If there’s one thing college has taught you so far (hopefully it’s taught you more than one), it’s that paying for college is expensive. In addition to the costs of tuition and dorms, you also need to pay for living expenses like books, food, and socializing. How are you supposed to make enough money to pay for all that when you’re busy pulling all-nighters in the library before exams?
Scholarships, student loans, and family support wherever possible can help with some of those living expenses, but not everything. To help you make ends meet, we’ve put together a whole host of ideas for how to make money in college—without taking too much time away from what you’re actually there to do.
20 ways to make money in college
When you’re in college, the pressures of being a student are often equivalent to working a full-time job. So you don’t really have a lot of bandwidth available for actually taking on more work, especially if it’s unrelated to your studies.
That’s why, if you’re trying to figure out how to make money in college, it helps to hone in on opportunities with one or both of these two key ingredients:
- Relevance to major: Ideally, you could try to make money by doing something related to your field of study. That kind of work could enrich your studies and potentially influence your career prospects down the line.
- Flexible scheduling: Regardless of its relevance to your major, it’s crucial to do work that offers you flexible hours. You’ll need that flexibility in order to stay on top of everything else about college.
Here’s a list of 20 flexible earning opportunities to help college students pick up a little extra cash.
- Work-study programs
- Campus jobs
- Tutoring services
- Paid internships
- Volunteering for studies
- Selling used items
- Dog walking or pet sitting
- House sitting
- Influencing
- Creating an online course
- Monetizing your hobbies
- Freelance jobs
- Launching a YouTube channel
- Starting a blog
- Part-time jobs
- Offering brand feedback
- Gig economy jobs
- Babysitting
- Using your language skills
- Participating in research studies
On-campus opportunities
1. Work-study programs
Work-study programs are a federally funded initiative available as part of a financial aid package. If you qualify, a federal work-study program will provide you with part-time jobs. This could be an on-campus or off-campus job. To apply for a work-study program, students need to fill out and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
2. Campus jobs
Many college students work on-campus jobs. Colleges and universities often hire students to help run campus facilities like libraries, cafeterias, and bookstores, or give tours to prospective students and families. Juniors, seniors and graduate students may be able to find more advanced opportunities for work within their academic departments, such as becoming a teaching assistant or research assistant for a professor.
Besides making extra money, on-campus jobs can also help you meet more of your fellow students and expand your social circle. These types of jobs are typically more flexible than jobs based away from college campuses, since administrators are more willing to work around your class schedule.
3. Tutoring services
As a college student, you may be able to leverage your academic career into a job tutoring students. This could involve helping high school or college students with specific subjects or offering coaching for standardized tests. Depending on how many clients you have, tutoring may only take a few hours a week and become a lucrative college side hustle. Focus on your strengths—consider offering online tutoring services related to your major.
4. Paid internships
A paid internship is a way to earn money and support your future career development at the same time. Internships often take place during school breaks, offer valuable experience, and can convert to permanent placements once you graduate. You can look for these jobs online, attend job fairs hosted by your university, or visit your campus career center to get connected with prospective employers.
Flexible work opportunities
5. Volunteering for studies
Universities sometimes offer opportunities for college students to participate in paid academic studies. Check campus job boards to see if any departments are looking for paid volunteers. These studies often take place within psychology, economics, or sociology departments and can be one-offs or ongoing.
6. Selling used items
You can make money online selling used items on platforms like Facebook Marketplace and Poshmark. Consider selling your own gently used items or visiting local thrift stores and selling your finds. Once you’re finished with a class, Amazon and ThriftBooks are great platforms for selling textbooks.
7. Dog walking or pet sitting
If you’re good with animals, consider starting a pet business. Offering your services as a dog walker or pet sitter can be enjoyable ways to make money in college. You can find pet-sitting work by creating a profile on a website like Rover or Wag, or by checking with your personal network—professors or school administrators might need help caring for their furry friends.
8. House sitting
House sitting can be an easy way to earn some extra income. This job might involve tasks like watering plants, caring for animals, and accepting packages. To get a housesitting job, start by checking with your personal network. Professors sometimes take sabbaticals, and they may be looking for a trustworthy person to keep an eye on their home. You can also create a profile on websites like TrustedHousesitters, HouseSitter.com, or MindMyHouse. Be sure to include references—this will help build your credibility.
Creative income streams
9. Influencing
If you’re already active on social media in your free time, consider monetizing your channel with affiliate marketing, partnerships, or ad revenue by becoming an influencer. You could showcase your life as a student (while partnering with brands associated with student life) or focus on a particular hobby or interest (e.g., makeup, tennis, crochet).
Social media accounts on YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram can all become lucrative businesses. As your following grows, you’ll be able to charge more money for partnerships. Additionally, successfully running your own channels may be an excellent résumé builder if you’re interested in becoming a social media manager.
10. Creating an online course
If you have expertise in a particular subject area, you could record a series of videos and sell access to them as an online course. You can teach a skill you already have or use your college papers and syllabi to inspire an online course related to your field of study. Online services like Udemy, Skillshare, and Teachable provide platforms for uploading and marketing educational content.
11. Monetizing your hobbies
If you have a particular hobby, whether it’s candle-making, crafting, or pottery, you could consider learning how to sell online. For example, you could set up an online store for your handmade goods. Marketplaces like Etsy are a resource for this. Making money from your hobbies basically gives you more opportunities to keep enjoying them, so we’re big fans of this idea.
