College can be a stressful time for many people, especially for those are who financially independent and have to pay for rent, groceries, transportation, and tuition at the same time. Whether you want to make some extra money to pay your bills or just want to be able to buy a few more drinks, this article will get it covered. Below are 100+ ways to make money while studying in college.
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Entrepreneurship
1. Blog writer
You probably won’t make money immediately by becoming a blog writer. However, if you become a popular blog writer, you can make money from Premium subscriptions and/or advertisements. You can pay for a website to host your WordPress blog – such as bluehost.
Generally, having your own domain and website allows you to make more money as you don’t have to depend on the host and can decide which ads or sponsor to display on your website. Blog what you’re passionate about as it’ll give you some motivation to keep writing when things get tough. Blogging is a good creative outlet to express yourself so it’s a bonus that you also make money from it. This is one of the most popular ways to get started in entrepreneurship as well. So it would be great experience and a way to make money in college.
- Related: How To Start a Blog
- Related: The Best Free Blogging Sites
- Related: How To Start a WordPress Blog
2. Freelancer
College students need a flexible schedule. Sometimes they just have a really long essay to do or have to study for an important test, and that is when the ability to work whenever they want come in handy. Becoming a freelancer allows you to make your own schedule while earning some extra money. Some gigs that you can sell are writing, coding, data analyzing, financial planning, and data entry. To become a freelancer, choose a niche you’re good at and look at other freelancers’ offers to decide on your own price and service or product offerings. Next, create a killer portfolio that highlights your skills and experience. Bonus points if you can include some sample works you’ve done in the past. Websites like Freelancer and Fiverr help you get started as a freelancer.
3. Web designer
Can you create an organized website that looks aesthetically good? Can you work with HTML, CSS, JSON, and/or JavaScript? If yes, you’re already on your way to become a web designer. Make money while in college by designing websites for companies and individuals. You might be asked to create a website for shoes, for a blog, or for a Fortune 500 company; who knows what will happen.
4. Chef
Don’t think about Gordon Ramsay with his fancy dishes when I say “chef”. You don’t have to be a chef at a five-star restaurant, so don’t worry. In fact, you don’t need to be a chef at any restaurant; you just have to know how to make good food and have a place to cook. With apps like HomeMade Food and Chachi’s you can add your calendar to show people when you can deliver food, what dishes you offer, and extra services like lunchbox. People who are busy but still want healthy homemade food, especially busy parents, will subscribe to these services. So, if you want to make some money cooking, it’s time to become the chef in your own kitchen and earn some cash for it.
5. Graphic designer
Graphic designing is a marketable skill, especially if you can also edit videos and perform photoshopping. There are a lot of different demand for a graphic designer: artists wanting to make the best album, companies needing to design posters, websites wanting to look their best, businessmen needing business cards, designing book covers, etc. You can also create animation for people who can’t do this themselves or create your own animation. Whatever you do, it is a good way to use your skills and make some extra money. You can also build a portfolio of your work to market yourself as a graphic designer later as well.
6. App creator
Did you know Flappy Bird’s creators reported an average earning of $50,000/day from ads? While it’s true that only a handful of apps become popular and generate good money for the creators, it is still a potential stream of passive income. If you have some programming and app designing skills, why not put your skills to the test and create your own app? Your app can also become a showcase product when you apply for jobs or if you want to go down the path of becoming a freelance app designer. Moreover, maybe your app will become popular like Flappy Bird, who knows?
7. Voice-over artist
Anime, foreign movies, and documentaries are some of the examples I could think of where there is a demand for a voice-over artist. If you want to become a voice-over artist, there are a few requirements: having a good recording device, having a quiet environment in which you can record, and being expressive with your voice. If you know a second language, you can also do a voice-artist for foreign movies. How cool would that be to get paid simply to talk?
8. Photographer
Are you thinking of a professional camera when the word “photographer” is mentioned? The good news is that you don’t need one to become a photographer. If you have a smartphone with a good camera, there are plenty of apps that will help you edit and polish photos so that you can make some cash while in college. Some apps that are recommended by other photographers are VSCO, InstaSize, and Pixlr. A quick Google search will also turn up many other photo editing apps for both iPhone and Android. If your family and friends usually say you take good photos, why not try your luck at being a photographer?
9. Event organizer
Becoming a wedding organizer at a fancy restaurant or event venue might be too much for you as a college student (college students are well-known for being busy and sleep-deprived, right?). However, organizing a kid’s birthday party, a get-together for long-distance family members, or a bachelor/bachelorette party is probably doable. If you’re an extrovert that likes meeting new people and planning events, this is probably the perfect gig for you.
10. Web traffic analyst
This recommendation fits best for students who are studying marketing, but as long as you can look at numbers and analyze them, you can do this job. Help business owners analyze who has been coming to the website, what the close rate is, and what percentage of visitors actually buy their offers. You will most likely need to make recommendations to improve the web’s traffic, such as ad placement and keywords, so be prepared to communicate clearly with your clients.
11. Bookkeeper
You don’t need to be a CPA or be in accounting to be a bookkeeper. As long as you can do addition and subtraction and know the basic rules of accounting, you’re good to go. Small businesses will be those most in need of a bookkeeper to keep their numbers straight. You will most likely work with Excel or a bookkeeping tool, so be prepared to utilize your tech skills.
12. Home interior designer
Should you paint a living room blue or cream? Should there be a rug under the coffee table? What about flowers? These are some questions you will be asked as a home interior designer. If you like decorating houses to make them look better and have an eye for art (bonus point if you’re studying to be a home interior designer), consider this job as a side gig in college. Most home interior designers work closely with clients to integrate their preferences while making their own recommendations, so you probably won’t be decorating the interior of a home all by yourself.
