Paid Research Studies at UNC
Get paid $50–$300+ for online research studies, surveys, and remote focus groups open to NC residents at UNC, plus in-person studies at UNC when available. UNC sits inside North Carolina's Research Triangle, so Chapel Hill students have dense access to paid academic and clinical studies, plus remote studies open across the state.
Online studies open to NC residents
253 online studies are open to anyone in NC right now — take part from home, on your schedule, plus 1 in-person study at UNC.
Focus Group in Raleigh on Creative Hobbies - $350
Are you passionate about your favorite pop culture brands? Participants are invited to a live focus group about themed collectibles and creative hobbies. Qualified participants will receive $350 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.
Research Study on AI in Law - $50
How is AI reshaping the legal profession? Participants are invited to a 60-minute online research study about the use of AI by legal professionals. Qualified participants will receive $50 if completed by September 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 Wealth Management - $100
Are you a Financial Advisor or work in wealth management? Participants are invited to a 60-minute online research study about the wealth management industry. Qualified participants will receive $100 if completed by September 3, 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 Online Business Management - $75
Are you selling products online? Participants are invited to a 60-minute online research study about online business management and the experiences that come with it. Qualified participants will receive $75 if completed by September 3, 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 Resume Quality - $100
What elements truly make a resume stand out? Participants are invited to a 60-minute online research study about the key features that make resumes effective. Qualified participants will receive $100 if completed by September 11, 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 Travel Experiences - $55
What are your thoughts on your travel experiences? Participants are invited to a 33-minute online unmoderated task about everyday and planned travel experiences. Qualified participants will receive $55 if completed by September 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.
Research Study on Purchasing Influences - $22
How do purchasing influences shape the commercial surface industry? Participants are invited to a 15-minute online unmoderated task about industry purchasing and supplier experiences. Qualified participants will receive $22 if completed by September 13, 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 AI Usability - $49
Have you ever tried an AI-powered product? Participants are invited to a 37-minute online unmoderated task about evaluating a prototype. Qualified participants will receive $49 if completed by September 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.
Research Study on GPU Training Workflow - $50
How do ML engineers set up their training environments? Participants are invited to a 30-minute online interview about their workflow before launching GPU training jobs. Qualified participants will receive $50 if completed by August 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 UNC
Most paid research open to UNC 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 NC. UNC sits inside North Carolina's Research Triangle, so Chapel Hill students have dense access to paid academic and clinical studies, plus remote studies open across the state. 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 Chapel Hill or Durham or anywhere else in NC — and in-person focus groups and trials at UNC are listed here whenever recruiters are running them.
Not tied to UNC specifically? Browse paid studies near you, or go straight to paid psychology studies and other ways to get paid for your opinion.
UNC shares the Research Triangle with Duke and NC State, so a Chapel Hill student is within reach of three major research universities' recruiting at once — an unusually concentrated supply of paid studies for one area.
Getting started is free: create an account, tell us a little about yourself, and browse the studies you qualify for at UNC. Registering takes one tap, and you're paid directly by the research panel on completion.
Who runs paid research at UNC
- The Carolina Population Center
- Runs some of the largest and longest-running population studies in the country, following the same participants across decades and paying for each round of interviews.
- The Gillings School of Global Public Health
- One of the largest public health schools anywhere, generating a steady flow of health-behaviour studies that recruit from the wider community as well as from students.
- UNC Health and the translational science institute
- Coordinates clinical trials across the medical campus, including studies needing healthy control participants.
What paid studies at UNC actually pay
UNC's public health orientation shapes what is on offer: a lot of health-behaviour research — diet, exercise, sleep, substance use — which pays for surveys and repeat check-ins rather than for a single session. These are undemanding but spread over weeks or months. The Triangle's real advantage is not rate but supply: UNC, Duke, and NC State all recruit within a short drive, so being rejected by one still leaves two.
Getting to in-person studies at UNC
Chapel Hill Transit is fare-free, which quietly matters when you are travelling to a study that pays $25 — the trip costs nothing. It connects campus, the medical centre, and most student housing. Reaching Duke in Durham takes a regional bus connection, but it is entirely doable without a car.
When recruiting picks up at UNC
Departmental recruiting follows the semester. The population and public health studies run continuously because they draw on community participants rather than students, so summer is when they dominate what is available.
Paid research studies at UNC — FAQ
Can I take part in studies at Duke and NC State too?+
Yes — nothing stops you registering with all three, and it is the single best thing a participant in the Triangle can do. They recruit independently, their eligibility criteria differ, and Chapel Hill Transit plus regional buses connect them without a car.
What kinds of studies does UNC run most?+
Health-behaviour research above all, given the size of its public health school — studies on diet, sleep, exercise, and substance use that pay for surveys and periodic check-ins rather than one sitting. Long-running population studies and clinical trials at UNC Health make up the rest.
How much do paid research studies at UNC pay?+
Most paid studies for UNC 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 UNC students?+
Yes. Many studies are fully online and open to anyone in NC, so you can take part from Chapel Hill 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. UNC 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 UNC. Registering for a study takes one tap.
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How much do paid research studies at UNC pay?
Paid research studies open to NC residents and UNC students typically pay $50–$300+, and clinical trials pay more; the top study on StudySnag right now pays $350. Right now 253 online studies are open to anyone in NC, plus 1 in-person study at UNC. You always see the exact payout before you register, and it's free to join.
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