The incentive payment you offer is key to recruiting high-quality candidates for your research study. The right incentive can help you attract more participants, ensure a broader selection of participants, speed up recruitment, and improve interview punctuality.
How to set the right incentive?
Use our Respondent Research Incentive Calculator as a starting point. With just a few clicks, the calculator suggests an appropriate incentive based on your project’s requirements and target audience.
Benefits of paying the right incentive:
Increased screener responses: More people will complete your screener.
Larger Participant Pool: A higher number of respondents gives you more options.
Faster recruitment: The target audience fills out more quickly.
Timely participation: Participants are more likely to show up on time for interviews.
Factors to consider when deciding on your incentive
Industry Professionals
Industry professionals bring specialized knowledge that can drive your research success, and their expertise should be reflected in the incentive you offer:
Benchmarking: Base the incentive on the participant’s current hourly rate.
Enhanced Payment: Consider paying at least twice their hourly rate to motivate participation.
Note: When targeting English-speaking and international participants, adjust the incentive accordingly. Consider variations in experience, cultural norms, and business practices.
Incentive Examples for Business and Medical Professionals (U.S.)
Level | Role | Remote | In-Person |
Junior | Entry Level | $100 | $250 |
Manager | Oversees a Team | $200 | $500 |
Director | Oversees Multiple Depts. | $300 | $800 |
VP | Oversees many Business Verticals | $400 | $1,000 |
C-Level | CXS, President, Owners | $600 | $1,500 |
Incentive Examples for Business Professionals
Level | Roles | Remote | In-Person |
Non-doctoral | Nurse, medical asst., tech. | $250 | $500 |
Doctoral | Physician, therapist, dentist | $500 | $1,000 |
Specialized | Surgeon, endocrinologist, oncologist | $1,000 | $2,000 |
Incentive examples for Medical Professionals
Role | Remote | In-Person |
Security Admin / Software Engineer | $100 | $200 |
UX Designer / Web Developer / Systems Admin | $125 | $250 |
Data Analyst / IT Consultant / Software Developer | $150 | $300 |
Cyber Security Analyst | $175 | $350 |
Incentive examples for Technology Professionals
General Population
For studies involving a broad group of individuals, consider whether your target audience is a Broad Audience (high incidence of online buyers) or a Niche Audience (low incidence of specific online purchases).
Target Audience | Example | Remote | In-Person |
Broad Audience | Purchases goods online | $90 | $140 |
Niche Audience | Purchases specific goods online | $120 | $200 |
Incentive examples for the general population living in the U.S.
International Considerations
While Respondent operates in over 175 countries, most of our members are in the United States. Adjust the incentive to maximize response rates from smaller candidate pools when recruiting internationally.
Special Note for C-Suite, Executives, and Business Owners
Executives and C-suite participants often have higher opportunity costs and tighter schedules. They expect compensation that reflects their experience and availability. Make sure the incentive is competitive enough to capture their interest.
By carefully setting the right incentive, you can optimize recruitment, improve participant engagement, and ensure the success of your research project.
Additional Resources
If you have further questions or need additional support, please visit our support page or contact our team directly.