Quick money. Two words that are guaranteed to make any college student’s pulse quicken – especially if they have tons of bills to pay.
If you’re looking for ways to make extra cash online, you’re in the right place.
This guide lists the best side hustles for college students who want to overcome the challenge of living on a small student budget.
Many of the side hustles listed here can help you not only earn extra pocket money but also benefit you in a number of ways, such as:
- Offset your academic expenses
- Boost your resume
- Learn communicable skills
- Build a professional network while still in college
I’ve segmented these side hustles for college students into different categories, including online businesses, freelance work, driving jobs, offline jobs, and more to make it easier for you to choose the right side hustle for you.
Without further ado, let’s dive right in.
Start An Online Business
1. Blogging
Blogging is an excellent way to boost your income and take control of your finances. If you have unique opinions and ideas, you can start a blog and share what you know and love with a global audience.
You may even be able to build your blog into a successful small business that will continue to thrive long after you’ve left college. It’s definitely one of the best side hustles for college students with a bit of extra time in their busy schedules.
Where to Find Jobs:
If you want to learn how to start your own blog, sign up for my free IGNITION mini course to get the basics. You can also find blogging jobs on job boards like ProBlogger, Blogging Pro, and PaidtoBlog.
How Much Money Can You Make?
$500-$5,000/month
Resource to Learn More:
2. Create a YouTube Channel
Another way to earn decent money on the side – and possibly secure your financial freedom – is to become a YouTuber.
If you have a charming personality, you can create a personality-based YouTube channel. But, even if you’d rather not show your face on camera, it’s still possible to become a successful YouTuber by outsourcing video recording.
Where to Find Jobs:
- I offer a free YouTube Secrets course on my website to help you learn everything you need to build a personal channel on YouTube.
- If you want to learn how to create a YouTube channel without recording your own videos, then you’ll find Matt Par’s free training helpful.
How Much Money Can You Make?
$400-$2,000/month
Resource to Learn More:
3. Create and Sell An Online Course
If you have knowledge or skills to share with others, then you can make enough money to pay your bills by creating an online course.
Online learning platforms like the ones listed below are designed to simplify the course creation process, and you won’t need any website building or coding knowledge to package your talents and expertise into a sellable product.
These learning platforms also come with built-in marketing and sales tools so you can run your entire knowledge business from one place.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$1,000-$6,000/month
Resource to Learn More:
4. Write and Sell an eBook
These days, there are a lot of platforms that make it easy to monetize your knowledge. You can write ebooks on any topic and sell them online. You can turn your eBooks into audiobooks to attract a broader audience.
The best part about this side hustle is that you don’t even have to do the work yourself. Just come up with a great idea, and outsource the ebook creation to someone else. You can either pay them for their work or give them a percentage of the sales you make.
If you go this route, don’t be afraid to repurpose your content. For instance, if you write an ebook you could publish as a serious on a place like Medium or Wattpad to make even more money with a nominal amount of work.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$100-$1,000/month
Resource to Learn More:
5. Online Arbitrage
Retail arbitrage is the process of buying items from a retailer and reselling them online for a profit.
This business model is great for college students because you can make money online while sitting on your couch.
All you have to do is browse online retail stores to get inventory and then list your products on sites like the ones listed below.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$400-$1,000/month
Resource to Learn More:
6. eCommerce and Dropshipping
Another awesome way to earn money online as a college kid is to start a dropshipping company.
Dropshipping is where you, the seller, order products from a supplier who then delivers them directly to your customer.
This means you don’t have to keep anything in stock, and you only place an order with the supplier after you’ve received payment from the customer.
This is nearly a risk-free business with minimal startup costs – perfect for cash-strapped college kids.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$100-$500/week
Resource to Learn More:
Sell Stuff Online
7. Sell Handmade Products
If you’re good at arts and crafts, you can make money selling your handmade products on sites like Etsy and Shopify.
Simply set up an online store, list your products, and start selling your stuff.
These platforms make it easy to run your entire business from one dashboard, including payments, shipping, taxes, and so on.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$100-$1,000+/week
Resource to Learn More:
8. Sell Old Clothes
As far as profitable and easy side hustles for college students go, selling your old clothes is a great way to go.
