For most students, college is a time of great financial insecurity. Earning a steady income can help to ease some of the financial stresses that stand in the way of your education. Sadly, most jobs require trading time for money and you need time to spend on your courses. So, what online jobs for college students can you find to make a flexible income?
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Freelance Writer or Editor
College is an excellent time to hone writing and editing skills. If you enjoy writing and editing papers, why not get paid for it? The pay for freelance work in this area has wide variations, but the demand is high. ZipRecruiter estimates that freelance writers make an average of $30 per hour.
Tips: Get published on other blogs, such as Medium, to build a portfolio. Then, use your portfolio to land more clients. The more experience you have, the higher prices you can command. This allows you to phase out lower-paying clients, so you can increase your income over time.
Social Media Manager
If you steadily built your following up to influencer levels, you might be able to pitch your anecdotal success to small businesses. ZipRecruiter estimates that social media managers make an average hourly pay rate of $24. While not the most lucrative of online jobs for college students, it is one of the most fun.
Tips: Start with small businesses serving college students in your local area. Pitch yourself as the personal insight they need as their ideal customer, i.e. a college student. If this doesn’t pan out, try your luck with online job boards looking for freelancers or remote employees.
Affiliate Marketer
With affiliate marketing, you can earn a commission on purchases customers make using your link or promo code. These work even better if you also have a blog. Note that some companies only allow affiliate marketing links to be placed on websites. The average pay among affiliate marketers is a whopping $74 per hour. This is one of the highest-paying online jobs for college students, but there’s no guarantee of success.
Tips: Amazon is one of the most popular choices among affiliate marketers, but there are many others to consider. Be mindful of companies that require you to purchase their products and then take pictures of them and market them. You should never have to pay to market someone else’s products.
Online Teacher
Is there a specific subject you consistently scored good grades in? There are many high school students who would love your expertise. Even if you can’t think of good courses, chances are you can teach English to foreigners. There are many platforms already created to make this possible. Virtual tutors make an average hourly pay of $21. When it comes to these kinds of online jobs for college students, the pay varies by platform, experience and credentials.
Tips: Research home-schooling platforms and see which one most appeals to you. Tutor.com is a good option. If you prefer a more passive approach, consider creating an online course on an e-learning platform that pays royalties, such as Udemy.
Video Editor
Are you a YouTuber, Instagrammer or Tik-Tok user who has mastered the art of creating engaging videos? There are marketing agencies that might hire you on a contract basis. You can also freelance directly with business clients or publish your own videos and use them for affiliate marketing. Some YouTubers might even outsource the video-editing process to you, so they can focus on other aspects of their brands. ZipRecruiter estimates a potential hourly pay of $23.
Tips: When looking for video-related online jobs for college students, use your videos as your portfolio. Decide on one page that will become your portfolio and remove content your target clients might consider inappropriate. You can also host your videos elsewhere or create a separate page. Consider using job boards to find your clients or contact local businesses.
Virtual Assistant
Small business owners often need personal assistants but they work from home or cannot afford to hire one full-time. These professionals are eager to hire tech-savvy professionals to complete small tasks throughout the week. Some clients set specific work hours, while others might be more flexible. The tasks can also vary, so be sure to confirm what kind of work you will be expected to perform. ZipRecruiter estimates an hourly average pay of $32.
Tips: When trying to land assistant online jobs for college students, be mindful of men seeking “attractive women” to work with the webcam on or to wear certain types of clothing. This is unlikely to be the kind of virtual work you had in mind. Try to pitch to clients in higher-paying states, like New York and California, because they might be willing to pay a little more.
Once you’ve started to make your own money in college, you will also need a bank account to send your hard-earned cash to. Check out our guide to the best free checking accounts here.
