As a college student, you need money to help pay for school, books, housing, and food. But, with a busy class schedule, it’s nearly impossible to manage a full-time job. That’s why it is crucial to find part-time work that you enjoy, pays well, and fits in conjunction with your classes and schoolwork.
To give you a head start in the search process, we’ve listed the 15 part-time jobs that we believe are worth your time and effort.
1. Dining hall employee
Working at the dining hall is the quintessential college job. Although it may not be the most exciting position in the world, it is a great option if you need work that is flexible and easy to get.
Most of the time, you can apply for a dining hall job on your college or university’s website by searching “student employment” or “student jobs.” At some dining halls, you’ll be able to pick your preferred position, such as a dishwasher, pizza chef, or food prepper, for example. Most institutions also ask for students’ class schedules so that you never get booked to work a shift during class time.
Dining halls are almost always in need of more employees, and you won’t usually need any experience to be hired. Training doesn’t typically take more than a few hours, and all of the work is generally easy to do.
- Estimated hourly wage: $8-$15
2. On-campus barista
If you’re a coffee lover and a people person, you might want to consider becoming a barista. Many colleges and universities hire students to work at campus cafes. Your shifts will be spent mixing fancy coffee drinks and interacting with fellow students and professors who swing by for a quick pick-me-up.
One of the best parts about becoming an on-campus barista is that you’ll learn valuable skills that may help you land service jobs in the future. Also, because the job is offered through your school, you’ll be able to work hours that fit with your class schedule.
You can find and apply for campus barista jobs on your college or university’s website. However, these jobs are often some of the most competitive on-campus positions because so many students apply for them. While you don’t typically need any prior experience to be hired, there may be a waitlist.
- Estimated hourly wage: $8-$15
3. Campus recreation
Many colleges and universities offer students the opportunity to work at on-campus recreation centers, such as gyms, aquatic centers, golf courses, and others.
Most campus recreation workers spend their hours doing things like sanitizing weight room equipment and checking people in at front desks. With certification, however, you may be able to teach fitness classes or sports lessons.
Campus recreation jobs are perfect for fitness fanatics or those who want to spend more time exercising. Working at the gym, pool, or other recreation centers makes it easy to get a quick workout in either before or after a shift.
Like other campus jobs, positions at recreation centers typically offer flexible hours that you can mold to fit around your class schedule. You can learn more about campus recreation jobs and apply for them on the student employment section of your college or university’s website.
- Estimated hourly wage: $8-$15
4. Usher (sports games, concerts, guest lectures)
Particularly if you attend a big state university, you’ll likely have the opportunity to work as an usher who checks tickets and helps people find their seats at sports games, concerts, guest lectures, and other big events.
Like other campus jobs, the best way to find these positions is by visiting the student employment section of your institution’s website. This job is very simple and requires little training. There are also some notable perks to this job, including the ability to attend events for free.
The main downside to working as an usher is that you aren’t always able to control your hours because when you work often depends on when events occur. At large universities, however, events happen nearly every day. So, you can typically pick and choose events that fit around your class schedule. Be prepared, though, to work weekend nights!
- Estimated hourly wage: $8-$15
5. Library assistant
If you enjoy the quiet and studious atmosphere of the library, you might want to consider applying for a job as a library assistant. Many colleges and universities hire students to assist in routine, daily library operations. Your tasks may include helping students and professors find books, entering data, cleaning, and organizing.
Like other campus jobs, you can apply for and learn more about library assistant positions on the student employment section of your college or university’s website. There are a few benefits of working as a library assistant, including the ability to fit your work schedule around your class schedule and the ability to catch up on your studies before, after, or sometimes during your shifts.
- Estimated hourly wage: $8-$15
6. Tutor
If you excel in a subject, why not use your expertise to make some money? You could find work as an independent tutor, assisting students attending nearby middle and high schools. Or, you could get a job tutoring your peers at an on-campus tutoring center.
To get a job tutoring at an on-campus tutoring center, you typically need to demonstrate that you’re qualified. Institutions may have a minimum GPA requirement and require applicants to prove that they’ve taken and passed specific courses. Like other campus jobs, peer tutoring opportunities are typically listed on your college or university’s website.
While tutoring jobs through your institution typically pay from $8-$15 an hour, private tutoring positions may pay upwards of $20 an hour. They are, however, often harder to find.
- Estimated hourly wage: $8-$25
7. Babysitter
While babysitting is not always the most steady job, it has the potential to be very high paying. If you’re good with kids and don’t mind sitting in elementary school carpool lines or watching Nickelodeon, babysitting may be the best part-time job for you.
The biggest challenge to babysitting is finding consistent work. While hourly wages for babysitting are typically high, opportunities can be few and far between. Babysitting one night a week won’t be enough to live off of. But, if you’re able to find multiple clients, you’ll start raking in the dough.
The best way to find babysitting jobs is to network. Ask around. Let your friends, family, and former professors know that you’re looking to babysit. You could also check bulletin boards on campus and in local coffee shops and restaurants. Additionally, there are websites, such as SitterCity, that post babysitting jobs in and around your community.