12. Freelance jobs
If you have particular skills you’d like to expand upon and monetize, you can apply for freelance work in those areas. For example, English and journalism majors may be able to find freelance writing jobs, and graphic-design students might take on projects like designing or customizing websites and logos.
You can create a profile on a website like Upwork, which allows potential customers to contact you for projects. In addition to generating income, this work helps you build a professional portfolio and get a taste for different future career paths.
13. Launching a YouTube channel
You’re learning loads every day, so why not share what you learn in a YouTube video? If the educational niche isn’t up your alley, you might be more interested in creating YouTube videos in areas like product reviews, beauty tutorials, or pop culture. Once you meet the qualifications for the YouTube Partner Program, you can earn money through ads, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing.
14. Starting a blog
This is more of a long-term strategy, but starting a blog can be a creative way to make money in college during your spare time. It’ll help establish your digital footprint before you even enter the career market. You can monetize a blog through ads, sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, or even by selling your own products or services.
Side gigs and services
15. Part-time jobs
Local businesses in your college town may hire college students as part-time associates. Even small business owners need assistants. This is a great option if you have prior experience working in a local restaurant or as a retail associate. Build a résumé to showcase your relevant work experience, as well as the skills you have that will help you be successful in the role (e.g., data entry, baking, inventory management).
16. Offering brand feedback
Anyone can participate in market research studies by taking online surveys. This work is easy to find and has a low barrier to entry—all you need is a computer and an internet connection. To get started, sign up on a free survey site such as Survey Junkie and Swagbucks. The rates are low, but surveys are usually short and can be an easy way to earn a few extra dollars in your spare time.
17. Gig economy jobs
There are dozens of online platforms for finding gig-based odd jobs. If you have a car, you could consider signing up to drive for a ride-sharing app or find work delivering food for an on-demand delivery service, like Postmates. Websites such as Fiverr, TaskRabbit, and Thumbtack let users monetize almost any skill—from assembling bookshelves to grocery shopping. These are typically flexible, one-off work opportunities that let you control your own schedule.
18. Babysitting
If you like kids or have previous childcare experience, consider offering your services as a babysitter. Tap your local network—professors may need a helping hand from time to time—or see if any agencies in your area could help you find clients.
Leveraging skills and resources
19. Using your language skills
Bilingual students may be able to make money in college by translating documents or offering interpreting services. Adult learning facilities may also hire college students as conversation partners to help your fellow students practice conversations with fluent speakers.
20. Participating in research studies
This strategy for how to make money in college doesn’t require any previous skills and involves very little effort on your part—especially if the research study is on campus. Participating in a few studies per month can help you earn a bit of extra spending money. Besides college campuses, you can also find research studies to participate in through the National Institute of Health or online platforms like Prolific, UserTesting, and ResearchMatch.
Get started on Shopify today
Shopify can help you with many of these ways to make money in college. Start an online shop for your handmade crafts or digital downloads, or sell services that capitalize on your expertise and interests. You could also get into dropshipping, which allows you to sell products without ever having to handle them. Take the first step by opening your own Shopify store, and become a small business owner before you even graduate.
How to make money in college FAQ
Are there flexible job options that fit around my classes?
There are plenty of business ideas for college students that don’t involve a significant time commitment. You might try things like dropshipping, affiliate marketing, selling handmade goods, or freelancing.
How much money can I realistically earn while in college?
How much money you can realistically earn in college depends on factors like your available time, skills, and the type of work you choose. But the sky’s the limit. Our Shopify Masters podcasts spoke to two people who started a dropshipping side hustle in college that turned into a multimillion-dollar company with investment from Mark Cuban.
What skills can I freelance as a college student?
As a college student, you likely already have in-demand skills that can be monetized through freelance work. Freelance writing, editing, transcribing, graphic design, social media management, programming, and being a virtual assistant are just a few of the many freelance opportunities available to you.
Is it worth it to start a side hustle in college?
Absolutely. At the bare minimum, you’ll earn a few bucks to pay for late-night snacks. But side hustles can also give you the opportunity to figure out what sort of work you might actually enjoy doing when you leave college. Some ideas may even give you the opportunity to network and meet people who can help you find a job post-college.
What are the best ways to make money in college?
The most convenient jobs for college students offer flexible hours to accommodate your class schedule. You may also want to look for jobs related to your field of study, like freelance work or paid internships, which can help you build your professional résumé while you’re making money.
How do you get passive income in college?
Passive income is a way to make money in college without leaving your dorm room, but it often requires an upfront investment of time or money. YouTube channels and online courses can generate passive income from ad revenue and subscription purchases. It’s never too early to start thinking about personal finance—saving money and starting an investment portfolio can set you up to generate passive income in the future.
Are there ways to make money as a student on a college campus?
Yes. Many college campuses offer work opportunities for students. Campus jobs may include working at the library or dining hall. Teaching assistants and resident assistants are also compensated for their work. Additionally, you can make money taking part in academic studies that pay volunteers for participation.
What are the best jobs for college students?
Most college students have busy schedules. The best jobs for students are flexible and support professional development. Consider looking for jobs using your skills, such as tutoring or freelance work related to your field of study.