13. Social media influencer
You don’t need an hour-glass body with abs to be a social media influencer. If you 1) have a social media account and 2) have a large presence, you are on your way to becoming a social media influencer. You can promote whatever you’re passionate about: clothes, food and drinks, financial products, apps and software, shoes, or even other social media influencers. One of the nice perks of being a social media influencer is that you get free stuff when you promote products for other companies. However, social media often comes with a dark side of comments from “haters”. Just know that you can’t please everyone and keep doing what you enjoy because you’re awesome!
14. Fashion designer
You can either become a fashion designer by selling clothes with your own design on them. There are websites that do the “dirty work” for you; simply upload your design, wait for your clothes to be made, and collect cash when they’re sold. Websites like Teespring and Artist Shops help you get your design out there and bring your dream design to reality. Not only is this a cool way to earn some income, it can also be developed into a business later if that’s the path you want to take.
15. Singer
Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, and Harry Styles are all famous singers that most people recognize. And, without a doubt, they make a lot of money singing. While you probably won’t become an international star who makes millions of dollars like they do (or maybe you will, I’m not a psychic), being a singer can still earn you some money. You can either sing at a bar or restaurant or put your songs on websites like Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube. To make even more money, set up a Patreon account so that your fans can support you monetarily.
16. Band member
Similar to being a singer, you can either perform regularly at a bar or restaurant or publish your own music on the Internet. Bands are often asked to perform at events like weddings as well, so utilize these opportunities. Also, don’t forget to set up a Patreon account so your fans can support you and earn a monthly income.
17. Create subtitles
The most demand for subtitle creators often lies in foreign movies that need to be subtitled in another language. Therefore, if you know more than one language, this can be a great gig to do while in college. However, you don’t necessarily need to know more than one language to be a subtitle creator. Some movies and videos need subtitles for those with hearing impaired or just to make it easier for the audience to follow.
18. Freelance translator
You will need to know at least two languages to be a translator. While you don’t need to be an expert for simple translations, you will not be able to tap into opportunities “where the money lies”: document translation and in-person translation. But that’s OK, you can always learn more and better your language skills in the future.
19. Comics writer
Can you draw well or create comics on a computer? Do you like comics and have lots of ideas you want to express through comics? If yes, why not become a comics writer while in school? To make money from writing comics, you will need an audience and somewhere to publish your comics. You can either promote your comics on social media or self-publish them on websites like Webtoons, which makes it easier for people to see and read your comics. It is a smart idea to set up a Patreon account so your comics fans can support your work and to gain a steady stream of income.
Work On-Campus
20. Work study
Most colleges and universities have some work study positions for students. These positions typically have a flexible schedule to accommodate students’ needs and, while sometimes they pay the minimum wage, it is still a good way to earn some money while in school. Some work study positions will pay you with a check but some will deduct your wage directly from your tuition, so make sure you learn about how you’re going to get paid before accepting them. Most of the time, you need to maintain a certain GPA to participate in work study, but there are always programs to help you get on track with your studies so don’t be afraid.
21. ESL tutor
Some colleges and universities offer ESL courses to foreign or international students and/or foreigners who recently came to the U.S. and need to learn English. Most of the time, you don’t need to be pursuing a teaching degree to become an ESL tutor. Actually, English doesn’t even have to be your first language; as long as you can speak English fluently and are willing to work with a diverse classroom with varying English skills, you can become an ESL tutor. This position can be very rewarding as you get to see your students getting better at English with each lesson.
22. Writing center
If you often get a high score on your essays and can help with editing and revising papers, you might want to consider working at the writing center. You won’t always be revising and editing papers here. You might be asked to help students come up with an idea to write about, find a thesis statement, or come up with creative ways to write an essay. Most of the term, the writing center will provide some training before you start working there, so don’t fret if you think you’re not equipped to work at one.
23. Library Assistant
I have heard that being a library assistant is easy. It depends on what your task is, of course, but library assistants typically only work when students have a question or if there’s a task to be done, such as putting books back on the shelf. When they’re not busy, they can study or work on homework. Sounds easy enough, right?
24. Campus Security
Working for campus security is pretty close to being a cop if you ask me. There are often some physical requirements to joining campus security, so make sure you’re fit enough for this job if you’re interested. The one disadvantage of this job is that campus security often works in shifts, thus the hours might not be very flexible. However, if you have good time management skills, this won’t be a problem. Even though this is listed as an on-campus job, some schools will hire a third-party security company, thus you might need to apply there instead of having the ease of applying right on your campus.
25. Campus IT support
There are a variety of tasks for a campus IT support position that doesn’t require an advanced computer degree. You will most likely assist people with retrieving usernames and passwords, fix projectors and computers for professors and instructors, and troubleshoot computer issues. There is training involved most of the time, so don’t be worried if you think you’re not tech-savvy enough to take on this job. Most campus positions offer a flexible working schedule to accommodate students, and this position often follows the same trend. Thus, if you can work with tech and troubleshoot computers, you might want to look for open positions in this area on your campus.
26. Campus tour guide
Every term, potential students sign up for a campus tour to get an idea of what a college is like before deciding to go there. New students sometimes need an orientation, which often includes a campus tour as well. If you work as a campus tour guide, you most likely won’t have to do so the whole term as students won’t need a campus tour all the time. Thus, you will not be able to work many hours unless there are other tasks for campus tour guides when there are no tours. However, it is an easy job that doesn’t require much of your time and you get to meet new people with every tour.
27. Dorm resident assistant
If your school has a dorm, they probably are looking for a few dorm resident assistants (RAs). These RAs’ tasks are to make sure dorm residents feel welcome, comfortable, and safe, and to connect residents through casual parties and events. You will probably be on-call sometimes in case residents get locked out at night. Doesn’t that sound like an easy enough job? However, most of the time, to be a dorm resident assistant you have to be a dorm resident yourself as some schools pay dorm resident assistants by deducting their rent directly. If you’re not planning to live in a dorm, maybe this position isn’t the right one for you.
28. Dorm front desk
This position might not require you to be a dorm resident like the previous position as most front desks, including dorm front desks, operate during business hours. You will probably not have much work unless students come to you to pick up packages or due to lock-outs. If your boss is lax, you might even be able to work on your homework if you’re not busy. However, sometimes this position is reserved for dorm resident assistants, thus it might not be available for everyone.
