Paid Research Studies at Northwestern
Get paid $50–$300+ for online research studies, surveys, and remote focus groups open to IL residents at Northwestern, plus in-person studies at Northwestern when available. Northwestern splits between an Evanston campus and a downtown Chicago medical campus, so students can reach both academic studies on the lakefront and clinical recruiting in Streeterville.
Online studies open to IL residents
244 online studies are open to anyone in IL right now — take part from home, on your schedule, plus 10 in-person studies at Northwestern.
Research Study in Chicago on Nicotine - up to $800
Do you smoke cigarettes and live in the Chicago area? Adults 21 to 65 who currently smoke are invited to an in-person clinical research study about cigarette and e-cigarette use, starting with a screening and enrollment visit at a research site in Chicago. Qualified participants receive $75 for completing the screening visit, and up to $800 in total for completing the full study. 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 Chicago on Opinions - $350
What are your thoughts on issues affecting Cook County residents? Join an in-person research study in Chicago for residents ages 18-75 on October 23, from 8:15 AM to 5:30 PM. Receive $350 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 Chicago on Adolescent’s Health - $250
How do you support your adolescent’s health and well-being? Join a 90-minute in-person research study about health for Illinois parents of adolescents in Chicago or Schaumburg, IL, from November 2-4. Receive $250 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 Chicago on Caregiving for Heart Conditions - $250
Are you a caregiver for someone managing high cholesterol? Participants are invited to a 75-minute in-person focus group about an injection device. Qualified participants will receive $250 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.
Focus Group in Chicago on Adolescent’s Health - $250
How do you support your adolescent’s health and well-being? Join a 90-minute in-person research study for Illinois parents of adolescents in Chicago or Schaumburg, IL, from November 2-4. Receive $250 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 Chicago on TV & Entertainment - $225
Are you ready to discover what children in your area think about their favorite shows? Join this Chicago-area in-person focus group about TV and entertainment preferences for children ages 5-12 who have a friend of the same age, where parents of both children must also participate and attend with the children. Qualified participants will receive $225 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.
1-on-1 Interview in Chicago on GLP-1 Use - $200
Are you currently prescribed or in the process of starting a GLP-1 medication? Participants are invited to a 60-minute in-person 1-on-1 session about GLP-1 medication usage. Qualified participants will receive $200 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 Chicago on Hearing and Low-Tech Use - $200
Do you know an older adult who has hearing difficulties and rarely uses technology? Refer someone age 75+ for a 1-hour in-person study in Schaumburg on October 27. If they qualify and participate, you’ll each receive $100. 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 Chicago on Lawn Care - $100
Are you a homeowner interested in lawn care? Participants are invited to a 60-minute in-person interview about testing a lawn care prototype. Qualified participants will receive $100 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.
How to get paid for research studies at Northwestern
Most paid research open to Northwestern 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 IL. Northwestern splits between an Evanston campus and a downtown Chicago medical campus, so students can reach both academic studies on the lakefront and clinical recruiting in Streeterville. 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 Evanston or Streeterville or anywhere else in IL — and in-person focus groups and trials at Northwestern are listed here whenever recruiters are running them.
Not tied to Northwestern specifically? Browse paid studies near you, or go straight to paid psychology studies and other ways to get paid for your opinion.
The Feinberg School of Medicine sits fifteen miles from the undergraduate campus, in the middle of Chicago's hospital district — so Northwestern students have a genuine second catchment that Evanston alone would never supply.
Getting started is free: create an account, tell us a little about yourself, and browse the studies you qualify for at Northwestern. Registering takes one tap, and you're paid directly by the research panel on completion.
Who runs paid research at Northwestern
- The Feinberg School of Medicine
- Northwestern's medical campus in Streeterville, fifteen miles from the undergraduate campus and in the middle of Chicago's hospital district, running clinical trials that recruit citywide.
- The Kellogg behavioural lab
- The business school runs short decision-making and economics experiments that pay cash and are among the quickest studies on campus to complete.
- The Evanston psychology subject pool
- Departmental behavioural research on the lakefront campus, running through the academic quarter.
What paid studies at Northwestern actually pay
Northwestern's two campuses pay on different logic and it is worth exploiting both. Kellogg's experiments are short — often twenty to forty minutes — pay cash rather than credit, and recur frequently, so they stack well. Feinberg's clinical studies pay considerably more per study but screen on health criteria and want repeat visits downtown. Students who only look at what is posted in Evanston are seeing perhaps half of what is available to them.
Getting to in-person studies at Northwestern
The Purple Line connects Evanston to downtown Chicago directly, which is what makes the second campus practical rather than theoretical — Feinberg is reachable in about forty-five minutes from the undergraduate campus without a car. Factor that round trip in when a downtown study pays only slightly more than an Evanston one.
When recruiting picks up at Northwestern
Northwestern runs on quarters, so the Evanston subject pool operates in ten-week blocks with gaps between them and a quiet summer. Feinberg's clinical recruiting runs year-round on sponsor timelines.
Paid research studies at Northwestern — FAQ
Can Evanston students join studies at the downtown medical campus?+
Yes, and comparatively few do, which is precisely why it is worth doing. Feinberg is in Streeterville, about forty-five minutes away on the Purple Line, and its trials recruit from across Chicago rather than being limited to medical students.
How is this different from the Chicago page?+
This page covers research recruiting through Northwestern — the Evanston subject pool, Kellogg's experiments, and Feinberg. The Chicago page covers the wider market, including the packaged-food sensory panels and the other hospital systems, which recruit residents generally.
How much do paid research studies at Northwestern pay?+
Most paid studies for Northwestern 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 Northwestern students?+
Yes. Many studies are fully online and open to anyone in IL, so you can take part from Evanston 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. Northwestern 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 Northwestern. 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 Northwestern pay?
Paid research studies open to IL residents and Northwestern students 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 IL, plus 10 in-person studies at Northwestern. You always see the exact payout before you register, and it's free to join.
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