7 Flexible Jobs for College Students to Make Extra Money

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For many college students, the combination of classes, homework and social life make the idea of holding a regular job unthinkable.

But college is expensive.

In fact, it’s more expensive right now than at any point in human history. And to top it off, the amount of student loan debt is exploding every year.

So how can you earn money while maintaining a healthy work-life balance?

Online jobs, of course!

There are plenty of online jobs for college students that allow for flexible work hours while also providing valuable career experience. Online jobs are great for college students because they allow you to set your own hours and work from the comfort of your dorm room.

Need to take a week off to study for your organic chemistry final? No problem!

Need to work more hours to pay for your textbooks? That’s fine too!

The key to finding good online jobs is to leverage your talents and find jobs that utilize your special skills. Not only will they pay more than entry-level positions, but they could also help you land your dream job in the future.

Teach Classes Online

Put your education to use and teach fellow students online!

If you’re a math major, there are undoubtedly countless undergrads who could use your expertise. You can find clients by hanging up flyers around campus or by posting in local Facebook groups.

Don’t limit yourself to only teaching other college students. Online sites like Qkids and VIPKid makes it easy to find jobs teaching English to young Chinese students. The only downside here is that the hours can be tough. Both of these services require you to teach classes during the daytime in China, meaning you’ll be burning the midnight oil to make ends meet.

Even if you don’t qualify to teach other students, you can still sell your knowledge online. If you have a special skill, like knitting or cooking or graphic design, you can create and sell courses through sites like Udemy.

Teaching online is a great way to sharpen your knowledge while earning some cash. Future employers love to see tutoring on a resume because it demonstrates in-depth knowledge in a particular field.

Design PowerPoint Presentations

If you’re a college student, chances are your PowerPoint abilities are higher than the average adult.

You’d be shocked to see some of the presentations that are deemed “acceptable” in today’s workforce. Luckily for you, many companies and entrepreneurs are willing to pay people to create PowerPoint presentations for them.

This is a great option for graphic design majors, but anyone with an eye for design can do it.

To get started, set up a profile on freelance sites like Freelancer or Upwork. It’s best if you put together a basic portfolio (these can be presentations from class) and apply to as many jobs as possible.

Deliver Food with Uber Eats or Postmates

Ok, so this one isn’t exactly “online,” but it does offer the flexibility to work when and where you want.

Cars can be a money drain. Parking permits, insurance, and maintenance fees all add up. You’re spending all this money on your car, so why don’t you use it to make some money?

Companies like Uber Eats and Postmates are always looking for delivery drivers. And in college towns, there is no shortage of hungry kids ordering food. That means big bucks for ambitious drivers.

Don’t have a car? Uber Eats and Postmates allow delivery people to use bikes and scooters in some locations.

Many employers like to see delivery driver experience on a resume because it shows that you’re willing to take initiative. You can also explain to employers that this gig taught you valuable lessons about time and money management.

Become an Apple Home Advisor

Apple Home Advisors are the lovely people you speak with when your Apple devices stop working. If you have decent technical abilities and don’t mind talking on the phone, this could be the job for you.

This gig can be pretty hard to land, but it can help in the interview process if you’re in school for IT or computer science.

Apple Home Advisors provide over the phone support for Apple customers. It requires a bit of commitment and there is training involved, but Apple pays for the training. Work is done at home and on your schedule. Apple offers good pay and great benefits. And, even better, it is the type of job that you can keep for your entire college career.

Who knows, maybe you can even use it as an in to leverage a great career at one of the biggest tech companies in the world!

Complete Small Tasks Through Crowdsourcing

Crowdsourcing is online work made up of mostly low-level, repetitive tasks. Data entry, ranking URLs on Google, and transcribing recordings are a few examples. It requires no experience – just a computer with an internet connection and the ability to use it.

Amazon’s MTurk is probably the most popular option. You definitely won’t get rich completing tasks (skip the tasks that only pay pennies), but it can be a good way to kill time and earn some pocket change between classes.

Depending on the gig, you might not want to put crowdsourcing work on your resume, but if you complete transcription or writing jobs, those skills are valuable to many employers, especially in the field of journalism.

Participate In Research Studies

Companies want information about their consumers, and they’re willing to pay to get it. Luckily, college students are the prime demographic for many big companies. This requires no experience or prior knowledge. All you need is an opinion.

This is a great experience for anyone who wants to get into marketing or any field that conducts consumer research.

Some companies like Survey Junkie and Swagbucks have a lot of online surveys that are easy to qualify for (but they don’t pay a ton). While other companies like 2020 Panel have research studies that are more difficult to qualify for but they pay much better.

Feeling adventurous? Many schools with scientific research facilities will pay you to be a test subject. This could mean subjecting yourself to medical testing. It might sound scary, but these gigs pay great.

Write Music Reviews

Are you a music junkie? Do you have a knack for writing? Slice the Pie pays writers to listen to music and write short reviews. While they don’t pay much, this is a fun way to earn a little pocket change.

If you’re dreaming of something bigger, you might be able to land a gig as a freelance writer through sites like UpWork. Or you can reach out to some of your favorite publications and pitch some story ideas.

Leverage Your Skills

Whether you’re looking for extra cash or want to jump-start paying off your college tuition, there are plenty of online jobs for college students, you just need to know where to look.

Figure out what you are good at, and you can find someone who is willing to pay for it.

A little creativity will go a long way.