29. Teacher assistance (TA)
Becoming a TA sometimes requires that you’re in a certain year of university, most likely in your 3rd or 4th year. Some teachers will prefer their TAs to be pursuing a Master’s degree, so get to know the specific professor/teacher’s needs before applying to be a TA. Your tasks often will include grading assignments and tests, helping the teacher prepare teaching materials, taking over a class when the teacher is absent, and being the first person students communicate with when they have a question.
30. Research assistant
This position is similar in a way to being a teacher assistant, yet there are some differences. Both teacher assistants and research assistants work closely with their professor and finds the materials he or she needs. A research assistant (RA) will typically not grade students’ papers and tests like a TA and will not communicate directly with students. A RA is often someone who is an upperclassman (third or fourth year of university) or someone who is pursuing a Master’s degree, and he or she assists the teacher with… you guessed it, research. This research can range anywhere from working in a lab to collecting imperial data for a statistical study. This is a great position to gain some experience in your field of studies by having hands on practice with an expert.
31. Tutor
Schools typically hire tutors for these subjects: accounting, finance, math, English and writing, physics, engineering, and science. The more classes you have taken in a subject matter, the higher your chance of being a tutor is as universities like to hire as few people for as many subjects as possible. You will receive training and be able to practice tutoring before tutoring students on your own. Even then, typically a supervisor or teacher will be in the same room so you can ask them anything you’re not sure of yourself. You should try to be a tutor in the subject that interests you the most as it will make it fun for both you and the student.
32. Student advisor
Students often need to consult an advisor about the classes they should take to complete their degree, what their options are if they fail a class or need a schedule change, or a major change. Most of the time, you can advise students using a degree audit based on his or her major(s) and minor(s). You might also need to know which classes are offered per term to help students plan their schedule. Other than that, this is a relatively simple job that allows you to work right on campus, so there is no need to worry about transportation.
33. Student government
Most universities and colleges have a student government and those who work in these positions also get paid. The typical positions offered are student president and vice present, finance director, secretary, project coordination, and program directors. Working in a student government means your duty is to represent the student body and be the bridge of communication between students and those who run the college or university. Most of the time, you need to take the initiative and work on your own projects. If you’re a go-getter and want to be the voice of college students, you might want to learn about how to be a part of the student government.
34. Student ambassador
Student ambassadors represent the school and its students when meeting with prospective students and their families. Most of the time, student ambassadors also act as a liaison between staff and students, similar to those who are involved in the student government. During the admissions process, student ambassadors will be giving prospective students an idea on what to expect if they attend the school in the future. If you’re friendly and enjoy meeting new students, this might be a good on-campus job for you.
35. Office front desk
There are many “front desks” in a college or university, just to be clear. Typically, each department has a front desk for advisor appointments, computer labs, or other offices. This position is typically flexible in terms of hours but you most likely will work during business hours unless otherwise arranged. This is a relatively simple job and most of your supervisors will understand when you need to change your schedule to study for an upcoming test or to work on a very long assignment.
36. Note taker
Some students with a learning disability are unable to take their own notes. Thus, sometimes students in the same class will be asked to volunteer to take notes for the student with disability. You are often paid per class if you become a note taker. There are some requirements to being a note taker: having a legible handwriting and being able to keep up with the professor in terms of taking notes (of course you’re be expected to be able to do the job you’re hired for, right?). You can make copies of the notes you take and use them so you don’t have to worry about taking notes for two people at the same time. Besides, you get to help a classmate out, so why not?
37. Transcriber
This position is designed to help students with a disability that cannot read handwritten notes, for example people who are legally blind or blind. As a transcriber, you will transcribe handwritten materials to whichever format is required. Sometimes, you will convert documents on the computer to the required format as well, for example from a PDF file to a TXT file. You will either get paid per transcribed document or per hour. This position allows you to help out students with a disability while making some money, so go ahead and apply for it if you think it suits you.
38. Gym front desk
If your school has a gym, they will most likely also have a front desk. As a gym front desk assistant, you will do a variety of tasks such as signing people up for membership, renting equipment out to gym goers, making appointment for people who want to join a specific fitness course or activity, helping organize activities, and maybe help with clean up the gym at the end of the day. The gym is a wonderful place where you get to meet a lot of people who will motivate you take care of your physical health. The hours are often relatively flexible as well, so it is typically a good job for busy college students.
39. Personal trainer
You can be a personal trainer at your school gym. There are two categories of personal trainers: private trainers who are not affiliated with the school and trainers hired by the school. Since we’re talking about on-campus jobs, this job falls into the second category. Your school gym will direct students to you based on both of you and the student’s r availability, student’s fitness goals, and your training specialty. While you don’t necessarily need to be a certified trainer to be hired, having prior experience as a trainer or studying to be a trainer will give your resume a boost.
40. Write resumes and cover letters
Writing resumes and cover letters can be anxiety-inducing and tricky, especially for students who are not confident in their writing skills. Students want resumes and cover letters that highlight the best skills and experiences they have, so they are willing to pay for a writer who will fulfill these goals. You can find your own clients or work with the school’s advisory office to help students with resumes and cover letters. As each student has his or her own strengths and weaknesses, the ability to pay attention to details is necessary to draw out the strengths in a person.
41. Help write application essays
I’m not recommending you to write the entire essay from the start to finish for students; that would be considered plagiarism. However, helping students write application essays through things such as revising, editing, giving them ideas, helping them with a thesis statement, coming up with an interesting story to include, etc. are perfectly acceptable. There are different types of application essays: job application, major application, honor classes application, Master’s and PhD application, etc. Application essays are a serious thing for most students who come to you for help, so make sure you have the ability to help them before volunteering to.