This also has the added benefit of helping you get rid of clutter in your space. You can either take the clothes to a thrift store or post them online on sites like the ones below.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$100-$500+
Resource to Learn More:
9. Design and Sell Merchandise
If you are artistic, then you probably have tons of creative ideas for cool designs. Why not add your artwork to t-shirts and sell them via sites like the ones below?
This can be an easy and lucrative way to make some extra money and possibly even pay your way through college. It’s also worth mentioning that artists have many side hustles they can try if merchandise doesn’t seem like the answer.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$400-$1,200+/month
Resource to Learn More:
10. Sell on Shopify
When you become a Shopify business owner, you can make money in multiple ways.
For instance, you can dropship items, or sell shoes, sweaters, t-shirts, or anything else that appeals to you.
You can even create and sell digital products like ebooks and online courses on Shopify.
Where to Find Jobs:
To get started selling on Shopify, simply sign up for a free trial on the website. Once you’re logged in, you can create product listings and ptimize your shop for SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
Follow the rest of the prompts to integrate a shopping cart. I recommend ThriveCart. You’re now ready to start promoting your online store.
How Much Money Can You Make?
$500-$3,000/month
Resource to Learn More:
11. Sell Photography
Do you have photography skills? If so, you can make money as a stock photographer. There’s a growing need for stock photos for company websites, blogs, product covers, etc.
Use your smartphone to start snapping away and upload your images to stock image providers to get instant cash.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$100-$1,000/month
Resource to Learn More:
Online Jobs
12. Virtual Assistant
Virtual assistant work is relatively easy and one of the most flexible side jobs for college students. It’s a great way to make money while going to college since you can take on tasks between classes or on weekends.
All you need is a laptop, fast internet connection, and a basic knowledge of how to use common apps and sites.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$800-$2,000/month
Resource to Learn More:
13. Become a Voiceover Artist
Voice acting is a well-paying side hustle. You can find plenty of voice over job postings online for everything from YouTube videos and animated films to podcasts, business ads, and more.
To get started, record a few demos and upload them to relevant sites so prospective clients can get in touch if you’re the right fit.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$200-$300/hour of recording
Resource to Learn More:
14. Data Entry Clerk
If you’re good at typing quickly and accurately, then you can make money as a data entry clerk.
Data entry work typically pays on a piece-by-piece basis, which means your earning potential will depend on how fast you can work.
While this is a great side job, it’s important to manage your time wisely so it’s worth the effort. With the right strategy, this can be a lucrative side hustle.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$18-22/hour
Resource to Learn More:
15. Audio Transcriber
There’s a huge demand for people who can accurately transcribe audio files of meetings, interviews, and so on. You can earn some good cash and work flexible hours.
Sign up with any or all of the sites below and start transcribing files right away.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$5-$20/audio hour
Resource to Learn More:
16. Note Taker
Did you know that some students are willing to pay to have someone else take notes for them? Sometimes this is due to disability, and you can assist by taking down lecture notes for disabled students.
Get in touch with your university’s admissions office or check our the college or university’s website to learn more.
You can also sell your well-crafted notes to your classmates or other interested parties.
Sites like StudySoup make it easy to upload your notes so you can make money from each of your classes.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$300-$600/semester
Resource to Learn More:
17. Online Fitness Coach
If you’re into fitness, then this is the perfect side hustle for you. You’d also be surprised how many medical students and sports college students are into fitness and physical activity so this is a great side gig for anyone who’s into healthy living.
You don’t even have to do much to get started. Simply advertise your services, sign up clients, and use your phone to broadcast fitness training lessons online.
You can have as many clients as you can handle in each group session, and possibly even charge extra for additional one-to-one online sessions.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$30-50/hour
Resource to Learn More:
18. Customer Service Agent
The role of customer service encompasses a lot of areas, including call center reps, help desk analysts, client services managers, tech support reps, and more.
You can choose any job that appeals to you and get started earning during your spare time.
Your work will be to assist companies handle their customer service via phone, live chat, or email.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$12-$28/hour
Resource to Learn More:
19. Online Tutor
There are many ways to offer tutoring services online and earn good money. I recommend creating your own course or workshop, but you can also take on online jobs to teach music or tutor students in traditional subjects like science or math.
Ask around local high schools, there are probably a lot of high school students who need extra help with their subjects.
If you speak more than one language, you can offer language lessons. Even if you teach for just an hour a week, you’ll be able to create a stream of passive income to help with your bills so you can avoid taking on more student loans.
