If you’re a college student looking to make some extra cash, this article is perfect for you.
It’s great being able to have tuition fully covered and get paid to go to school, but that may not be feasible for everyone- so you need to make money and avoid loans!
We’ll look at the best online jobs for college students to earn extra money, which you can do if you want to work from home.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks: Best Jobs For College Students
Before we get into the 19 online jobs for college students we found, let’s go over the best ones you could start today:
- Best Paying Potential- Blogger
- Best Flexibility- Freelance Writer
- Easiest To Start- Online Tutoring
- Quickest Money-Maker- Swagbucks Surveys
- Best Freelancing Website- Fiverr
19 Best Online Jobs for College Students
There are a lot of online jobs out there – but there are some which are excellent for students, as they offer a lot of flexibility.
You could try them out as a side hustle at first and scale them up.
1. Start a Money-Making Blog
Expected Pay: $1000-$100,000 per month (varies!)
Description
We are big fans of setting up a money-making blog because that’s what we’ve done! And we are blown away by the results that we have been able to get.
Blogging is where you will have a website that you will share information on, for your readers.
The ways that you can make money from a blog are typical:
- Ads (the kind you’d see on websites you usually visit)
- Affiliate marketing (where you recommend people to products or services and receive a commission for doing so)
- Sponsored posts (where a company will pay you to write about them)
- Products or services (e.g. coaching, printables, etc)
How to Get Started
For college students setting up a blog, we recommend having a read of our start a blog guide and using Bluehost to start your web hosting for only $2.95 per month.
It’s pretty easy to get set up, but you will want to have a good think about the topic that you want to write about.
Not all blog niches will make money- if you want to make money, your best bet is to go with a niche in one of these categories: health, wealth, or relationships.
It’s all too easy to get started without a plan and have your blog go nowhere- so we would 100% recommend working out a business plan and monetization strategy before setting everything up. It will help you so much!
Think about what you are going to write about and how you are going to make money from it. It sounds simple, but it’s a step that many people miss.
2. Online Tutor
Expected Pay: $20+ per hour
Description
Being an online tutor is a great way to earn money as a student because you have all of the knowledge still fresh in your mind.
You could tutor in your current learning area, or look at other areas that you may be good at, such as sports or music. It all depends on your skills!
How to Get Started
One of the best ways to get started is with word of mouth. Let people know that you are interested in doing tutoring – friends and family.
You could also advertise your tutoring services online with social media – Facebook groups are great for this.
Some online sites that you can get online tutoring jobs include:
3. Freelance Writer
Expected Pay: $50 – $500+ per article
Description
If you like the idea of being a writer but don’t want to start up a blog right now, then freelance writing can be a great option.
Most college students spend a lot of time writing assignments- why not write some articles and get paid for your work?
Freelancing writer is an easy online job- you take on clients and write as it fits in your own schedule.
There are plenty of places that you can do writing for, but it does help to pick a subject that you enjoy, especially if you are going to be doing a lot of writing!
How to Get Started
You don’t need to have any experience or credentials to be a freelance writer, you just need to have writing skills to make it work.
You can check out our post about how to become a freelance writer to get tips on the side hustle and read up more on who you’d work for.
If you are serious about doing this, we highly recommend Holly Johnson’s freelance writing course – she earns over 6 figures writing and shares all of her tips.
You could set up your own website to showcase your work as a freelance writer and perhaps do some guest posts to get your portfolio up.
It’s possible to do it all for free and not have to set anything up though – look for work in relevant Facebook groups for clients.
4. Proofreader
Expected Pay $10 – $40 per hour
Description
Looking for online jobs no experience? Proofreading is a good one for you if you like to read and can point out mistakes.
We’ve talked about freelance writing, but is that the final step in the content-creating process? Nope!
Proofreaders are often hired to check over written content for grammatical errors so writers publish the best content possible.
It is something you can learn, but if you are someone who naturally spots errors (like me!), this will be much easier for you.
This can be a good online job if you’re a student because it’s very flexible. Don’t forget that you will have deadlines though!
How to Get Started
There is a proofreading course available that can get you started – Proofreading Anywhere. We highly recommend it!
You will want to look at sites where these jobs get posted often, such as Fiverr.
5. Lead Generation Business (Facebook Side Hustle)
Expected Pay: $100+ per customer
Description
This is one of the hottest online jobs for college students right now because the money is great!
You know when you are scrolling through Facebook, and you see ads pop up on your feed?
The ads aren’t just thrown up on there – they are tailored to you through a Facebook ad campaign.
College students can learn how to create Facebook ads and make money promoting businesses online.
How to Get Started
There are some Facebook ad courses out there that will give you the knowledge of how to do them.
We personally love the one run by Bobby Hoyt called Facebook Side Hustle.
The course will also help you get your first clients with the advice available.
6. Online Surveys
Expected Pay: $2 – $25 per hour
Description
Taking online surveys is one of the quickest online jobs for college students on this list and is super flexible.