42. Work at a dining hall
If you’re learning to be a cook, working as a cook at your campus dining hall can be a major boost to your resume and a career starter. However, you don’t need to be a cook to work at a dining hall. You can simply sell pre-made food or sell food that just needs to be re-heated, such as soup. You can also work as a cashier or cleaner at a dining hall. These positions are relatively easy to get and give you the opportunity to earn some extra cash while in school, so why not consider them?
Work Off-Campus
43. Starbucks
Starbucks is extremely welcoming to college students. They offer a host of a benefits and make working for them worth it.
44. Uber
Do you have a car that sits idle most of the time? Do you also have a license and car insurance? If you believe you’re a careful driver and want to use your car to make money instead of letting it sit idly the in the garage or parking lot, you might want to consider partnering with Uber to become a driver. Uber is a popular app with millions of users, so you won’t have to worry about finding customers. In addition to the service fee, accommodating those who get in your car well can also earn you some tips. Moreover, you can do this anytime you want, no matter how early or late it is.
45. UberEats
UberEats is a feature of Uber that delivers food to customers. As an UberEats driver, you will need to pick up the food from the restaurant and deliver to your customer. You will get paid based on the distance between the restaurant and the customer. Similar to driving for Uber, UberEats has millions of users, and therefore you will easily find customers. You can also do this in your free time, which accommodates a college student’s busy schedule. UberEats will typically send the orders straight to the restaurant once a customer orders something, you won’t have to wait too long to pick up the food. In fact, most of the time, when you arrive the food is all ready to be picked up.
46. Lyft
Lyft is a driving app that is popular second only to Uber. However, most people who use Uber also have the app Lyft on their phone to compare prices. Whichever app offers the lowest price in that moment, customers will go with that service. To drive for Lyft, you will need a reliable vehicle, car insurance, and a driver’s license. I recommend that you work for both Uber and Lyft at the same time because, as mentioned, customers tend to have both apps and will use whichever is cheaper in the moment.
47. Postmates
Postmates is another food delivery app beside UberEats that is quite popular, especially in metropolitan areas. Postmates is well-liked as the app frequently gives out coupons for free-delivery to users. Some restaurants only list themselves on Postmates instead of UberEats, especially local restaurants. If a customer cannot find his or her restaurant listed on UberEats, he or she will probably try to look for it on Postmates. If you want to deliver food to customer, Postmates is a great app beside UberEats to do so. However, I recommend that you have both of these apps available to reach as many customers as possible.
48. DoorDash
DoorDash is very similar to Postmates as it is another food delivery app. Similar to Postmates and UberEats, as a contractor of DoorDash, your job is to pick up food and deliver the order to customers. You will need a reliable vehicle and car insurance to sign up as a contractor of DoorDash. If you want to make frequent deliveries within an area, DoorDash is the better app to use. However, if you prefer to drive longer distance or want to make most deliveries during lunchtime, Postmates is generally a better candidate.
49. GrubHub
GrubHub is another food delivery app you can utilize to make money. Of all the food delivery services mentioned, GrubHub pays the most. However, GrubHub is also the most concerned with customer satisfaction, so you might annoyed by the “customers are always right” policy of the company. Another rule for working for GrubHub is that you must accept at least 75% of the calls dispatched to you. If you fail to meet this number or cannot reach a restaurant by a specific cutoff time, you might get fired.
50. Instacart
Instacart shoppers typically make between $11-$13 an hour, so this might be job that provides a good hourly wage while affording you flexible working hours. For each order, Instacart shoppers use an Instacart debit card with a pre-approved amount to pay for groceries. If an item requested is not available, you can make a substitute if you customer approves and the difference will be charged or deducted to the Instacart debit card. You must use Instacart debit card which has the Instacart logo on it to pay for all of your orders. This is to prevent you from getting scammed by customers so even though it might seem inconvenient, it is worth it.
51. Dog sitting/walking
Do you like dogs and would love to get paid for playing with and walking them? If you do, this might just be the perfect job for you. There are multiple apps and websites that allow you to dog-sit and make an income from it. I personally recommend Rover to begin your dog sitting “career”. To become a partner of Rover, you must first pass a background check. After you do, you can simply post your availability, service(s) offered, and dog preference, and dog owners that need dog sitting will contact you. You can either walk dogs whenever it fits your schedule, have a doggy daycare, or stay with dogs at their owners’ houses. You can make extra money if you care for a dog or cat in your own home overnight. In fact, Rover claims that sitters who do this “can make up to 2x more than sitters who don’t”.
52. Babysitting
If you like children and don’t mind earning money by looking after a kid or two, you can become a part-time babysitter. You can either babysit for people you know or work for other clients you found. If you’re not sure where to get started, you can get create an account and look for babysitting jobs with the website care.com. You can also look for other similar jobs on this website like au pairs or elderly care if you pass the background check. Depending on the child, babysitting can be an easy job that lets you do your own thing while the child is napping or studying.
53. Housesitting
Housesitting is an easier job than babysitting most of the time. However, most likely strangers will probably not let you stay and look after their house, so this is a job you’d have more luck getting by communicating with people you have already known. Try letting people you know know that you’re looking for a housesitting job to support yourself financially in college and what your availability is. Focus on people who are busy and travel frequently as they are more likely to need a house sitter.
54. Private tutor
Being a private tutor often does not offer you a very flexible schedule as parents and their children prefer a set schedule of tutoring because this makes it easier for them to plan their child’s activities. However, once in a while you can change the schedule and they will most likely be understanding. You can find your own clients to tutor or sign up on websites like care.com or VarsityTutors. As a private tutor, you should be flexible and accommodate your student’s learning strengths and try to improve their academic weaknesses. You don’t need to be an education major to be a private tutor but this often helps in finding a tutoring job.
55. Internship
Companies often look for interns who are college students. Not only does working in an internship provide you with an income, it also adds to your work experience and makes it easier for you to find a long-term job after graduating. Many internships will get you a position at the company once your contract is over (if you did well during your time there, that is). It is highly recommended that you find an internship related to your field of studies as it will be helpful in finding a job later. You may also be able to gain some course credits by having an internship, so talk to your advisor about this option.
