What are some easy ways for college students to make money while in school?
To help college students find easy ways to earn some money while in school, we asked career coaches, recruiters and business leaders this question for their best recommendations. From becoming a social media manager to carrying out beta testing for products and services, there are several ways college students can easily get to make some money alongside their studies.
Here are 12 easy ways these leaders recommend for college students to make money while in school:
- Become a Social Media Manager
- Participate in Paid Studies
- Turn a Passion into a Big Idea
- Do Food Delivery in Your Free Time
- Become a Tutor
- Gain Some Experience as a Virtual Assistant
- Do Some Freelancing Work
- Buy and Sell Furniture
- Become a Coach in Your Favorite Activity
- Run Errands for the Housebound
- Do House Sitting
- Carry Out Beta Testing for Products and Services
Become a Social Media Manager
Students usually use social media frequently — then why not make it as a means of living and earning a substantial income? Social media management and marketing are one of the easiest skills to master today. After a few weeks of learning the basics, students can provide their services as social media managers remotely. This is a high-paying job — which can earn you anywhere between 1000-3000 dollars per month just managing and growing social media accounts of brands. Everything can be done by mobile phone, which means no fancy stuff is required.
Gerrid Smith, Joy Organics
Participate in Paid Studies
One easy way for college students to make money while in school is to participate in paid studies on campus. These studies are usually held by departments such as psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience, and can pay anywhere from $20 to $200 each. These studies can be a great way to make some extra money to help pay for expenses and can be a fun way to learn more about human behavior. You just need to be careful that the studies you choose to participate in align with your ethics, that they are physically safe, and that your information will be kept private and secure.
Matthew Ramirez, Paraphrase Tool
Turn a Passion into a Big Idea
Start with an idea surrounding something you love doing or have a passion for, then create a mission surrounding that big idea. Almost any idea can somehow fuel some part-time work, you simply have to be open-minded and creative about what that something could be. Entrepreneurship of any business size is about living fearlessly, despite the higher level of risk, because it leaves room for opportunities for leadership, innovation, and growth.
Rachel Roff, Urban Skin Rx
Do Food Delivery in Your Free Time
One versatile side hustle is to deliver food on a bike, scooter, or by car. College students can set their own schedules to facilitate their schooling while making over one-thousand dollars a week on the side. There are low barriers to entry for food-delivery roles. Students can decide to work in accordance with their fitness goals by delivering food on their bikes or taking time off flexibly to handle the stress of finals. Especially for the busier cities, these gigs are usually very lucrative for the time and investment required. After getting the hang of peak hours and rushes, students will figure out how to best interpret this type of work into their busy schedules.
Zach Goldstein, Public Rec
Become a Tutor
One easy way for college students to make money while in school is by becoming a tutor. Tutors can work with students in person or online, and can often set their own hours. This can be a great way to make some extra money while also helping others succeed in their studies. There are a number of websites that can help connect tutors with students, such as Wyzant and Tutor.com.
Fiona Lee, Notta
Gain Some Experience as a Virtual Assistant
My tip is to try gaining experience in a virtual assistant role while in school. This role won’t be a perfect fit for every student as it usually requires some schedule flexibility, but it is a great option to make money while in college. Virtual assistants are gaining popularity now, even though barriers to entry are not very high. There is a broad spectrum of clerical and organizational work businesses need help with, so students can shop around to find a job that meets their specific needs. Professionals in these roles typically earn from $15 to more than $40 an hour, depending on experience and duties. Even in the most entry-level positions, these opportunities are amazing for college students to gain relevant experience in their desired field.
Justin Soleimani, Tumble
Do Some Freelancing Work
College students can lean into their individual strengths by selling their skills through freelancing marketplaces. College students have notoriously hectic schedules. They need flexible employment that accommodates their course load and outside time commits which can vary from day to day. Freelancing offers college students the chance to work independently. They can access the flexibility of the gig economy while selling services that pertain to their individual skills. Digital platforms like Fiverr and Upwork allow college students to market themselves as video editors, web developers, bookkeepers and virtual assistants while setting their own work schedules. College students should use freelancing job marketplaces that will allow them to make their own schedule and earn money using their individual skill sets.
Liza Kirsh, DYMAPAK
Buy and Sell Furniture
Every year, there is a huge influx and outflux of new students at colleges and universities. With them comes a lot of furniture – both new and used. As a result, there is always a market for buying and selling furniture near campuses. For students who are looking to make a quick buck, this can be a great opportunity. There are always people looking for cheap furniture, and if you’re willing to haggle, you can often get a good price for your old stuff. Just be sure to check for damage before you sell – no one wants to buy a bed with a huge stain on it! In addition, try to avoid selling items that are too unique or personal – it can be hard to find a buyer for that pink velvet armchair you bought at the thrift store. Stick to basics like beds, dressers, and desks, and you should have no trouble finding a buyer.
Lorien Strydom, Financer.com
Become a Coach in Your Favorite Activity
Become a coach! There are local YMCAs in most cities/towns that look for coaches for a myriad of youth sports and other activities including basketball, volleyball, gymnastics and sometimes dance. Skilled dancers and gymnasts can look into local studios and gymnastic training centers to see if they need teachers or assistant teachers. Coaching/teaching a hobby that you love might even inspire you to switch your major to education!
Jeff Goodwin, Orgain
Run Errands for the Housebound
Run essential errands for housebound people through apps like Instacart or TaskRabbit. Most college students are young and able-bodied: the perfect helpers for people who can’t leave their homes due to age, illness, or other difficulties. You can set your own hours to accommodate classes and studying, and you can make decent money at the same time. It’s also not a bad idea to get out from behind the books once in a while and benefit from some fresh air!
Alex Carroll, Caliber Games
Do House Sitting
House sitting is a fantastic way to earn money as a college student. You can study and complete school projects while looking after houses. This sets it apart from traditional college side hustles like becoming a waiter or selling products online. To get started, ask your friends and family if they know anyone who’s about to leave town and needs a house sitter. You could also sign up for a house-sitting website, write a killer profile and pitch for jobs. These sites pay around $30 per day and $50 for overnight stays, so the earning potential is high.
Scott Lieberman, Touchdown Money
Carry Out Beta Testing for Products and Services
A great way for students to make some extra cash on the side while still in school is by signing up for beta testing on several websites. There are platforms that offer cash on exchange for testing new apps, websites or hardware. Or they can ask you to perform a task to get your feedback and improve user experience, and find any bugs. This helps companies gain insights on the user experience, get feedback on how to improve the customer journey and perfect their services towards the user. While each site is different, you can usually get around $10/$20 per hour to perform beta testing which can really add up.
Denise Hemke, Checkr
