Money can be hard to come by for college students. With classes, homework, and extracurriculars to keep up, working a full-time job is nearly an impossible task. And even in-person part-time jobs can be overwhelming, as commute times begin to add up and you don’t always get a say in the hours you work.
That’s why online jobs are the way to go for college students. Not only do online jobs save you valuable time, but they also often allow you the flexibility to work whenever and wherever you want.
Here are 12 of the best online jobs for college students.
Freelance Writing
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 your hours and location. 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
Freelance Web Developer
If you’re studying computer science or a related field, the best option for your resume and your bank account is to pursue freelance web development. Freelance web developers are in high demand, and pros charge upwards of $60 an hour.
Not every freelance web development job calls for advanced skills. Many jobs are basic enough for novice programmers to complete, so you don’t always need much experience. If you’re new to programming or are a freshman or sophomore who needs to sharpen your skills, check out these courses and programs for beginners in web development. From there, you can create an online portfolio and then make yourself available for jobs on websites like Upwork and Thumbtack.
- Estimated wage: $35-$75 per assignment
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 applying 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 wage: $15-$50 per hour
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.
- Estimated wage: $.005 per word
Video Editor
If you know your way around Adobe Premiere, iMovie, or any other video editing software, you can start making good money. There is a high demand for video editors, and professionals often charge more than $50 an hour for their services.
Like most jobs on this list, you’ll need some sample work to show clients before you can expect anyone to pay you to work for them. Create a website and post videos that you’ve worked on. They don’t have to be professional-level work. They could be your own unique videos, as long as the editing is good.
The best place to start looking for video editing jobs is on campus. Maybe there are some local acting students who need someone to edit their short film. Or there could be a broadcasting student who needs help with editing her portfolio. If you can’t find anyone on campus, turn to websites like Upwork and Thumbtack.
All types of academic programs, from journalism to video production, now require students to take video editing courses. But if video editing isn’t on your class schedule, you can always take online courses like “Mastering Final Cut Pro” through Coursera or “Premiere Pro CC for Beginners: Video Editing in Premiere” available on Udemy.
- Estimated wage: $15-$50 per hour
Blogger
Blogging is not a get-rich-fast scheme. It can take years for a blog to gain traction, and some never get there. However, if you have the time and patience, creating your own blog can be a very rewarding experience.
If your goal is to make money from your blog, you’ll need to develop a solid readership. For that reason, you’ll need to create content that is interesting and unique. You can boost readership by building social media accounts that push traffic to the blog. Once you’ve got a bit of a following, you can make money through advertisements, by posting branded or sponsored content, and by embedding affiliate links in articles. The amount of money you make will be almost entirely dependent on your readership, so you should spend the majority of your time thinking about the specific type of content that will retain your current readers while attracting new ones.
The hidden benefit of starting a blog is that you’ll naturally develop a diverse set of skills, including writing, SEO, and marketing, that can help you land a job after college.
- Estimated wage: Varies widely
Online Tutor
Are you a good student with the patience to teach others? If so, online tutoring might be the best gig for you. If you’re able to build up a solid client base, tutoring can be a very lucrative part-time job. The first step to becoming an online tutor is deciding who and what you want to teach. There are all types of opportunities available.
If you think you’d prefer to tutor your peers, the best place to start is by checking your college or university’s website. Most institutions will pay students to be part-time tutors. However, there typically are a few requirements. For example, institutions may have a minimum GPA requirement and require applicants to prove that they’ve taken and passed specific courses.
Another route you could take is to become a freelance online tutor. While freelance tutoring typically allows you to set your own pay, you’ll have to attract your own clientele, which can be difficult and time-consuming. As a freelance tutor, you can teach anyone from elementary school students to college students and anything from basic math to SAT prep or a college course.
For freelance online tutoring, the best place to start is in your community. Maybe your younger cousin is struggling with multiplication, or maybe your parents’ neighbor needs help studying for the ACT. If you’re struggling to find people in your community, check out websites like Preply and Upwork, both of which do not have strict education requirements for online tutors.
- Estimated wage: $10-$50 per hour
Freelance Graphic Designer
If you’re a graphic design major or visual arts student interested in the subject, there is no better way to make money than by doing freelance graphic design work. There is a high demand for freelance graphic designers, and clients are willing to pay a lot of money for quality designs.
The best place to start is by creating a website and adding your sample work to the website. You can look for jobs by reaching out to people in your local community or by posting on social media. If you aren’t finding enough work that way, check out websites like Upwork.
If you’re new to graphic design or are looking for something to supplement what you’re already learning in school, check out these affordable Coursera courses for beginners in graphic design.
- Estimated wage: $15-$100 per assignment
English Teacher
If you’re fluent in English, you can get a job teaching it online. There are dozens of English Second Language (ESL) companies that will pay good money to native English speakers willing to teach it to those around the globe.
Unfortunately, most of the high-paying companies or those that allow you to set your own hourly pay, require that applicants have a bachelor’s degree. So, the majority of online ESL jobs are best for graduate students. However, there are a couple that accept current undergraduates. They include Cambly and Italki.
- Estimated wage: $8-$30 per hour
Social Media Marketer
Social media marketing is key to success for any business, and few demographics know more about building social media followings than college students. While many large companies have in-house social media marketers, startups and local businesses don’t always have the budget to hire full-time employees to run their social accounts. For that reason, they look online for freelancers.
You could start by reaching out to local businesses in your community to see if they need help with marketing. Oftentimes, local business owners have a desire to increase their social reach but don’t know where to start. Otherwise, you can list your services on websites such as Upwork or bid for jobs on websites like Freelancer.com.
- Estimated wage: $15-$50 per hour
Data Entry Clerk
Businesses often need to hire data entry clerks to keep their records and databases updated and accurate. As a data entry clerk, you’re essentially taking information from various sources and inputting it into one organized document. In summary, you can expect to do a lot of spreadsheet work.
While this job may seem easy, it takes a lot of organizational skills and experience working with spreadsheet software, such as Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel. If you’re unfamiliar with these platforms, it may be worth your time to take an online class like “Spreadsheets for Beginners Using Google Sheets,” a guided project, or “Everyday Excel,” a course offered by the University of Colorado Boulder, which are both available on Coursera.
The best places to find work as a freelance data entry clerk are freelance websites such as Upwork and Fiverr.
- Estimated wage: $8-$20 per hour
Website/App Tester
There are some websites, such as UserTesting, that pay you to surf through websites and apps and take short tests to explain how well you thought they worked. UserTesting pays $10 for each 20-minute test that you complete. Occasionally, you’ll have the opportunity to give feedback via a Zoom interview. In that case, you’ll be able to make $1 per minute. Signing up for UserTesting is easy. All you need to do is take a brief practice test. While website/app testing is a good way to make a little extra cash, you shouldn’t expect to become rich. The number of jobs you’ll receive depends on the number of companies that are looking for reviews. Oh, and you’ll be paid via PayPal.
Notably, there are other websites out there that offer similar services. However, UserTesting seems to be the most widely used and dependable.
- Estimated wage: $10 per test
Conclusion
It’s not easy to be a broke college student. The good news is that there are plenty of easy ways to make money online. Instead of signing up for that dining hall job or that position in the campus bookstore, cut out your commute time and set your own hours by working online.