- Estimated hourly wage: $10-$35
8. Retail
Particularly if you go to school in a high-population area, retail jobs are a great part-time option. Step into Target, Whole Foods, or Starbucks, for example, and ask if they have any job openings.
There are a few benefits to working at big retail stores. Many allow workers to transfer locations. So, if you’re home for summer, winter, or spring break you may have a place to work. Additionally, a lot of big retailers offer worker discounts. So, it’s best to pick a store that you love!
Unfortunately, there are some downsides as well. You don’t always have a say in your work schedule, so it might interfere with class time. And because these jobs are often off-campus, transportation might be an issue.
- Estimated hourly wage: $8-$15
9. Freelance writer
If you’re a journalism or English major, or just love to write, you may want to consider freelance writing. There are always companies in need of freelance writers. Find a subject or topic that interests you and search for opportunities! Several websites, including FreelanceWriting.com and MediaBistro.com, list available opportunities.
Freelance writing is great for a variety of reasons. The first is flexibility. Typically, employers only give you deadlines. That way, you can independently choose when and where to work. The second reason is that freelance writing looks great on your resume. Employers are always looking for great writers and communicators. Having freelance experience under your belt can help you secure a full-time position after college.
- Estimated wage: $15-$75 per assignment
10. Paid intern
No employment opportunities are more valuable for college students than paid internships. Not only do they help you pay the bills, but they also provide you with valuable experience that can help you land a job in your desired field after graduation.
Paid internships, particularly ones that fit around your class schedule, are hard to come by. But if you find one that interests you, fight your hardest to get it. If you have a dream company in mind, start by looking for internships on its website. If you’re still undecided, there are plenty of internship search engines, including TUN’s Internship Search Tool, that can help you find the right gig.
- Estimated hourly wage: $8-$25
11. Dog walker
Are you a dog person who is missing your puppy at home? Ease the pain and earn some money on the side by working as a part-time dog walker.
There are plenty of benefits to being a dog walker, including a flexible schedule and the ability to spend a lot of time outside. The downsides include having to walk many dogs at one time who may not get along, having to clean up after the dogs, and having to walk dogs even if the weather is less than ideal.
The easiest way to become a part-time dog walker is by applying through an app like Rover or Wag. Typically, you’ll have to fill out an application and go through an interview process. After you earn the job, you’ll be contacted by people in your community looking to hire you to walk their pups.
- Estimated hourly wage: $14-$17
12. Restaurant/bar worker
Working in a restaurant or bar can be a great part-time job in college. Not only do restaurant and bar gigs typically pay more than most of the jobs on this list, but work hours are also usually at night and on weekends. That way, your work will likely not interfere with your class schedule.
Particularly if you go to school in a college town, restaurants and bars go through a lot of employee turnover. So, finding a job shouldn’t be too difficult. If you’ve never worked in a restaurant or bar before, you may have to start as a dishwasher, host, or barback. However, if you perform well, moving up to the more lucrative positions should be easy.
- Estimated hourly wage: $8-$12 plus tips
13. Uber/Lyft driver
If you have a nice car, are over 21 years old, and don’t mind driving people around, becoming an Uber or Lyft driver is a great part-time option. Requirements vary by state, but you may have to hurdle a few barriers before you can start driving. If you live in New York City, for example, you need to register your car and obtain a commercial license from the NYC TLC (Taxi and Limousine Commission).
The best part about being an Uber or Lyft driver is that you get to pick your own hours. To make the most money, you’ll want to work strange hours when others might not be working, such as late at night or early in the morning.
- Estimated hourly wage: $7-$22 plus occasional tips
14. Freelance resume writer
Freelance resume writing can be a great way to earn some extra cash while in college. People are always looking for a way to get a leg up in the job market and are often willing to invest in a good resume.
If you are a career and resume master interested in freelancing, start with your friends and peers on campus. College students are all in the market for a good resume, as many are in the market for jobs and internships. Before you start charging money, though, you want to make sure that your skills are up to par. In order to be a good resume writer, you need to know what employers and recruiters look for on a resume, and you need to be comfortable with editing tools like Adobe InDesign and Canva.
If the business provided by your friends and peers on campus isn’t enough to pay the bills, you can register as a freelance resume writer on websites like Freelancer and Upwork.
- Estimated hourly wage: $15-$50
15. Transcriber
Transcribing is a simple job that you can easily work around your class schedule. Typically, it involves listening to an audio recording and typing it out. If you’re a quick typer with laser-sharp focus, you can make good money as a transcriber.
There are dozens of transcription services that frequently hire new transcribers. A few to get you started include Accutran Global, GoTranscript, and GMRTranscription.
Although getting transcription jobs is typically pretty simple, the actual task of transcribing can be very monotonous and stressful. The amount you earn per month typically depends on your turnaround time.
- Typical starting wage: $.005 per word
Conclusion
Taking a full course load and working is no easy task. That’s why it is so important to find a part-time job that you’ll enjoy and that pays enough to be worth your energy.
However, while money is important, so is your mental health. If you become overwhelmed with a position or see your grades start slipping because you’re spending too much time at work, don’t be afraid to move on and find another job.
