If you’re a college student, you might be thinking about how you can make extra money to offset college expenses.
Maybe you’re looking for cash to pay for classes. Or you need residual income to offset living expenses. If so, you may want to consider these online jobs.
With an online job, you can work from the comfort of your apartment, home or dorm room and make money too.
Many of these tasks involve using skills you may already have. Similarly, they may include skills in the realm of your desired college degree.
Check them out and see which ones might be a great way for you to earn money as a college student.
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Well-Paying Jobs for College Students
Believe it or not, there are several online jobs for college students that pay very well. In the list below, we’ll include a description of each of the positions listed.
In addition, we’ll include what you might expect to get paid for each job. We’ll also talk about where you might be able to find a job in each category.
Use this list to find jobs that will pay you decent money for some or all of your college living needs.
1. Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant helps business owners and others with online and other jobs. For example, as a virtual assistant, you might help a person with tasks such as:
- Website management
- Data entry
- Social media management
- Blog management
- Writing tasks
- Proofreading and editing tasks
- Graphic design
- Customer service
- Calendar management
The types of jobs you would do as a virtual assistant vary based on what each client needs.
What Skills You Need
To work as a virtual assistant, you need to be timely, dependable and have terrific customer service skills. Also, it helps to have a firm knowledge of social media navigation and website operation.
Since a virtual assistant is a support system, your employer or client needs to be able to count on you to keep things running smoothly.
How Much You Might Get Paid
Pay for virtual assistant jobs varies. If you work for someone else who runs a virtual assistant business, you might expect to get paid the average of $15.61 per hour, according to Payscale.com.
However, your pay rate depends on a few factors. For instance, let’s say you work independently as a virtual assistant.
Kayla Sloan, of $10K VA, teaches a course that can show you how she worked her virtual assistant business up to a whopping $10,000 per month of income.
Where to Find Jobs
Finding virtual assistant jobs is probably easiest by using a site like Monster. Other sites such as Indeed and Upwork may list virtual assistant jobs as well.
If you are great at helping people and functioning in a support role, you might like working as a virtual assistant.
2. Freelance Writer
Another online job opportunity lies in the freelance writing industry. Freelance writing jobs can come from a variety of sources, including:
- Blog owners
- Business websites
- News websites
And more. As a freelance writer, you might write posts for blog owners or articles for various business websites. I’ve been working as a freelance writer for nearly six years now.
I’ve written articles for jewelry websites, escape room site, blog sites and more. It’s a fun job that can hold a lot of variety.
What Skills You Need
If you want to work as a freelance writer, it helps to have a gift or talent for writing. That includes the ability to communicate clearly and in a relatable manner.
Also, you should have a good working knowledge of grammar skills and of the English language. Besides, you should know there is often research you’ll need to do as a freelance writer.
For this reason, it will help to have good research and internet searching skills.
How Much You Might Get Paid
Freelance writing pay varies based on the job. The average pay for freelance writers is just over $23 per hour. Many freelance writing jobs pay per word written.
As a new writer, you might start out making 3 to 5 cents per word. However, as you gain experience and knowledge, you may be able to increase your pay up to between 10 cents a word and $1 per word.
But some writing jobs pay per article. For instance, they’ll give you a flat rate for an article. Your pay depends on who you’re writing for and how fast you can write.
As an example, if you get paid $200 for an article, and you can get the piece done in 5 hours, you’re making $40 per hour.
Where to Find Jobs
If you want to work as a freelance writer, you might start by visiting Upwork. Upwork helps people find freelancers in several areas, including writing.
Another option is to visit blogs that write about topics you enjoy writing about. You can network within the blogging community of your favorite subjects and pitch your services to blog owners.
3. Social Media Manager
As a social media manager, you help businesses, individuals and blog owners. You manage and maintain their social media accounts.
Also, you work to drive business to your clients’ websites. You’ll do this by posting interesting content to Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and other social media accounts.
Plus, you work to gain more followers on the sites and make other users aware of your clients’ products and services.
What Skills You Need
As a social media manager, you need to have a thorough working knowledge of social media outlets. Marketing skills also help, as does an ability to communicate effectively.
How Much You Might Get Paid
Your pay will vary based on who your clients are and what type of work you do for them. However, Payscale.com says the median wage for social media managers is $15.51 per hour.
Where to Find Jobs
Finding social media manager jobs can be done in a few ways. You can look on sites such as Upwork or Monster. Or you can contact local or online businesses and offer your services.
Some social media manager positions are paid positions within a company. However, many social media managers work as independent contractors too. By working independently, you can take on as many clients as you can handle.
4. Graphic Designer
When working as a graphic designer, you can work doing a number of different tasks. For instance, you might design websites for businesses or bloggers.
Or you could find work making logos and business cards for businesses or individuals. Another way to work in graphic design is to create and sell t-shirts with different designs.
What Skills You Need
You might be surprised to know that it isn’t necessary to have a degree in graphic design to work in the field. If you have an eye for design, and some basic graphic design skills, you may be able to find work.
