Are you a college student looking for an online job? Good news, I have gathered some of the best online jobs taking into account:
- Barrier to entry – all these jobs are easy to land for college students.
- Salary – college can be expensive.
- Career development – some of these jobs can give a boost to your resume.
Get ready to discover little-known jobs for a regular paycheck and work-at-home schedule.
1. Online tutor
Online tutors provide learning support to students of all levels. Tutors are often asked to help with homework and test preparation. Provided you want to help others, online tutoring can be an interesting and rewarding job.
Parents pay good money to have their kids tutored by college students.
Pay for online tutoring mostly depends on the subject taught and your experience. It ranges considerably, from as little as $10 per hour up to $40 per hour.
If you want to find an online tutoring job, we have put together a List of the Best Online Tutoring Jobs for College Students.
2. Freelance content writer
A lot of companies hire freelancers to write blog posts, video scripts, press releases, etc. This is your opportunity to make money as an online writer.
Freelance writing has a low barrier to entry and is suitable as a side hustle for college students. Once you have built your reputation, it is possible to earn a decent salary.
According to PayScale, the median salary of freelance writers is about $25 per hour. There is a big discrepancy between starting level earnings ($10 per hour) and top-level earnings ($55 per hour).
If you to make some money as a freelance writer, I strongly recommend our step-by-step guide: How to Become a Freelance Writer.
3. Data entry
Data entry encompasses several occupations:
- Transcription of audio notes
- Subtitling
- Tagging and annotating data
- And more…
You are typically asked to perform on-demand tasks that computers are unable to do. Data entry only requires basic clerical skills and an internet connection.
Pay for data entry mostly depends on your occupation. It ranges considerably, from as little as $3 per hour up to $15 per hour. All in all, data entry is a low paying-job.
If you want to find data entry jobs, I strongly recommend reading our List of the Best Data Entry Jobs From Home.
4. Social media manager
Social media managers are responsible for curating the social media channels of businesses, celebrities, and brands. They moderate comments; manage social media partnerships; and post shareable videos and images.
A lot of local businesses and small brands rely on freelance social media managers to manage their accounts. This is your opportunity to make money on social media.
According to CareerExplorer, the median salary of social media managers is about $15 per hour. There is a big discrepancy between starting level earnings ($12 per hour) and top-level earnings ($25 per hour).
If you are interested in this job, I strongly recommend our guide: How to Become a Social Media Manager.
5. Do homework for others
As a college student, you may know that there are websites that pay you to do homework for other people.
This activity can be deemed unethical, especially when completing graded assignments. However, answers to homework questions can also be used as a tutoring aid or a reference.
The deeper your knowledge, the more likely you are to earn a living wage. Moreover, if you are good at subjects such as finances, math, and physics, then you can earn a respectable income.
For more information, check out our page: 9 Sites That Pay You to Do Homework for Other People.
6. Virtual assistant (VA)
A virtual assistant completes easy tasks on the Internet. Services offered can include everything from email management, bookkeeping, graphic design, and more.
If you are a communicative, organized, and reliable student, you can turn these skills into pocket money.
7. Freelance web developer
Web development is a valuable skill that can pay for itself over time. Free courses about how to build a website from scratch are all over the Internet.
Once you feel that you know enough to get clients, go on freelancing platforms to search for local companies and associations who will pay for your services.
I wrote a guide on this topic: How to Make Money Building Websites as a Freelance Web Developer.
8. Taking paid online surveys
Let’s face it, studying is hard. Many college students struggle to balance work and school.
Taking online surveys is a good way to earn some pocket money while working as little as possible. And while this is a low-paying job, taking a survey can be a productive way to spend your spare time.
9. Freelance graphic designer
Are you a student pursuing a creative study like graphic design, illustration or animation?
You should consider becoming a freelance graphic designer. It is a great way to use your creativity to make some money on the side.
10. Start your own blog
In building a student blog, you will improve your writing skills. But did you know you could turn this hobby into a money machine?
1. Freelance writer
Salary: between $20 and $100 per 1000 words.
Training time: a few hours.
Workload: as much as you want.
Freelance writers get paid to write:
- Web content (blog posts, product descriptions, web pages, etc.)
- Video and radio scripts (Youtube video scripts, podcast scripts)
- Emails (marketing emails, newsletters)
- Press releases (for small businesses and online companies)
- Magazine articles
- Newspaper articles
Information
- Salary: between $20 and $100 per 1000 words.
- Training time: a few hours.
- Workload: as much as you want.
Requirements:
- A good grasp of grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
- A portfolio that shows excellent writing and editing skills.
If you want to get an edge over your competition, feel free to read our guide: How to Become a Successful Freelance Writer.
2. Online tutor
Salary: $20 per hour (on average).
Training time: a few hours.
Workload: as much as you want.
Tutoring is all about sharing the beauty of a subject with students who have a hard time understanding it.
As a tutor, you get the opportunity to help others in need. Maybe this is why teaching is one of the most rewarding jobs!
Information
- Salary: $20 per hour (on average).
- Training time: a few hours.
- Workload: as much as you want.
Requirements:
- A high school diploma or equivalent (usually required).
- A bachelor’s degree in the subject-matter field is preferred.
- Recent teaching experience is a plus.
You can find tutoring jobs on this page: 9 Legitimate Online Tutoring Jobs.
3. Social media manager
Salary: $15 per hour (on average).
Training time: a few days.
Workload: at least 5 hours per week.
Social media managers make money by representing companies on social networks.
Many companies hire social media managers to:
- Attract new fans: publishing engaging content, promoting the brand with paid advertising, reaching out to local influencers, etc.
- Turn fans into customers: responding to questions about the product/service, retargeting advertisements, etc.
- Turn these customers into advocates: organizing giveaways (share this post to win our product), create communities on Reddit and other forums, etc.
Information
- Salary: $15 per hour (on average).
- Training time: a few days.
- Workload: at least 5 hours per week.
Requirements:
- Usually required: Social media marketing experience.
- Preferred: Degrees in English literature, psychology, sociology, and communication studies.
If you want to get an edge over your competition, feel free to read our guide: How to Become a Social Media Manager.
4. Freelance web developer
Salary: $20 per hour (on average).
Training time: a few weeks.
Workload: at least 15 hours per week.
Freelance web developers build websites for organizations and small businesses.
Building websites isn’t as hard as it seems, there are Content Management Systems like WordPress that do most of the jobs for you.
For college students that are used to the Internet, the difficult part of the job is:
- Reaching out to potential clients: local businesses, lawyers, photographers, music bands, influencers, etc.
- Understanding the client’s needs: talk with your client about the project and estimate the web development cost.
- Sketching a basic concept website: build multiple draft versions, make revisions as requested by the client.
Information
- Salary: $20 per hour (on average).
- Training time: a few weeks.
- Workload: at least 15 hours per week.
Requirements:
- A portfolio of websites that highlights web development skills.
- Proof that you can develop websites with WordPress or other CMSs.
- Understanding of HTML, CSS, and other languages.
If you want to get an edge over your competition, feel free to read our guide: How to Become a Freelance Web Developer.