56. Part-time job (cashier)
There are many part-time jobs college students can work, but cashier is perhaps the most popular part-time job out there as it entails relatively easy tasks and is easy to find. It is easier to find a part-time job as a cashier if you live in a metropolitan area since there are more businesses and stores, but smaller towns also have these types of jobs. In addition to getting paid, big companies like Safeway, IKEA, Costco, etc. often includes employee benefits as well even if you are a part-time employee.
57. Yardwork
Yardwork includes anything a property owner wants done with regards to their yard: leaves racking, leaves blowing, weeding, tree trimming, watering, snow shoveling, etc. You can either charge by the hour or per job after receiving details about the work you’re going to do. For example, a larger yard will be charged a higher rate than a smaller yard or snow shoveling will be charged a higher rate than plant watering. To make finding customers easy, join websites like TaskRabbit, which allows you to post your profile and lets those who need your service find you.
58. Mover
People typically do not like moving. There is a lot of packing, cleaning, and moving heavy things involved. Thus, they are willing to pay for someone to help them move, especially to help carry heavy items. While most people think of men when they think of movers, women can also do this job if they’re fit enough. Regardless of your gender, if you believe you have what it takes to be a good mover, you can become one. Finding your own customers can be difficult, thus do utilize websites like TaskRabbit to allow people who need movers to find you. To determine what your rate should be, look at other movers and their rates to get an idea of the market price for movers’ hourly wage.
59. Handyman or handywoman
Being a handyman or handywoman can earn you a good amount of money, which is something college students always need more of (I see heads nodding there). Consider the average plumbing rate is about $60 to $65 per hour, working just four hours a week can earn you almost $1,000 a month! Things like repairing water pipes, ovens, home maintenance, installing appliances, etc. often calls for a handyman or handywoman, especially for those who can’t do it themselves like the elderly. To find customers more easily, utilize websites like TaskRabbit by posting your profile, the services you offer, and your proposed rate.
60. House cleaner
Some people consider time as money, and the time spent cleaning the house by themselves is not worthy of this trade off, especially for busier and wealthier people. As a house cleaner, you can charge people an hourly rate and work at a time that is both convenient for you and the house owner. Most house owners are flexible if you need a schedule change due to studying as long as you do your job well. Websites like care.com and TaskRabbit can help you with finding house owners to work for. Don’t forget to look at other cleaners’ profiles to see how much they charge and determine your own hourly rate.
61. Virtual assistant
The good thing about being a virtual assistant is that it’s, well, virtual, which means you don’t have to physically be present to do your job. Your duties might including making appointments, taking phone calls from clients and customers, typing documents, transcribing notes, etc. Virtual assistants are typically paid by the hour. The great thing about this type of job is that you get to work from your own home or wherever you would like. Thus, you could be eating dinner while working and no one would know.
62. Street performer
The term “street performer” is quite broad. To be a street performer, you can either play an instrument such as the violin or guitar, dance to selected music, sing, or even dress up in a costume and charge a small rate for people to take photos with you. If you want to go with the last option, here’s a helpful tip: people are more likely to spend money on their kids than on themselves, so dress up as a character kids typically love and would want to interact with. Some suggestions are Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, characters from Scooby-Doo, Pikachu, etc. While street performing will probably not earn you a lot of money, it should still bring you some extra cash.
63. Dog trainer
Are you good at training dogs? Are you willing to work frequently with dogs and owners until the dogs are considered well-trained? If yes, you can work as a dog trainer as a side job. People like having a well-behaved dog that can do cool tricks and will pay for a trainer to train their dogs. While working with dogs are fun and these four-legged friends are adorable, there is a secret to dog training: for the most part, you are training the dog’s owners on how to command and take care of their dogs. Thus, if you want to work exclusively with dogs and have little to do with the owners, maybe dog training isn’t the right kind of job for you.
64. Translator
Freelance translator was previous listed under “entrepreneurship”, I know. However, I’m not talking about being a freelance translator here. I’m referring to getting hired by a company or individual as a translator. Some companies hire translators to talk directly to clients who don’t speak English, to translate documents, or to help with communication between the company and foreign partners. No matter what your main duties are, being a translator requires you to know a second language well. If you live in the Unites States, languages like Spanish, French, Mandarin are typically the most needed, so bonus points if you know any of these languages.
65. Role-playing (medical jobs)
Medical program students need practice; that’s a well-known fact. Thus, some programs will pay people to play the role of a patient so that medical students can practice noting your symptoms and arriving at a diagnosis. Do not worry, they will not operate on you or prescribe anything. However, role playing for medical students can be uncomfortable if you get assigned to an uncomfortable illness. Regardless, it is a (kind of) fun job that probably reminds you of playing doctor when you were younger, except now you’re working with actual future doctors and getting paid for it.
66. Acting
Do you aspire to be a famous actor or actress? It’s great if you do, and I wish you the best of luck, but you don’t need to want to be an actor or actress to make money from acting. Local movie producers will pay people to play by-passers in the background or perform a small act like running, tripping, or eating at a restaurant. This is not a time-consuming job to do and while it probably doesn’t pay as well as the pay people like Hugh Jackman or Angelina Jolie get, it is still a fun way to earn some money in college.
67. Daycare worker
You are probably thinking, “how can I be a daycare worker if I’m taking classes in college? Come on, be realistic”. Well, the good news is, you can work at a daycare that operates at… night. Or, you can work at a daycare on the weekend; it’s up to you and your availability. Some people who work past the business hour of 5 PM need a daycare that takes care of their children outside of business hours. College students with small children may also need this service if they’re taking a night class. Other people who need a daycare at night include gym goers who can only exercise at night, single parent with a busy work schedule, or shift workers whose shifts end outside of business hours.