Make your own schedule with as few or as many sessions as you’re able to do each week and watch the money roll in.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$30-$100/session
Resource to Learn More:
20. Online Gamer
Did you know that you can get paid to play games online? Most professional gamers make money by streaming their gameplay on online streaming platforms like Twitch.
This can actually turn into a full time job or you and you can monetize your stream in a number of ways, including an ad platform that’s similar to Google Adsense where you get paid according to the number of views your stream gets.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$24-$60/hour
Resource to Learn More:
21. Website and App Tester
Companies pay users to test their websites and apps to see if they are working properly. This is a great side hustle for college students who are adept at using the latest technology.
Your job will be to test websites and apps for issues and bugs and give honest feedback to the companies.
This is a relatively easy job that you can complete between classes, during midday breaks, or in the evenings.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$20-$120/test
Resource to Learn More:
22. Online Surveys
Completing online surveys is a quick and easy way to make extra cash. Sign up on a few survey apps and you’ll get notifications whenever there are surveys available for you to complete.
No special skills are needed, and the surveys are generally short and easy to complete.
This is not like your traditional online job, but it’s a legitimate side hustle that you can do in your free time to help make a few dollars and maybe even cover your living expenses.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$5-$25/survey
Resource to Learn More:
Freelance Jobs
People want help building their businesses and will pay for services.
Freelancing is one of the best side hustles for college students for many reasons. You can work your own hours and take on as much or as little work as you want.
In addition to earning extra cash, you also get to learn transferable skills, boost your resume, and give you a career head-start.
Here’s a list of some of the best freelance side hustles that pay good money.
23. Freelance Writer, Editor, or Proofreader
As more and more businesses set up online, there’s constant demand for freelance writers, editors, and proofreaders to provide high-quality content for business websites and blogs. These are just a few of the many writer side hustles out there..
You can find gigs on social media channels and relevant job boards depending on the industry. You can even reach out to content marketing agencies to apply for jobs.
Consider specializing in a particular topic so you can find targeted and higher-paying clients.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$1,000-$4,500/month
Resource to Learn More:
24. Freelance Web/Graphic Designer
Do you have experience in graphic design or web development? If so, this is an easy gig that allows you to earn a bit of side income during your spare time.
Sign up on marketplaces like Fiverr, Upwork, or Guru to start earning right away. You can even create your own templates, logos, and printables and sell them online.
Diversify your income even further by offering design consultant services. The possibilities are endless.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$20-$25/hour
Resource to Learn More:
25. Freelance Social Media Manager
If you’re spending a lot of time on social media anyway, you might as well get paid for it. Social media management is one of the best part time jobs for college students who spend most of their time online.
A lot of local businesses need help managing their social media presence and will gladly pay social media managers to handle different tasks like scheduling social media posts, responding to comments, boosting engagement on their fan page, and so on.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$400-$2,000/month
Resource to Learn More:
26. Freelance Digital Marketer
A freelance digital marketer uses multiple marketing channels to help businesses promote their brands, products, or services.
If you are knowledgeable in any form of digital marketing, such as email marketing, social media marketing, content marketing, mobile marketing, etc., you can use your skills to get paid
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$300-$1,500/project
Resource to Learn More:
27. Freelance Video/Audio Editor
Video/audio editing is another highly popular side hustle for college students. If you know how to cut, crop, merge and enhance video and audio content, you can find well-paying work as an editor for YouTubers, vloggers, social media marketers, and filmmakers.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$200-$800/week
Resource to Learn More:
28. Freelance PPC Ad Expert
Do you know how to run successful ads on paid marketing platforms like Google? If so, then you can become a PPC (pay-per-click) specialist.
Your job will involve designing, building, and executing on digital ad campaigns to help organizations meet their goals and objectives.
This is an entry-level digital marketing role, which means that even if you currently don’t know much about it, you can easily get the knowledge required to start attracting clients.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$800-$2,500/week
Resource to Learn More:
29. Freelance Bookkeeper
If you regularly find yourself helping out friends who need bookkeeping services, then this side hustle is perfect for you.
Create an online resume and ask the people you’ve previously kept books for to provide you with testimonials.
If you need to, you can take Tax Level 1 and 2 courses for free online to help brush up your knowledge.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$400-$1,000/week
Resource to Learn More:
30. Freelance Software Developer
A lot of people come up with great ideas, but they don’t have the know-how and experience to develop the products themselves.