Also, sites such as Udemy have courses on graphic design to get you started.
How Much You Might Get Paid
Payscale.com shows the median hourly wage for a graphic designer is $16.89 per hour. Your pay may differ depending on the type of work you do and who you work for.
Where to Find Jobs
Upwork will let you advertise your skills as a graphic designer. And they’ll allow you to bid out to clients that need graphic design work too.
If you want to find work on your own, you could reach out to local and online businesses for graphic design needs. For example, you could offer your website or logo design services.
5. Blogger
Believe it or not, there is good money to be made by blogging. As a blogger, you’d share your knowledge in the subjects of your choice with the world.
On the other hand, you could buy an existing blog and hire freelance writers to create new content. But if you want to start a new blog, know that it’s not difficult to do.
I can show you how to start a blog in just a few short minutes. Since it takes as little as ten minutes to start a blog, you can have your blog up and running today.
It’s possible to make money from blogging in several ways. You might earn money by getting commissions from products you sell. Or when blog visitors click on ads on your site.
The more blog visitors you have, the better your chance for increased income.
What Skills You Need
To be a successful blogger, it helps to be able to communicate well. Also, you need to know what to write about.
The most successful bloggers don’t typically write about their personal life experiences. Instead, they write content that helps their readers have a better life.
If you can blog on a topic that will help people learn in an encouraging and entertaining manner, you could have a successful blog.
Good grammar skills help as well, as does some basic knowledge of how websites work.
How Much You Might Get Paid
How much you’ll get paid as a blogger varies widely. Some bloggers make six digits a month, such as Michelle from Making Sense of Cents.
Although this is not typical pay for bloggers, it’s not uncommon for bloggers to make hundreds or even thousands of dollars per month. Payscale.com shows the median hourly wage for bloggers as $15.13.
Where to Find Jobs
To find work as a blogger, you’ll likely want to create your own blog. This will ensure your blog will have your voice and your brand.
However, your other option is to buy an existing blog. For example, sites like Flippa advertise blogs that are for sale.
It’s important to note that if you start from scratch, it will likely take you a few months to start earning money.
6. Web Developer
As a web developer, you help clients build new websites. If you want work that’s not quite so extensive, you can help clients edit existing sites.
Blogging.org says there are over 152 million blogs and websites in existence. For that reason, there is certainly a need for good web developers out there.
What Skills You Need
Of course, web development skills are vital to working as a web developer. However, it isn’t necessary for you to have a degree in web development.
Udemy and similar sites have courses on web development too.
How Much You Might Get Paid
Your pay as a web developer will vary based on your clients and the type of work you do. Payscale.com says the median wage for a web developer is $20.34 per hour.
However, as a freelance web developer, you can earn even more than that.
Where to Find Jobs
You can find jobs as a web developer on freelancing sites such as Upwork. You could also build your own business and advertise by reaching out to blog and business owners.
7. Online Tutor
Being an online tutor can be a great job for college students since they are learning as well. As an online tutor, you would use an online video chat system such as Skype to teach students.
You can teach students in a variety of subjects such as math, English, foreign languages and more. And you can teach students of any age, from elementary school on up.
What Skills You Need
To be a tutor, you need to have expertise in the subject or subjects you wish to teach. Also, you need to be good at communicating and teaching others.
How Much You Might Get Paid
Your pay as a tutor will vary depending on how you find your work. If you work for a company, you can expect to get paid between $15 and $20 an hour to start.
However, if you work on your own, you can earn even more money per hour.
Where to Find Jobs
Websites such as Chegg hire tutors for many different subjects and student ages. With Chegg, you can tutor students in science, writing, math and more. You’ll tutor students from middle school age on up.
However, if you want to work independently as a tutor, you can advertise your services on sites such as Craigslist. Or put ads on local school bulletin boards.
8. Résumé Writer
Are you great at putting together a résumé? If so, why not use those skills to earn some cash? As a college student, you certainly know many people who need résumés. How about making a plan to start writing theirs for them?
What Skills You Need
In order to write a good résumé, you need great grammar and English skills. Another thing that’s helpful to have is a skill for marketing.
After all, your goal is to “sell” your clients to employers.
How Much You Might Get Paid
As a résumé writer, you’ll probably work independently. This means you can set your own pay scale. A good number to consider aiming for is to charge between $50 and $100 per résumé.
If you can finish a résumé in four hours, this will net you an hourly wage of between $12 and $25.
Where to Find Jobs
How do you find work as a résumé writer? Start within your own social and school circles. Also, advertise your services to people along with examples of your work.
For example, consider posting your services on Facebook or sending a mass email with a sample résumé attached.
9. Proofreader
Are you good at catching written mistakes? If so, you may want to consider making money as a proofreader.
Proofreaders work with companies to catch errors on written works such as instruction manuals. You can also contact blog owners to see if they would hire you as a proofreader.
What Skills You Need
If you want to be a proofreader, it’s good to have a knack for paying attention to detail. In addition, you need to have good grammar skills.