You can make a few dollars an hour whenever you have time, like waiting for classes or taking a break from studying.
If you don’t want to commit a lot of time and energy to your cash-building efforts, this is a good one for you.
This is also a good one for you if you are a bit unsure about making money online and want to dip your toes in first.
You will be answering questions and giving your opinion in exchange for cash. It’s not a massive earner, but a good place to start.
How to Get Started
There are a bunch of paid online survey sites, but it’s important to get the legit and best-paying ones.
Some sites will let you earn money in other ways, such as watching videos or playing games.
Our favorite survey sites include:
7. Virtual Assistant
Expected Pay $15+ per hour
Description
A Virtual Assistant is a role where you will be an assistant to someone…virtually. This means that you can work remotely and don’t have to be in an office with your boss.
The tasks that you do will vary depending on what the company wants you to do, but it will probably be things such as:
- Answering emails
- Creating social media graphics (social media manager side hustle too!)
- Booking appointments
- Sending out newsletters
- Scheduling on social media
How to Get Started
If you’re not sure how to get started as a virtual assistant, we recommend taking a free workshop from $10K VA.
The workshop will give you a preview of the full course, but it gives you some information about starting your side hustle.
There are plenty of businesses that can benefit from a virtual assistant, so you are spoilt for choice!
There are lots of bloggers who need virtual assistant services. Just hang out in relevant Facebook groups, provide value, and let people know that you are available.
You can also look for jobs on-site such as Upwork.
8. Social Media Manager
Expected Pay: $20 – $40 per hour
Description
With all of the online businesses and local businesses trying to connect with new customers, many need help with their social media accounts.
A lot goes into running an online business, and it can be hard for all owners to keep up with their social media accounts.
As a social media manager, you would maintain social media accounts and help businesses connect with consumers online.
The role would vary from company to company, but you would typically be managing various social media accounts, creating ads, and more.
This could be content planning and strategizing, creating the graphics, uploading the graphics, marketing tactics, replying to messages, etc.
How to Get Started
To get started as a social media manager, you can create a profile on Fiverr and offer your services to a large community.
Another great place to find work for social media managers is within Facebook groups that are relevant to the industry you want to work in.
9. Bookkeeper
Expected Pay: $20 – $50 per hour
Description
Bookkeepers handle financial documents and data before passing them over to an accountant.
They create financial reports, update any financial records, and do tasks such as paying invoices, sending invoices, handling accounts payable, etc.
You can become a certified bookkeeper, but it isn’t required, nor do you need a Bachelor’s degree in accounting.
Certified bookkeepers can actually charge $80 an hour, though, so certification class could be worth the extra time and money!
How to Get Started
Some courses can teach you how to become a bookkeeper since you might not be going to college as a business student and know the lay of the financial land.
College students can take the free bookkeeping classes offered by Bookkeeper Launch, which can tell you the basics of bookkeeping plus how to start your side hustle and find clients.
10. Freelance Graphic Designer
Expected Pay: $25 – $50+ per hour
Description
A graphics designer is someone who creates graphics for other businesses.
There are graphic design courses out there, but if you have a good eye, there’s no reason why you couldn’t do it without a degree.
How to Get Started
This is something you could offer as part of a Social Media Management job, but it is also great as a stand-alone job.
It’s a good idea to practice as much as possible and look around for ideas of what people like and is popular.
Choose what kind of thing you would like to specialize in – is it business cards, social media graphics, website graphics, printables, etc?
Look for work in Facebook groups, and on job sites such as Upwork or Freelancer.
11. Data Entry
Expected Pay:
Description
Data entry is where you are entering data – usually on the computer, and most likely into spreadsheets.
It’s one of the more mundane tasks but doesn’t take much time or effort – but that’s why a lot of companies want to delegate it as an easy online job.
You will need to have some basic computer skills, and some companies may ask that you are able to type to a certain speed. After all, the faster you type, the quicker you’ll be finished!
How to Get Started
We recommend looking at job sites for online data entry jobs. There are some which are specifically for that kind of role, and then there are general job sites which often have data entry roles.
Some sites that we love for data entry jobs include:
12. Resume Writer
Expected Pay: $50 – $75 per resume
Description
Have you ever looked at your resume when applying for a job and thought it needed some work?
A resume is really important when it comes to landing your dream job, and you may need a little help getting it up to standard.
Luckily, this is a service out there that you can do to earn some extra money.
You would be writing or editing resumes to get them up to a high standard.
How to Get Started
This is something that would be perfect to do in a more casual way to start out with.
Ask your friends and family to see if this is a service they would be interested in.
You could also look for work on sites such as Upwork or FlexJobs.
13. Search Engine Evaluator
Expected Pay: $12 – $15 per hour
Description
A search engine evaluator is someone who will look at search engines (such as Google) and check that everything is running smoothly. It’s a job for online researchers.