That’s where you come in. You can use your coding knowledge to try your hand at freelance software development.
Not only will you make money doing something fun, but this type of work will also look great in your resume when you graduate.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$500-$1,500/project
Resource to Learn More:
31. Freelance Translator
If you speak more than one language, you can easily find translation work online.
Most agencies require you to pass some sort of test before you are formally hired. But, this is a great job with great pay and flexible hours, so it’s worth the effort.
Alternatively, you can figure out your per-word rate and find clients on various freelance marketplaces and job boards.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$400-$1,000/week
Resource to Learn More:
Driver Jobs
32. RideSharing
If you won a car, driving for Uber, Lyft, and other ridesharing companies is a great way to earn extra cash during your spare time. Just sign up and start accepting jobs in your area during your spare time.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$800-2,000/month
Resource to Learn More:
33. Deliver Food
Students and professors at your college campus have to eat. If you have a car or bike, you can make instant cash delivering food in and around your campus.
Use multiple apps to get a consistent flow of work. In addition to takeaways, you can also deliver groceries and other items on apps like Postmates to make even more money.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$200-1,000+/week
Resource to Learn More:
34. Rent Out Your Car
As a college student, having a car has a lot of perks. But did you know that you can make quick money with it – even without driving it yourself?
If you don’t have to be anywhere, you can rent out your car to make money on the side. You can sign up with car-sharing services like the ones listed below and start making cash from your wheels right away.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$20-$25/day
Resource to Learn More:
Offline Side Hustles
Side hustles are not just in the online world. A lot of the best and most lucrative side hustles are those that you can do in person, like dog walking, baby sitting, and lawn mowing.
You get to set your own rates and work flexible hours. Work on-campus or take on off campus jobs. There are many possibilities open to you.
Here are some jobs for college students that you can do in-between classes or on weekends.
35. Become an At-Home Personal Trainer
If you know a lot about fitness, exercise, or nutrition, you can become a personal trainer to help your clients achieve their weight loss goals.
If your busy college schedule allows for you to work out during the week, then you might as well make extra money doing so.
If you’re talented in a particular sport, you can also expand your services to coach or train kids during your free time. If you do a great job, you can even advance to private (and more lucrative) coaching sessions.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$70/hour
Resource to Learn More:
36. Baby Sitting/Care Taking
This is a great side hustle for college kids that can also add to your resume. For instance, if you want to become a teacher or work with children in any other way, you can use babysitting as a way to gain relevant work experience.
In addition to adding your information to the sites and apps below, advertise on your social media page and hang flyers around your neighborhood.
Word-of-mouth is one of the best ways to get jobs as a babysitter so be sure to tell all your friends and family that you’re in the babysitting business.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$13.50-$21/hour
Resource to Learn More:
37. Become a Secret Shopper
Ever dreamed of becoming an undercover agent? Mystery shopping is a huge trend right now and you can add some cash to your bank account by becoming a secret spy for your favorite brands.
Your job will be to eat in restaurants, go grocery shopping, shop in clothing stores, or use apps etc. with the goal of collecting and relaying information to the hiring brand.
You’ll be reimbursed for your purchases and you get to earn money while having fun.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$500-$1,000/month
Resource to Learn More:
38. Do Odd Jobs
Are you good with your hands? If so, put your DIY talents to the test and make extra money doing odd jobs in your areas.
In addition to virtual odd jobs, you can do in-person jobs like helping people move, fixing gutters, painting fences, and so on.
You can also clean homes, pools, and windows. Rake leaves, shovel snow – heck you can even dig graves for your local cemetery – whatever it takes to earn that cash.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$500-2,000/week
Resource to Learn More:
39. Rent Out Space
If you have an extra room, why not rent it out to others who need a place to crash? You can also rent out your attic, basement, garage, and backyard.
Apartments and dorms in busy cities are often too small to hold all of the occupant’s belongings. You can make fast money by providing extra storage space.
If you live in a big city, you can rent out your parking spot or driveway during the day while you’re in class or when you’re going out of town.
You can even sell advertising space on your car. You’ll have to drive around with a sticker or wrap advertising a company, but you’ll make money with each mile.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$400-$2,000/month
Resource to Learn More:
40. Donate Plasma
Plasma is the blood element that carries water, enzymes, and salts to different parts of the body. It’s crucial for bodily function and therefore is in high demand.
