How much do paid research studies pay per hour?
A study’s headline payout doesn’t tell you if it’s worth your time — a $300 focus group that eats four hours pays less per hour than a $50 survey that takes twenty minutes. So we took 290 paid studies that list both a payout and a duration and worked out the actual hourly rate. The headline: a median of $120/hour.
The median study pays $120 an hour
Across the 290 studies, the median hourly rate is $120 and the average is $179 — comfortably above most flexible side gigs. More than a third pay over $150/hour, and nearly 1 in 4 pay $200/hour or more. Here’s the full spread:
Number of studies in each hourly-rate band (n = 290).
Shorter studies often win per hour
The counterintuitive part: the highest total payouts don’t give the best hourly rate. Online interviews and surveys pay the most per hour (~$125/hour) precisely because they’re short. Focus groups pay a similar or higher total, but they run longer (90 minutes is typical), so the hourly rate lands lower. If you’re optimizing for dollars per hour, quick interviews and surveys beat long in-person sessions.
| Study type | Studies | Typical length | Median $/hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online interviews | 191 | 60 min | $125/hr |
| Online surveys | 12 | 60 min | $125/hr |
| Unmoderated studies | 54 | 30 min | $100/hr |
| Focus groups | 31 | 90 min | $100/hr |
Cite this data
You’re welcome to reference these figures with a link back. Suggested citation: “StudySnag, Paid Research Study Hourly Pay Report (July 2026), based on 290 studies” — https://www.studysnag.com/paid-research-study-hourly-pay
Methodology
We took 290 paid research studies aggregated on StudySnag as of July 2026 that state both a payout and a duration, and divided payout by hours to get an hourly rate. “Median” is the middle value. Hourly rate is a useful comparison but not a guarantee — you’re paid the stated flat amount per study, not by the hour, and time to qualify isn’t included. We refresh this analysis periodically.
Related: our report on what paid studies pay in total (median $110), and our guide to getting paid for research studies.