Have you applied for on-campus jobs but haven’t had much luck? Or maybe you explored options nearby and they just weren’t quite what you had in mind? The good news is there are scores of flexible online opportunities for college students that pay well, even if you’ve never worked a day in your life.
Read on to learn more.
Best Online Jobs for College Students
1. Blogging
If you’re a subject matter expert that enjoys writing, blogging may be a good fit. You can get started for free by writing your content and using an online tool, like Canva, to create stunning images. It also won’t cost you a dime to start spreading the word via social media, and you can even use Mailchimp to start sending out email blasts to your subscribers for free.
You probably won’t make money overnight with a new blog, but as you continue to build, the site can be monetized through ads, affiliate marketing, or by offering digital products and services for a fee as your web traffic increases.
Quick Note: WordPress is arguably the best free platform to launch your blog on. They also offer free themes, but it may be worthwhile to purchase a low-cost paid theme for additional support. And you’ll also need to pay for web hosting.
2. Online Data Entry
There’s also an abundance of online data entry jobs that will pay you between $10 and $15 per hour on average, even if you have no experience. In most instances, you’ll also be given the flexibility to work around your class schedule and take time off when needed. Visit Clickworker and The Smart Crowd to explore opportunities that may work for you.
3. Freelance Writing and Editing
Freelance writers and editors have the flexibility to choose how much they want to work and how much they’d like to earn. As a freelance writer or editor, you’ll also set your rates and decide on which services you’d like to offer.
Popular services include article writing, blogging, copywriting, creative writing, editing and proofreading, ghostwriting, and technical writing, just to name a few. You could also offer tutoring services to other college or grade-school aged students who are struggling to express their thoughts clearly on paper.
Don’t have a portfolio to showcase to prospects? No problem. Simply create mock projects to demonstrate what you can offer. And if you want to land gigs in the shortest span possible, try creating a profile on sites like Freelancer.com, Freelance Writing Gigs, Problogger, and Upwork to make yourself visible to potential clients. You can also use these sites to apply for gigs if you don’t mind pitching prospects.
4. Graphic Design
There’s always a need for graphic design services from businesses, both big and small. Image is everything in may industries and they don’t get it right the first time around, the company’s bottom line could be impacted. So if you’re a skilled graphic designer, you can offer your services to help them make their brand stand out visually from the masses.
You can use the same platforms as freelance writers to find work and promote your work independently. Fiverr is another option to land graphic design gigs fast.
5. Online Marketing
Online marketing comes in all shapes and sizes, and not all company’s needs are the same. Some want help with content marketing while others just want to boost their offerings on social media. Regardless of their needs, there’s ample opportunity for you to make money in the digital marketing space.
You can offer an array of services including content marketing, display advertising, email marketing, pay per click advertising (PPC), search engine optimization (SEO), and social media management. But you don’t have to roll out a comprehensive list of solutions to turn a profit. Focus on the services you have the most expertise in and continue to perfect your craft so you can serve your clients at an optimal level without compromising your performance in the classroom.
The easiest way to identify prospects is by finding an issue with their online presence and contacting them with potential solutions. Once you get their attention, communicate how you can assist and it’s off to the races from there.
6. Online Tutoring
Online tutoring allows you to help others in a topic they’re having a hard time with from the comforts of your home. You can launch your business and plaster ads on boards around campus or promote your services online via social media. Signing up on sites like Chegg.com or Tutor.com can help you find students that need help right away.
And you’re not just limited to one platform. Being present on multiple platforms and promoting yourself independently increases your level of exposure and can boost your earning potential as you’ll have more jobs to choose from. Plus, you can schedule your tutoring sessions at times when it’s most convenient for you.
7. Proofreading
College students constantly need a second set of eyes to make sure their papers shine when being reviewed by professors. If you’re a phenomenal proofreader, why not offer your services? The campus itself provides a pool of opportunity since all your prospects are in one place. And if you want to expand your prospect pool to earn even more money, you can look for opportunities on some of the same sites that freelance writers and editors use to find gigs.
8. Resume Writing
Not all are gifted with the ability to clearly express their thoughts on paper. This can pose a major issue when crafting a resume since it’s often the first interaction a prospective employer will have with a job applicant. And even if you’re the perfect fit for the role, a bad resume and cover letter can make or break your chances.
For this reason, some job hunters hire resume writers to help them stand out amongst other applicants on paper. And you capitalize on this opportunity by creating mock resumes that are enticing as samples to show others what you can do from them. You can also use sites like WriterBay, to find work.
Depending on how talented you are, you can charge a few hundred bucks for a resume and cover letter package. And once you have a track record of success, you can raise your rates even higher.
9. Search Engine Evaluator
Search Engine Evaluators are paid between $12 and $15 per hour to offer insight to search engine giants, like Bing and Google, so they can tidy up their sites. If these sound like something that you’d be interested in doing, visit Appen or Lionbridge to search for online job search engine evaluator job opportunities.
10. Social Media Consulting and Management
Social media is ripe with opportunities for companies looking to garner increased brand exposure or clients. But with so many platforms to choose from, many companies (particularly those on the smaller side) have a tough time executing a strategy due to a lack of manpower. And some have no idea where to start.
That’s where you come in. As a social media consultant, you can help steer them in the right direction by devising a plan of action that they can easily execute. Or you can offer to manage their accounts so they can focus on what they do best, which is the operational side of their business.
11. Transcription Services
Become an online transcriptionist with Rev.com and work around your busy schedule to earn money. As a freelancer, you’ll have access to hundreds of jobs on a daily and get paid weekly for the jobs you complete. The compensation structure is as follows:
- Captioner: $0.45 to $0.75 per minute for the audio or video file
- Transcriptionist: $0.36 to $0.65 per minute for the audio or video file
- Foreign Language Subtitler: $1.50 to $3.00 per minute for the audio or video file
You can apply for consideration on their website. The three-step application process entails taking an English language and grammar proficiency test, submitting a transcription or caption sample, and registering on the platform if you pass the screening process.
12. Virtual Assistant Services
Virtual assistants help small business owners get and stay organized by performing routine tasks, like scheduling appointments, travel arrangements, social media management, and any other administrative duties that may come up.
You’ll have to work with the client to come up with an arrangement that works for best parties, especially if you’re in class during regular business hours. But you can expect to earn up to $25 an hour, if not more if you’re able to meet and hopefully exceed your client’s needs.
13. Web Design and Maintenance
Web design and maintenance services are other ideal online jobs for college students. You can offer the services independently or as a bundle, and you can work remotely with clients all over the globe. Some clients will want you to handle their web design from start to finish and maintain the website once it’s complete while others will draft up their blueprint and hire you to make their visions a reality.
Either way, you can steer the ship by deciding on pricing that works for you and working on their website when you have downtime. And if you want to up your earning potential, consider weaving web development services into your offerings so the client won’t need to outsource to another company should the need arise.
The Bottom Line
If you’re willing to do the legwork, you’re almost guaranteed to land an online job that’s flexible and pays well. And you just never know what these opportunities will bring; maybe one will turn into a lucrative part-time or full-time role that you can continue pursuing after college.