How Much You Might Get Paid
According to Payscale.com, the median wage for a proofreader is $17.57 per hour. Your pay may vary based on which company or companies you work for.
Where to Find Jobs
Sites such as Upwork and Freelancer have an abundance of proofreader job listings. Also, the website proofreadingservices.com might also be good to check out.
10. Data Entry Jobs
As a data entry worker, you would input typed information for companies. You’d use your computer to complete data entry tasks given to you by those companies.
This is a job that can be great for college students because you only need a computer and internet access to get started.
What Skills You Need
The main skill you’ll need to do data entry as a job is attention to detail. For example, you’ll need to be able to transfer written information from one place to another with very few mistakes.
Also,, being able to type fast is helpful too. The quicker you can type, the more data entry work you can get done.
Since some data entry jobs pay by the word, typing fast is essential.
How Much You Might Get Paid
Pay for data entry work varies based on who you work for. For example, on payscale.com the median wage for data entry clerks is $12.78 per hour.
If you work independently, you may earn more per hour.
Where to Find Jobs
Some job sites, such as FlexJobs, list work-from-home positions such as data entry. Similarly, you can also check sites such as Upwork and Freelancer.
11. Transcription Jobs
A transcriptionist transfers audio information to a written format. For instance, a medical transcriptionist might transfer a doctor’s notes about a patient visit from audio to the patient’s online medical records chart.
What Skills You Need
Much like a data entry clerk, you need to have an eye for detail to do transcription work. Plus, typing fast with high accuracy is helpful too.
It might be worth mentioning that many companies want educated transcriptionists. There are several online courses that you can take to learn how to transcribe well. However, some companies hire transcriptionists with no experience.
How Much You Might Get Paid
Pay for transcription work is typically based on a per-word count. The two main companies that hire transcriptionists with no experience pay 0.005 cents per word.
If you can type 50 words per minute, this will equate to $15 per hour in pay.
This is where typing fast can come in really handy. But if you’re a slow typer, it will take a while to earn any substantial money.
Notably, the more experience you gain, the faster you’ll be able to work.
Where to Find Jobs
Several companies hire transcriptionists without any experience. However, two of the most popular ones are AccuTran Global and Appenscribe.
Just search on the internet and check reviews before signing up. And make sure you check their websites for details on the hiring process. You may also be able to find transcription work on Upwork and other similar sites too.
12. Search Engine Evaluator
As a search engine evaluator, you would evaluate search engine results for companies. For example, you would search a term or company name on the internet and see which relevant results populated.
You only need a computer and internet access to do this job. So many companies hire search engine evaluators who work from home.
What Skills You Need
To be a search engine evaluator, you need to know how search engines work. This is pretty basic for most people since internet searching is something almost everyone does.
How Much You Might Get Paid
Search engine evaluators can expect to get paid around $15 per hour. Some companies might pay more than that, while others might pay less.
Where to Find Jobs
Companies such as Appen and Lionbridge hire search engine evaluators. You can also check freelancing sites such as Upwork for these types of positions.
13. Gig Worker
Have you heard of Fiverr? Fiverr pays people $5 (and sometimes more) to complete short tasks. For instance, you might write a poem for someone or draw a simple picture.
The variety of tasks available on Fiverr is pretty expansive. This means you have many chances to earn money with the site.
What Skills You Need
The skills you need to be a gig worker on a site like Fiverr differ. For example, if you want to do writing gigs, you need to be a good writer.
Check out the site to see which types of gigs might be best for you to do.
How Much You Might Get Paid
How much you’ll earn to do gigs over the internet will be based on what the pay is and how many gigs you complete. For instance, if you complete four $5 gigs in an hour, you’ve just earned $20 per hour.
Where to Find Jobs
As mentioned, Fiverr is a great place to find gig jobs that can be done quickly. With Fiverr, you can advertise your services or bid on advertised gigs needed.
14. Survey Taker
A final job option for college students is to be a survey taker. As a survey taker, you complete online surveys and get paid for it.
One of the nice things about this job is that you can take surveys in your spare time. Most surveys take less than 15 minutes.
This means you can take surveys when you’re waiting for an appointment or watching TV.
What Skills You Need
The primary skill you need to be able to work taking surveys is the ability to answer questions accurately and honestly. Most surveys ask questions regarding your interests and habits.
If you can accurately answer these questions, you can take surveys for money. Bonus: most survey companies have apps so you can take surveys right from your mobile device.
How Much You Might Get Paid
Pay for survey takers varies depending primarily on the length of the survey. As a survey taker, you can expect to earn between $1.50 and $25 per survey.
Where to Find Jobs
You can find surveys to take at a few different sites. Some of the most popular survey sites include:
In addition, there are many other survey sites available. To learn more about taking surveys, check out our article on the best survey sites to make extra money in 2019.
Summary
As you can see, there are many ways to make money working as a college student. Which of these jobs appeals most to you?
Have you ever tried any of these types of jobs while in college? Share your experiences in the comments section on our Facebook page.