68. Sell crafts on eBay
If you’re a “crafty” person and likes to make handmade crafts, you can send them on eBay to earn some extra money. Whether you make knitted blankets, gloves, cute drawings, customized photo frames, or cool wooden figures, there are people willing to buy them (and why not, handmade crafts are creative and awesome!). What are you waiting for? Let’s start creating the crafts you enjoy in your free time and making some money from them.
69. Tour guide
If you live in a small city with not many tourists, this might be a hard thing to do. However, if you live in a bigger city that frequently welcomes visitors, you can create your own tours and charge people for them. Whether you want to introduce tourists to good local restaurants, hike on popular paths, or just show them the famous attractions of your city, it’s all up to you. I’m sure no matter what you do, tourists will love it. Because finding tourists to guide can be difficult, utilize websites like Airbnb Experiences to post your activities and let tourists discover your tours.
70. Restaurant server
Besides cashier, restaurant server is another popular job for college students as it is easy to get this job, especially if you live in a metropolitan area with a lot of restaurants. Restaurant servers typically work in shifts, thus there might not be a lot of flexibility in your schedule if you choose this job. You might get paid the minimum wage starting out, but the good thing is that you get tips from diners. You will probably need to be 21 or older to serve alcohol, however some states allow employees who are 18 years of age or older to serve alcohol. Additionally, some states require servers in bars to be 21 or older. Thus, check with your state law before becoming a server.
71. Sports coach
If you are good at playing sports and have the ability to coach a sports team, you might want to consider being a sports coach. The easiest thing to do is applying to be sports coaches right on your campus. If there are no open positions, you can always apply to be a coach at other schools, especially elementary and middle schools. Sports teams typically practice after school and most sports are seasonal, thus you can plan on being a coach during the terms which you have fewer classes to avoid crowding your plate.
Selling Back Things You Don’t Need
72. Textbooks
Textbooks are expensive, I know. Moreover, new additions are coming out every year, making it difficult to keep up with the changes and to resell used textbooks. However, there are many options for selling back your textbooks and making some money from it. For example, you can always list your textbooks for sale on Amazon.com if you have an account and the book’s ISBN number, or you can sell them back to your campus bookstore. There are other websites and apps that help you sellback your textbooks for the highest price as well, so check them out and make some money from your used textbooks. To get started, checkout this article on reselling textbooks.
73. Clothes
If you have clothes that are starting to get too tight or to loose, or your closet is simply getting too full and you want to get rid of some clothing items, you might just want to sell clothing items you no longer need or wants. Of course, you can always donate them, but we wouldn’t make any money from doing that, would we? There are many websites that will let you list your used clothes, such as Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, etc.
74. Furniture
Maybe you’re moving into a different apartment and find out you don’t need a couch, a table, or a set of chairs and just don’t know how to get rid of them. Well, the Internet is here to help you make some money from your old furniture. List your furniture on websites like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist so interested buyers can contact you.
75. Workout equipment
Sometimes having workout equipment in your home is better than going to the gym to workout, especially for beginners who are too shy to workout in a gym or busy people who don’t have time to go to a gym. Thus, if you have a few sets of dumbbells or a weight rack you no longer want, you can list them for sale online. Workout equipment are typically charged by pound (or kg for non-U.S. readers), so the heavier your equipment is, the more money you’ll get for it. Again, Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace are good platforms for listing for sale items like these.
76. Shoes
If you can sell-back clothes, you can sell-back shoes as well. If your shoes are fashionable enough, you can list them on the app Poshmark, an online marketplace where people buy and sell clothing items from stores or their own closets. Or, I will say again even if you have read these online marketplaces for the 10th time today, you can list them on websites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. The general tip is, if your shoes are still new-ish looking and are fashionable, choose Poshmark. If they’re a little worn and you are willing to sell them for a low price, choose Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.
Renting Things Out
77. Rent out your textbooks
Why sell your textbooks if you can rent them out instead? By renting out textbooks, you get a stream of passive income for a longer period of time, at least until the professor changes the textbook or the edition. Using websites like Amazon.com, you can list your textbooks for rent and make money from it. If you choose Amazon, list your book and its ISBN number, choose a price, and pick the date you want renters to return your textbook. Then, sit back and let prospective renters find you. Oh, did I mention the renters pay for shipping instead of you?
78. Rent out your vehicle
If you have a vehicle that sits idle for most of the day but you don’t want to be a driver for Uber for whatever reason, consider renting out your car. You can rent out your car while you’re in school, at work, or just sitting inside the house playing video games (just kidding, I know you’re studying hard). Turo is a website where you can list your car for rent and, according to the website, “earn an average of &760 per month”. There are no sign-up charges or monthly fee, and listing is completely free. Also, you get to set your ground rules and customize them before renting your vehicle out.
79. Rent out your space
If you have an extra room, garage, or storage space, you can rent this space out and make money from it. Airbnb, the famous website to find affordable housing for traveler, makes this possible and even easy for you. However, some people have had a bad experience with visitors staying in their home. When visitors don’t respect your boundaries, disregard your rules, and “trash” the place, it can be a nightmare to deal with. To prevent this, look for visitors with a high rating and positive reviews from other Airbnb hosts.
80. Rent your tools
The idea of renting out your tools is simple: you have a set of commonly used tools, list your tools’ availability, rent them out to DIY-ers or whoever needs them, and gets paid when the renter returns your tools. This can be a one-time tool rent or a recurring thing if you have a lot of renters. Things you can rent out include power drills, power saws, drain cleaners, ladders, weed eaters, jack hammers, etc. The website sparetoolz.com makes it easy for tool owners to list their tools for rent. On this website, to rent out your tools, simply set up an account, take photos and list your tools, then set your rates and you’re good to go.
81. Rent your bike or scooter
Like a car, most of the time your bike isn’t used and just lies there in the garage or at the bike rack. If you’re not using your bike, why not rent it out to those who need it and make some money off of it? Spinlister is one of the websites that allow you to easily list your bike for rent or look at other bike rent offers. Simply set up an account, add some photos, and list your rate on this website. You can also list your surfboard or snowboard on this website. What are you waiting for? Let’s take those items out of the garage and start listing them for rent.
