If your study needs IRB review and you do not have a board at your institution, cost becomes a real planning question. Grant budgets get set early, and IRB fees are easy to underestimate. Here is what drives the price and how to plan for it.
What drives the cost
- Level of review. Exempt review costs the least. Expedited costs more. Full board review, where the whole board discusses your study, costs the most.
- Type of research. Social-behavioral and educational studies generally cost less to review than clinical research.
- What happens after approval. Amendments, annual continuing review, and closure can each carry a fee.
- Speed. Rush handling for a grant or dissertation deadline may add cost.
The fees people forget
Most people budget for the initial review and stop there. The other stages add up over the life of a study:
- Amendments: any change to your protocol, consent form, recruitment materials, or study team usually needs approval.
- Continuing review: some studies need an annual check-in to stay approved.
- Closure: a final report when the study ends.
A two-year expedited study with one amendment will cost more than the initial review fee alone. Build the full life of the study into your budget.
TIER IRB fees for social-behavioral research
We publish our fees so you can plan before you submit. For social-behavioral research:
- Exempt: $1,000 initial review, $500 per amendment, optional $250 annual continuance, no closure fee. Typical turnaround is about two weeks.
- Expedited: $2,500 initial review, $750 per amendment, $750 annual continuance, $250 closure. Typical turnaround is about two weeks.
- Full board: $6,000 initial review, $1,500 per amendment, $1,500 annual continuance, $500 closure. Typical turnaround is about four weeks.
For example, an exempt study with one amendment would total $1,500. Clinical research fees and the full submission process are on our IRB fees and submission page.
How to keep costs down
- Confirm the right review level first. Submitting as expedited when the study qualifies as exempt costs you money. Submitting as exempt when it is not costs you time.
- Get the consent form right. Unclear or incomplete consent language is one of the most common reasons studies come back for changes.
- Finalize your instruments before you submit. Every change after approval is an amendment.
- Ask questions early. A pre-submission conversation with a reviewer is cheaper than a resubmission.
What you get for the fee
IRB fees pay for qualified reviewers to read your protocol, consent documents, and instruments, and to document a decision that funders, journals, and partners will accept. That documentation matters. A study without proper review can be hard to publish and can put grant funding at risk.
If you want a cost estimate for your study, contact us. You can also learn more about our independent IRB review services.
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