makers regularly test styling and features on Southern California drivers, and these clinics pay among the highest rates of any consumer research in the region.
What paid studies in Los Angeles actually pay
The spread here is wider than in any other US market, and it does not track prestige. Test screenings often pay little — sometimes $10 to $25 plus the screening itself, because the film is treated as part of the compensation. Standard consumer focus groups run $75 to $200. Automotive clinics sit at the top and can pay several hundred for a half-day, because manufacturers need a very specific driver profile and will pay to get it.
Getting to in-person studies in Los Angeles
Distance is the thing that actually decides whether an LA study is worth taking. A session in Encino is a different proposition from Long Beach than from Sherman Oaks, and a 6pm start means the drive home is in traffic. Facilities cluster on the Westside, in the Valley, and in Orange County, so it is worth filtering by which of those three you can realistically reach before looking at the payment.
When recruiting picks up in Los Angeles
Television testing concentrates in the winter and early spring around pilot season, while film screenings cluster ahead of the summer and holiday release windows. Consumer and automotive research runs steadily through the year and is the more reliable option outside those peaks.
Paid research studies in Los Angeles — FAQ
Do film and TV test screenings actually pay?+
Some do and some don't. Studios treat the screening itself as part of the compensation, so cash incentives are often modest — in the $10 to $25 range — and a few recruit on the free-preview basis alone. They are worth doing for the experience rather than the money; the paid work in LA is in consumer, automotive, and clinical research.
How far will I have to travel for an in-person study?+
Further than you would expect, and it matters more than the payment. Facilities are concentrated on the Westside, in Encino and the Valley, and in Orange County. Check the location before the incentive: a $100 session ninety minutes away in traffic is worse than a $75 one nearby.
How is this different from the UCLA and USC pages?+
Those cover research recruiting through the universities — campus subject pools and their affiliated hospitals. This page covers the commercial and entertainment research market, which recruits Los Angeles residents generally and is much larger than the academic side.
How much do paid research studies in Los Angeles pay?+
Most paid studies for Los Angeles, CA 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 Los Angeles residents?+
Yes. Many studies are fully online and open to anyone in CA, so you can take part from Downtown LA 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. Los Angeles students, professionals, and retirees all qualify for different studies.
How do I get started?+
Create a free StudySnag account, tell us a bit about yourself, and browse the studies you qualify for in Los Angeles. Registering for a study takes one tap.
Paid research studies in other cities
Paid research studies for students
How much do paid research studies in Los Angeles pay?
Paid research studies open to CA residents typically pay $50–$300+, and clinical trials pay more; the top study on StudySnag right now pays $800. Right now 244 online studies are open to anyone in CA, plus 13 in-person studies in Los Angeles. You always see the exact payout before you register, and it's free to join.
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