You can also evaluate social media adverts for their relevance. This is a great way to find free online jobs for college students without investment.
How to Get Started
The best sites for finding search engine evaluator jobs include:
14. Micro Freelancer on Fiverr
Expected Pay $5+ per job
Description
Fiverr is a site where you can offer a wide range of services, depending on what you are good at.
Examples of services that you could offer include things like:
- Video editing
- Writing
- Graphic design
- Drawing
- Editing
- Web design
There are also lots of unusual jobs that you could do if you don’t have a skilled area of expertise.
How to Get Started
Sign up on Fiverr, and have a look at the things that other people are offering there. There is so much diversity on there, there’s bound to be something that you can do!
It isn’t just $5 that you earn there – this is the starting point. You offer upsells and can get a lot more money than just $5!
15. Become an Online Influencer
Expected Pay: $1000+
Description
There has never been a better time than now to start your own business.
We are incredibly lucky that we have the internet at our fingertips and can start doing anything online.
One of the most popular online jobs for college students is to become an online influencer.
An online influencer is someone who has an online presence – usually on social media – and influences someone to purchase things in a particular area.
Examples of this could be fashion, beauty, home decor, and more.
How to Get Started
You will need to think about what you are truly interested in and passionate about.
You will have to be talking about it and posting about the subject every day, so it will help if you love it.
Come up with a name, branding, and a monetization strategy (do you want to recommend other products or create your own?), and set up social media accounts.
16. Transcription
Expected Pay: $15 – $36 per hour
Description
A transcriptionist is someone who takes a video or audio file and produces a written transcript of the spoken word.
You must be good at typing, fast and accurate, and have a reliable internet connection.
You can learn how to become a transcriptionist and start your new career quickly!
How To Get Started
This free workshop from Transcribe Anywhere can give you a rundown on what programs you need.
You could also practice your typing skills to keep up the fast pace and use videos or movies with captions to listen and type, then check for your accuracy.
17. Online Store
Expected Pay: $100 – ?? per month
Description
One of the best jobs for college students includes selling your stuff or the stuff you can make in your free time.
College students can start online stores on Shopify, Etsy, your own website, or more- and you can sell just about anything!
You can use your website to dropship items without carrying any stock or create and sell your own stuff, like jewelry, shirts, or bags.
Here are a few ideas for stores you can create:
- Printables
- Dropshipping
- Used Electronics
- 3D Printing
- Stickers
- Art illustrations
How To Get Started
You can open your Shopify store within an hour and start listing things to make money within days, making fast money for college students.
You need to pick a focus of what you want to sell- offer too much, and you might be out money too quickly if sales don’t come in.
Most of these businesses are scalable- you can start small in your store and grow as you make sales.
18. YouTube Or Twitch Streamer
Expected Pay: $1 -$1000+ per month
Description
As college students with not much free time, you could create and monetize a YouTube channel or Twitch account to earn money on the side.
Recording and video edits take time, but the opportunities for video content are endless!
You can stream just about anything- your daily life, recipes or life hacks, or anything you do as a hobby or want to teach others.
Many Twitch streamers actually stream video games, like speed runs, and get paid to play video games.
How To Get Started
You can just sign up and start your channels whenever you want. But creating content will take some thought and planning.
You’ll also want to start signing up with affiliate programs- that way, you can earn money from affiliate marketing immediately!
We struggled with starting our YouTube channel and actually took a course to help us revamp our strategy.
Check out Mastering YouTube to learn how to earn thousands per month on your channel by creating more engaging content and a helpful monetizing strategy.
19. Web Development
Expected Pay: $50 – $100 an hour
Description
Now, web development will be a more niche job for some college students, Don’t let that put you off, though- it’s something that you can put the time into and learn the skills.
As you can see, it’s a high-paying opportunity, so it might be time to learn how to create websites!
I knew some college students who went to school for coding and did this on the side to help pay for school and food.
With so many people starting blogs, business websites, and more, you could offer freelance web development services to make money.
As a freelance web designer, you’d essentially take your clients’ ideas, create a website, and sometimes maintain it or make changes as your client prefers.
How To Get Started
If you haven’t taken any web design classes, this can be a hard online job to start- but not impossible!
You can find blog posts about web designing or go to college for web development if you want a well-paid job after college.
There will be people trusting you with creating them a website that looks good and runs well. As someone who owns a website, I know how much work goes into it!
You will need to put together a website of your own before getting started, so people can see what you are able to do.
When you have the basics of creating websites, you can search job posts on Fiverr or Upwork.
Key Takeaways
As you can see, there are plenty of online jobs for college students with a variety of skill sets so you can monetize your education or start with no experience!
Many online jobs for college students require no experience but offer a lot of flexibility, which makes it easier for you to make money around classes.
Have a look at the ones that interest you and give them a go!
These jobs are also great if you are a stay-at-home mom – especially if you are a mom returning to school.
