College is an exciting time for students, filled with new experiences and opportunities for personal and academic growth, but college can be an expensive time with tuition costs, textbooks, and living expenses all adding up, and it’s often necessary to find ways to make extra income.
This is where side hustles come in!
Side hustles are a way to earn additional income outside of one’s regular job or studies. They can provide valuable experience, help develop new skills, and even be a source of inspiration for future career paths.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the best side hustles available to college students, why they should consider taking on extra work, and how to effectively manage their time to succeed.
Table of Contents
- How many college students have a side hustle?
- What Are Some Good Side Hustle Ideas For College Students?
- Why Should You Start a Side Hustle as a College Student?
- Final thoughts on side hustles for college students
How many college students have a side hustle?
College is a time when many students are just starting on their own; as such, taking on a side hustle can be incredibly beneficial in helping them manage the financial demands of higher education.
Furthermore, having a part-time job can also give individuals the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience in various areas which could prove helpful both now and in future endeavors!
Did you know that over one-third of Americans have a side hustle?
According to Zapier, at least 50% of millennials reportedly have a side hustle, while the average side hustle earns an extra $12,689 annually.
Most side hustlers devote 5-20 hours a week to their endeavors. This makes side hustles a great alternative to getting a part-time job!
What Are Some Good Side Hustle Ideas For College Students?
You can do side hustle jobs in your free time while still having a regular job or studying. Based on what are you doing, you can set your schedule, what services you offer, and make unique deals for your customers. The amazing thing about a side hustle is that you can choose what you want to do, based on your skills and preferences.
For example, if you are an art student, who loves to paint and draw, that is a great chance to sell some of your paintings and works. Or, if you love children and you grew up in a big family, taking care of your sisters and brother, maybe babysitting is an ideal side hustle for you.
Some other great side hustle ideas for college students include doing freelance writing/editing, tutoring/teaching one’s field of expertise online, blogging or creating YouTube videos, working as an event photographer, or organizing special events such as corporate retreats and conferences.
Here is a list of the 10 best side hustles for college students:
- Freelance writing
- Social media management
- Tutoring
- Delivery services
- Virtual Assistant
- Pet-sitting or dog walking
- Photography
- Graphic design
- House cleaning
- Lawn care
Freelance writing
Freelance writing is a fantastic side hustle for most students! If you have strong writing skills, you can offer your services to businesses or individuals needing content creation. Nowadays, there are so many freelance platforms where you can find side gigs based on your skills and expertise. As a freelance writer, you can focus on your desired niche, our advice is to set your rate, create a portfolio and resume, and immediately start applying for job posts!
Social media management
If you have strong social media skills and you love spending your time on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, or any other platform, maybe you should think about making some extra money while doing it!
Many business owners and entrepreneurs need help in managing their social media accounts, growing their audience, or getting more clients. This is a great opportunity for you to show your skills and help those social media accounts improve and grow their brand.
Tutoring
If you have knowledge about a particular subject and you enjoy sharing your knowledge, tutoring can be a great side gig for you. You can start promoting your tutoring services online or find a tutoring platform that best suits you.
Later on, if you want to turn this side gig into something more serious and professional, tutoring certificates may help you. After you become a certified tutor, you can raise the price of your services.
Delivery services
If you have a car or you love riding a bike, then delivery service is something that you will love! When working for most delivery services, you can choose the areas where you will deliver packages and your shifts, which is convenient when you have classes.
If you don’t have any experience or don’t know where to start, you can also work for a delivery app like Uber Eats or DoorDash to earn money on your schedule.
Virtual Assistant
If you are someone who enjoys doing many different tasks on a daily basis, consider applying for a virtual assistant job. You only need a strong internet connection, a few hours per day, and some knowledge of using specific software based on clients’ needs.
Pet-sitting or dog walking
Well, if you are an animal lover, you can turn that into your profit. Start a pet-sitting business or a dog-walking service in your neighborhood. We are sure that some of that dogs already love you, so if you have some free time, consider this as a genius side hustle option.
Still, if you don’t like dogs so much, pet sitting offers you various choices. There are sitters specialized in reptiles, birds, or amphibians. Still, you need to have some knowledge and experience with these pets.
Photography
Do you have a good eye for capturing great photos? Are you attending photography and art classes? Then you might want to consider offering your services for events and to local businesses!
If you have the necessary skills and equipment, you can offer your services to your friends first to create an initial portfolio of your work.
Graphic design
If you are a graphic design student, and you have experience in Photoshop and Illustrator, you should think about earning some money besides studying.
You can focus only on the types of projects you actually want to work on.
Check out Upwork or Fiverr and find a gig based on your best skills, such as logo creation, branding, or marketing materials.
House cleaning
House-cleaning businesses are in expansion these days. So many business people simply don’t have enough time to manage cleaning their homes, so they need someone reliable to do that instead. This is where you and your business come in!
You can start with local advertising, but never forget that mouth-to-mouth is the best marketing method for this business. If you already did some houses, ask owners to recommend you to their friends or colleagues. That’s where potential customers are hiding.
Lawn Care
Do you have more free time during summer? Use this as your chance to make some side money. Lawn care and garden maintenance can make you a lot of money. But, also, take into consideration that this is very hard physical work.
All of these jobs offer flexible hours, which makes them ideal for those studying full-time. Additionally, each of these gigs offers something unique, making them all worth exploring! Write down your skills and choose a job from this list that best fits your current capabilities and needs.
Why Should You Start a Side Hustle as a College Student?
Taking on a side hustle while attending college can provide numerous benefits; it will provide extra income and allow individuals to gain tangible work experience and improve marketable skills like communication and customer service.
Additionally, having a part-time job gives college students more flexibility when it comes to managing their schedule as well as providing an opportunity to develop skills that will come in handy down the line!
Final thoughts on side hustles for college students
In conclusion, there are numerous side hustles available for college students looking to make extra money.
From freelance writing to event planning – these options allow individuals to pursue interesting projects that suit their preferences while learning valuable lessons along the way.
With plenty of advantages that come with starting a part-time job – now is an ideal time for any college student wanting to succeed both academically and financially!
What side hustle did you do as a college student? If you are still in college, which of these side hustles would you like to try?
Thanks for sharing this insightful article! It provided valuable insights and has given me a fresh perspective on the topic. Well done!