Donating plasma is relatively safe and can earn you between $30 and $100 each time. You can safely donate twice a week with two or more days between donations.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$240-$1,600/month
Resource to Learn More:
41. Junk Hauler
If you have a pickup truck, then this is a great way to earn money. Even if you don’t have your own pickup truck you can borrow one from a friend. Just make sure to give them a cut of your earnings.
More and more people are jumping on the minimalist lifestyle bandwagon and there are probably loads of people in and around your area who’ll pay you to get rid of their junk for them.
Whether it’s to throw it away or sell it online, you can offer this service and make good money on the side.
Where to Find Jobs:
You can also advertise your services with real estate agents, banks, storage units, contractors, and property managers who needs their spaces cleaned out before the next renter comes along.
How Much Money Can You Make?
$40-$60/hour
Resource to Learn More:
42. Dog Walking
Starting a dog walking or pet sitting business is a lot easier (and a lot more profitable) than you’d imagine.
All you have to do is find people near you who don’t have the time to walk their pets and they will happily pay you to do it for them.
You can take on as many dogs as you can handle, as many times a week as you’re able.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$10-$30/dog for a 30-minute walk.
Resource to Learn More:
43. Party/Street Performer
Are you skilled in music or dance? You can make fast cash by becoming a street performer. Depending on the type of skills you have, you can also advertise your services to perform at parties.
Children’s birthday parties, in particular, tend to pay well and a lot of college kids with a flair for acting make money by dressing up as fairy tale characters to entertain kids.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$15-$18/hour
Resource to Learn More:
45. Landscaping and Gardening Services
It doesn’t take much to learn how to weed, edge, trim, water, and mulch. This is a relatively easy job but it’s one that no one wants to do. That’s where you come in.
As a college student, you can use your spare time to do this type of work around your neighborhood.
Offer lawn mowing, hedge trimming, tree planting, fence installation, and various other services to make your clients’ yards look good, and you’ll make your wallet feel great.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$400-$1,000/week
Resource to Learn More:
46. Wash People’s Cars
Washing cars is a classic side hustle that will never go out of fashion. If you can save car owners labor hours and hassle, they will gladly pay you on an ongoing basis.
This is a viable side hustle for you if you want to start earning money fast. You won’t need any fancy tools – just a bucket of water, soap, and sponges, and you’re ready to get started.
To find car wash jobs, start with the people in and around your neighborhood. Advertise on social media, distribute flyers, and tell everyone you know that you’re in the car wasing business.
You can also sign up with any of the on-demand mobile car wash apps listed below.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$400-$1,200/week
Resource to Learn More:
47. Become a Local Tour Guide
If you live in a city or town with iconic buildings, restaurants, or landmarks, then you can make money as a walking tour guide.
Get to work learning as much as you can about the interesting spots in your town and then advertise your services.
You can even ask if your college admissions office might hire you to give guided campus tours to new students.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$50-$150/person/tour
Resource to Learn More:
48. Mobile Oil Change Service
A lot of people lead such busy lives that they barely have the time to drive to a quick-change oil place. You can offer this service to save time for them and make money for yourself.
All you need is a good wrench and some automobile risers. Start advertising your services on social media and hand out some flyers to find takers.
It’s always a great idea to start your own business, but you can also find mobile oil change service jobs at the sites below.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$300-$600/week + tips
Resource to Learn More:
49. Fix iPhone Screens
If you can learn how to fix iPhone screens, you stand to make a good chunk of change helping customers who’ve cracked their screens.
Repairing iPhones is something you can do quickly and easily once you know how. There are plenty of videos and tutorials on YouTube so take the time to learn how to do it properly, and start advertising your services in your area.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$200-$1,000/week
Resource to Learn More:
50. 3D Printing
Do you have experience using computer-aided design (CAD) software? If so, you can create and sell 3D print designs.
While this side hustle isn’t for everyone, it’s a great fit for you if you have a passion for this type of technology.
And the best part? You can make money with 3D printing even if you don’t have a printer.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$200-$800/week
Resource to Learn More:
Conclusion
There you have it. 50 side hustles for college students. Now there’s no excuse for you to survive on just ramen noodles no matter how tight your budget is.
Choose from any of these side hustles to help you pay off your student loan debt, and possibly even set up a reliable stream of income that will cover your expenses and continue to grow with time.