Learn How to Invest
82. Invest in real estate
No, don’t think of buying a house when the phrase “invest in real estate” is mentioned here. There are other ways to invest in real estate without needing to buy a property. For example, you can invest in real estate investment trusts or real estate crowdfunding as these are much more affordable than buying a house. Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are companies that own and/or finance income-producing real estate. Companies must meet certain requirements to be listed as a REIT. REITs can be publicly traded on centralized exchanges like stocks, thus you can simply buy these companies’ shares. Crowdfunding is more expensive than buying REIT, but it can be much more profitable. With real estate crowdfunding, you can participate with an amount as small as $500 alongside with other investors (thus the term crowdfunding) to buy or otherwise invest in a property. Of course, there are always risks in investing in real estate, so do your research carefully to minimize them.
83. Invest in stocks
Before the company Robinhood published their commission-free trading app, most trading brokers charge a commission fee for each stock transaction. However, thanks to Robinhood, many companies have now gotten rid of that fee to gain a competitive edge. To invest in stock, first determine if you want to invest in them for the long-term, medium-term, or short-term. Do research on industries and sectors you want to invest in. Lastly, research the companies of which you want to buy shares.
84. Invest in digital money (aka cryptocurrency)
You have probably heard of Bitcoin, and Bitcoin is a perfect example of what cryptocurrency is. Beside Bitcoin, there are many other cryptocurrencies you can trade, such as Ethereum, Ripple XRP, Litecoin, and NEO. Even though Bitcoin got close to touching $20,000 per coin in the past, cryptocurrency prices are now more unpredictable, thus it is harder to profit off of cryptocurrencies.
85. Invest in bonds
There are many types of bonds, and each bond has a rating based on a bond’s creditworthiness (aka, risk). Each rating agency has their own rating; for example, Standard & Poor’s assign “AAA” to “BBB-“ to investment grade bonds, while Moody’s assigned Aaa to Baa3 ratings. Junk bonds, or bonds with a high risk, often comes with a higher return. However, if you’re risk-averse and just want some safe money, you can invest in treasury bonds, also known as T-bill or T-bond. T-bonds are government debt securities issued by the federal government and pay a periodic interest until maturity, at which you are given back the par value. While this might sound really complicated, a few Google articles will surely help you understand investing in bonds better. There is one disadvantage to investing in bonds, however: you’re essentially lending money to the bond seller and won’t get that amount back until the term of the bond is over. If you don’t want to set aside money and get it years down the road, you might want to consider other investment options.
86. Invest in ETFs
If you want to invest in a broad-category industry, commodity, sector, etc., you can invest in an exchange-traded fund (ETF). ETFs are investment funds that are publicly traded on stock exchanged, just like stocks and REITs. Think of an ETF as an umbrella that contains multiple companies, commodities, industries, etc. at the same time. For example, if you want to invest in tech stocks but don’t want to research individual companies, you can buy shares of a technology ETF, for example the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF. ETFs often disclose what they invest in and their annual return, so do your research before buying one.
87. Invest in mutual funds
Mutual fund is similar to ETF in that it offers pooled investment product options, or securities bundled together to access the advantage of a diversified portfolio. However, mutual funds often have a much more complex structure, including varying share classes management fees. Mutual funds are typically handled by a portfolio manager that follows the securities in the fund and makes the appropriate changes. Mutual funds are considered to be actively managed while ETFs are passively managed. You can buy shares of a mutual fund that’s publicly listed on stock exchanges, just like buying stocks and ETFs.
88. Invest in commodities
There are many ways to invest in commodities. Most people are probably thinking of buying physical raw commodities, such as gold or silver. But, that is not the only way to invest in commodities; you can invest in ETFs and mutual funds that manage the type of commodities you want. Commodities investors can also invest through futures contracts or exchange-traded products (ETPs). As commodities’ returns are often inversely related to stock returns, they help diversify your portfolio and provides a hedge against inflation or unexpected economic downturns. Futures contracts are a good option for trading commodities. A futures contract is listed and can be bought on an exchange, has standardized terms, and prices are settled on a daily basis until the contract expires. You can learn more about commodity futures contract through this article on Investopedia.
89. Invest in foreign exchange (more commonly known as Forex)
Foreign exchange, of forex, is simply the different currencies used around the world. Forex is often quoted in pairs with the currencies quoted against each other. For example, a pair of VND/USD means that VND (Vietnam Dong) is the base currency and USD (US Dollars) is the quote currency. The four major pairs forex traders watch for are EUR/USD, USD/JPY, GBP/USD, and USD/CHF. What’s interesting about trading forex compared to the other options mentioned is that while most of the investment options above have been listed on a centralized exchange, forex trading is conducted electronically over-the-counter (OTC) between traders’ computers from all around the world. Because of this, forex is traded 24 hours a day for five and a half days a week across almost every time zone. To learn more about forex, read this article from Investopedia or follow babypips.com courses.
Do Tasks
90. Sell Tickets
Remember all of those student discounts or student exclusive deals you can get on game tickets? Think of basketball, football, soccer games, etc. Even if you don’t go to those games, you can still buy those tickets at a student discount and sell them back to people who aren’t students. As long as the price is below the market price for those tickets, you’ll most likely be able to sell them. Buy low – sell high, what better strategy is there to make some money?
91. Online surveys
Some companies will pay you in cash or store credit if you fill out their surveys. Your opinion and the opinions of those who take the surveys help companies improve their services and products, which in turn should bring them more customers, and more customers equals more money. Thus, they want you to take the surveys badly enough to pay you for doing just that. The good news is, you don’t need to be wandering all around the Internet looking for these paid surveys. Swagbucks is a website that compiles paid surveys for you so you can make money online by filling them out. The next time you have some free time, why not put music on and fill out some surveys?
