Sit around a table with a few other people. Talk about a product, a service, or an idea with a professional moderator leading the conversation. Walk out with cash in hand or a gift card. That is the Fieldwork focus group experience in plain terms. Fieldwork has been running market research studies since 1980 and operates facilities in 17 US cities. Sessions pay $75 to $550 or more for one to two hours of your time. No experience needed, no equipment required, and teens can join with parental consent. This is one of the best hourly rates of any gig on this site.
Quick Facts
| Platform Name | Fieldwork (est. 1980, Chicago HQ) |
| Earning Potential | $75 to $550+ per session; mock juries up to $550 |
| Typical Duration | 1 to 2 hours for most sessions; mock juries up to a full day |
| Payment Frequency | Paid at session (usually Visa gift card or cash equivalent) |
| Required Equipment | None for in-person; computer and webcam for online studies |
What’s Inside
- Is Fieldwork real and safe?
- How hard is it to sign up?
- Can I do this whenever I want?
- How much money can you really make?
- When and how do you get paid?
- What stuff do you need to start?
- Is the work easy or hard?
- The Pros and Cons of Fieldwork
- Final Verdict: Is Fieldwork worth your time?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fieldwork real and safe?
Yes. Fieldwork has been in business since 1980 and is one of the most established market research firms in the United States. They hold facilities in major cities from Boston to Los Angeles and run studies for Fortune 500 companies, healthcare organizations, law firms, and consumer brands. This is not a startup with a questionable track record. This is a four-decade-old research operation with a professional reputation to protect. Fieldwork follows the Market Research Association code of ethics on data collection. Your personal information is never shared with the companies whose products you discuss. Your responses go into aggregate research data. The studies are observed (often through one-way glass) and may be recorded, but you are informed of this before you agree to participate.
How hard is it to sign up?
Free and fast. Go to fieldwork.com, click Join, select the facility nearest to your city, and fill out the registration form with your contact details, demographic information, and household data. That information is used to match you to relevant studies. The whole sign-up takes about ten minutes. If you do not live near any of their 17 locations, you can register for the national database and qualify for online and phone-based studies instead. After registering, you wait for outreach. Fieldwork contacts you when a study matches your profile. You do not browse and apply. They come to you. Teens aged 13 and older can participate with written parental consent.
💡 Insider Tip:
Fill out your registration profile with as much detail as possible. Fieldwork runs studies for a wide range of industries including healthcare, finance, food and beverage, technology, and legal. The more specific your background information — job title, household type, product habits, health conditions — the more studies you qualify for. A generic profile with minimal detail gets fewer invitations than a detailed one. Spend an extra five minutes on the registration form and it pays off in more frequent invitations.
Can I do this whenever I want?
No — and that is worth being honest about. Fieldwork contacts you when a study matches your profile. You do not log in and pick a session. Invitations arrive by phone or email and you decide whether you are available for that specific date and time. In-person sessions happen at their facilities on their schedule. Online and phone studies offer more flexibility, but you still work around the research timeline, not your own. Frequency depends on your demographics and how many studies match your profile. Some members get invited several times a month. Others hear from Fieldwork only a few times per year. Most market research firms also have a “cooling off” period of six months before they invite you back to avoid influencing your opinions through repeated participation.
How much money can you really make?
The per-session rates are excellent. Standard consumer focus groups pay $75 to $150 for 60 to 90 minutes. Specialized professional studies (healthcare, finance, legal) pay more. Mock jury sessions, where you review a real legal case and give your verdict, pay $300 to $550 and can run up to a full day. Taste tests, product trials, and in-home interviews vary by scope but pay in the same range as standard focus groups. The limitation is frequency. Most people are invited to one to four studies per year. At $75 to $150 per session, that is a modest annual total. But at over $75 per hour for something as low-effort as sharing your opinion on a new breakfast cereal, this is one of the best bang-for-your-time gigs on the list.
When and how do you get paid?
You get paid at the session, or very shortly after. In-person focus groups hand you a Visa gift card or cash equivalent when you walk out the door. Some studies pay by check mailed within a few days. Online studies often pay via Visa gift card delivered digitally after completion. Fieldwork states the incentive type and amount before you agree to participate, so there are no surprises on payout day.
What stuff do you need to start?
Nothing for in-person sessions beyond being able to get to the facility. For online studies, a computer with a working webcam and a reliable internet connection. No software to download. No account to set up beyond the initial registration. Fieldwork provides everything you need at their facilities for in-person sessions, including any products you are asked to test.
Is the work easy or hard?
This is the easiest category on this entire site. You show up and share your honest opinions. A trained moderator leads the conversation. You do not need to prepare, study, or perform. The questions are about everyday products, services, and experiences. Things you already have opinions about. The only real requirement is being a good listener and a willing talker. Groups are small, usually six to ten people. The moderator encourages everyone to participate but nobody is pressured. If you are comfortable speaking up in a small group setting, you will do well here.
The Pros and Cons of Fieldwork
| The Pros | The Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent hourly rate: $75 to $150 for 60 to 90 minutes. | Low frequency: Most members qualify for just a few sessions yearly. |
| Four decades in business: Established, reputable, and trustworthy. | Not browsable: You wait for Fieldwork to contact you. |
| Paid at the door: Cash or gift card in hand when you leave. | Location dependent: Best value near one of their 17 facilities. |
Final Verdict: Is Fieldwork worth your time?
Absolutely. Register today if you live near one of their city locations. Fieldwork earns our top rating because the hourly rate is hard to beat, the company is legitimate with 45 years of operating history, and the work itself is as low-effort as it gets. The limiting factor is volume. You simply cannot control how often the phone rings. But when it does ring, say yes. The Bottom Line: Spend ten minutes on a detailed registration form, keep your phone handy, and say yes to every invitation you can fit into your schedule. This gig does not require hustle. It just requires showing up.
Frequently Asked Questions
A mock jury is a simulated legal proceeding where research firms test how potential jurors might react to evidence, arguments, and case presentations before a real trial. You review actual case materials, deliberate with a small group, and deliver a verdict. Fieldwork mock jury sessions can run up to a full day and pay $300 to $550 or more depending on the length. They are among the highest-paying focus group formats available anywhere.
If you register for a local facility near one of Fieldwork’s 17 US cities, you are eligible for in-person sessions at that location, which pay the most and are the most engaging. The national database is for people who do not live near a facility. They receive invitations for phone interviews and online research studies instead, which pay somewhat less.
There is no guarantee. Frequency depends on how many studies match your profile and how specific your demographic is. Some members participate three or four times per year. Others hear back far less often. Most market research firms also impose a six-month gap between studies to prevent repeat-participant bias. Registering with multiple firms alongside Fieldwork increases your overall invitation frequency.
Often yes. In-person sessions at Fieldwork facilities may be observed through one-way glass by client researchers and may be video recorded. You are always informed of this before the session begins and asked to consent. Your name and personal details are never shared with the client companies. Only your responses and opinions, in aggregated form, reach the clients.
Yes. Any compensation you receive counts as income. Fieldwork pays via Visa gift cards rather than direct cash, but gift card compensation is still taxable. Keep a record of sessions attended and amounts received. If your total income from all research participation and other side income exceeds $400 in a year, self-employment tax rules apply in the US.
