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
266 online studies are open to anyone in IL right now — take part from home, on your schedule, plus 3 in-person studies at Northwestern.
Tech Devices & Apps Focus Group in Chicago - $250
How do you choose and use your favorite tech devices and apps? Adults are invited to participate in a 60-minute in-store interview and shop-along about electronic devices and mobile applications in Downtown Chicago on August 25 or Skokie on August 26-27. Qualified participants will receive $225, plus a $25 early arrival bonus. 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 on Tech Devices - $140
What features would you like to see in the next generation of tech devices? Residents in the Queens, NY area are invited to participate in a 75-minute in-person interview about emerging technology devices taking place August 18-29. Sessions are available in Queens, NY, the Bronx, NY, Chicago, IL, and Fort Worth, TX. Qualified participants will receive $140. 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 Online Shopping - $125
How do you shop online and what makes the experience better? Join a 60-minute in-person research study about online shopping in downtown Chicago on weekdays from August 18-27. During the session, participants will complete simple shopping tasks on a laptop or mobile device while eye-tracking technology is used for research purposes. Qualified participants will receive $125. 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.
Research Study on Professional Experience - $60
How has your professional journey shaped your views? Participants are invited to a 45-minute online unmoderated task about sharing insights from their career experiences. Qualified participants will receive $60 if completed by August 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.
Research Study on Contracts - $150
Do you work with contracts regularly? Participants are invited to a 60-minute online research study about navigating a multi-step contract process. Qualified participants will receive $150 if completed by August 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.
Research Study on Ecommerce Reporting - $75
How do ecommerce leaders make data-driven decisions for their brands? Participants are invited to a 45-minute online research study about the tools and processes used in weekly reporting. Qualified participants will receive $75 if completed by August 26, 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 Shopping Habits - $22
How do your recent shopping experiences shape your buying decisions? Participants are invited to a 26-minute online unmoderated task about their shopping habits. Qualified participants will receive $22 if completed by October 19, 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 Circadian Rhythms - up to $500
How does morning light exposure affect your mood and daily routine? Participants are invited to a 42-day online multi-day study about the relationship between morning light and circadian rhythms among military service members. Qualified participants will receive up to $500 if completed by September 9, 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 Data Decisions - $100
How does your team navigate healthcare data to inform decisions? Participants are invited to a 60-minute online interview about their daily experiences with healthcare data. Qualified participants will receive $100 if completed by August 29, 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.
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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 $500. Right now 266 online studies are open to anyone in IL, plus 3 in-person studies at Northwestern. You always see the exact payout before you register, and it's free to join.
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