92. Focus groups
A focus group is a market research method that is similar to surveys, except you’re answering questions in a group and often in-person. A focus group is typically between 4 to 10 people and is conducted by a facilitator. The goal of a focus group is for users to discuss and provide feedback about a certain product, service, concept, or another area researchers want to learn about. Sometimes you don’t have to meet in-person but rather can have a group meeting online. For all of you introverts, this might sound like an awkward thing to do, but you get paid for participating in some focus groups. A quick Google search will turn up many companies that are paying for people to take part in focus groups; you might even be able to find some local focus groups to join.
93. Product testing
In prior to saying more about this method, I will say that if you have sensitive skin or any allergies, avoid testing products that go onto your skin such as makeup or need to be consumed such as chocolate. That being said, there are many other products you can test that are safe for your skin like apps, household appliances, gadgets, etc. Before applying to test any product, you might want to get an idea of the demographic the company is trying to reach. For example, if the desired demographic is men who are in their 50s and you’re a 20-year-old woman, they probably won’t send you their products.
94. Selling plasma
If you weigh between 110 and 400 pounds, or about 50 to 181 kg, you can sell your plasma for money. The FDA sets the guideline on how much plasma you can sell based on your weight, and the ranges are 110 to 149 lb (50 to 67), 150 to 174 lb (68 to 78 kg), and 175 to 400 lb (79 to 181 kg). There are some requirements to selling plasma to make sure your plasma is healthy: you should be 18 or older, weigh at least 110 lb, able to pass a medical examination, test for transmissible viruses such as hepatitis and HIV, and complete a medical history screening. Selling plasma is safe most of the time but might make you dehydrated and feel fatigue, so on that day make sure to drink enough water and feel well.
95. Selling sperm or eggs
Selling your sperm or eggs isn’t always for fertility purposes – sometimes they are used in research or studies as well. Depending on which bank you sell your sperm or eggs to, payment can vary. There are certain requirements to selling your eggs or sperm, including that you must be fertile and healthy, have no serious genetic illnesses, and must have protected sex in the time leading up to your sperm or egg “harvest”. The procedure for harvesting eggs is trickier than sperm: women must self-inject hormones for 4 to 6 weeks and, when their eggs are close to ovulation, they undergo outpatient surgery to retrieve the eggs. Because of this, women are paid a higher rate for their egg donation.
96. Selling hair
The idea of having my hair on someone else’s head is a little creepy, I’ll admit it. However, if you have long hair and want to make some bucks from it, why not choose this course of action? Yet, beware that buyers usually want thick, healthy, and “virgin” hair, meaning your hair isn’t dyed, bleached, straightened, permed, or otherwise exposed to heat. If you smoke, drink, or wash your hair daily, your hair isn’t “desirable” either as it dulls your hair and increases the chance of having split ends. Most of the time, your hair has to be at least 10 inches to be eligible for selling. If you think you meet the requirements, research some listing sites that don’t charge a commission for selling your hair and let’s make some cash.
97. Selling photos of yourself
We’re taking a trip down… fetish land here. I’m not suggesting you sell revealing photos of yourself (unless that’s what you want to do, then by all means go for it), but did you know you can make money selling photos of “innocent” body parts like feet or hands? It’s amazing that in this day and age, there’s a market for just about anything. A quick Google “sell feet photos” or “sell hand photos” will turn up websites where you can make money for posting photos of your hands and/or feet. A little weird, perhaps, but people have actually made money from doing this.
98. Sell your college essays
You have worked so hard and put so many hours into writing college essays only to receive a grade. Sounds a little unsatisfying, right? Well, I have some good news: you can sell your college essays online and make money from it. Hurray, all of your writing efforts can make some cash, after all. Although I must warn you, selling your essays means that you cannot publish this work anywhere else and the buyer has the right to your essay’s copyright. If your essays are something you’re most likely never going to look at again, then sell them. If you want to use them again, you might want to hold onto them for now.
99. Sell notes or study guides
Similar to selling college essays online, you can also sell notes and study guides but will lose the right to their copyright and cannot publish them elsewhere. Some students find it helpful to look at other people’s notes and study guides as it helps them understand the materials better. CourseHero is probably one of the best websites out there to sell study guides and class notes. They will use these documents to help other students who are struggling with studying and homework. CourseHero also has tutors on their website, so you know your materials are being put to good use by the people here.
100. Apply for grants and scholarships
Applying for grants and scholarship can be discouraging and frustrating. There are usually many other people who are applying for the same thing, thus making it difficult for your application to stand out. But what do I know, life is unpredictable and full of wonders, so maybe you will get the grant or scholarship you’re applying for. Applying for grants and scholarships often involves meeting some criteria, writing essays, having references, and maybe writing more essays. It can be hard work but it can also be worth it when you have some extra money in your wallet. A small tip: try to look for grants or scholarships that not many know about as this reduces your competition.
101. Use cash back apps
Shopping, especially grocery shopping, is something most of us do quite often. Thus, it would be nice if there are more cash back programs to give us some of our money back. Oh wait, there are! Many websites and apps will give you cash back for purchasing things in-store and/or online. Ibotta is one of the best cash back websites out there as they partner with over 300 chains in the U.S. to create bargains for shoppers and to give you cash back. Now you don’t have to spend time cutting out or adding coupons. Although, you must remember to provide proof of purchase such as a photo of your receipt.
102. Get paid to play games
If you have a phone, iPad, or laptop and Internet, you can play games. And if you play games, you can make money from doing so. You can either look for games on websites like Swagbucks and Inbox Dollars to get paid for playing games or you can play games like Solitaire Cube that allows you to make money from playing. With Solitaire Cube, you can either turn your tickets into cash or make a deposit and participate in their cash tournaments with the prize going up to thousands of dollars. So the next time you’re bored and want to play some games on your phone or laptop, don’t forget to look for games that pay you and make some bucks from it.
Bottom line:
Now that we’ve recommended 102 ways to make some extra money in college, you can choose what you want to do, whether that is being a tutor or renting out your car. Making money is hard, especially when you’re also busy with studying, but there are many options, so don’t worry.
