On the contrary to what you believe, there are actually limitless ways to make money online as a college student. Being a college student can be hard and challenging. Between having to study hard most of the time and the fact that you need to start thinking about your student loan, it can be a burden for some people. But if you know how to get a side hustle to get extra bucks, who knows? Maybe you can start early and start saving to pay off your loan.
The greatest thing about the world today is that everything is run and managed by technology. You no longer have to do everything old school anymore (such as engaging in traditional work) and deal with offline methods. If you have smartphones or laptops, you should be able to manage everything and start off your career! These may start as a side job, but it’s possible to continue it further if you are passionate about it, you have the time and energy, and it keeps making you money.
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8 Best Ways to Make Money Online as a College Student
Resume Writers
You may be surprised to know that there are tons of people out there who can’t write resumes or cover letters. Some of them simply can’t create attractive or visually appealing resumes, while the others simply don’t have the time to do it right. If you have good writing skills and you like tweaking with layout, design, and such thing alike, you can write resumes and cover letters. It’s also possible to have this kind of work if you have seen tons of resumes, so you know what people usually expect from a good one. The pay is quite nice; it ranges from $15 to $20 per hour. This is one of the many (legal) ways to make money online as a college student where you can do it during your free hours and time.
Feel free to join websites that especially offering this kind of work. Writing and editing resumes can be done in your spare time, and you don’t even have to leave your room for it! As long as you have a computer (or laptop or a tablet) and reliable internet connection, you should be good.
Freelance Writer
If you are into writing, and you are passionate about it, why not becoming a freelance writer? It’s one of the most popular ways to make money online as a college student. Whereas people always think that they need to have years of experience or extensive credentials to be a (freelance) writer, it’s not always the case. If you are passionate about it, and you are willing to learn, this one can work out for you.
As a college student, you need to be flexible about your schedules and time. Well, being a freelance writer enables you to do so! Today, there are hundreds of freelancer websites out there. Some of the most popular platforms are Fiverr or UpWork, where you can start and build your portfolio. You can also try others like Freelance Writing Jobs or Problogger. Want to start your own business? Be my guest! You can spread the word around your circle and network, and start from there. Keep in mind to stay professional and on-time. In most cases, this kind of work requires deadlines. Make sure to stay on your deadlines and not to miss them. That’s how you make your clients go back for more.
Moreover, the writing business can be super flexible. Whether you want to focus on becoming an academic writer, or blog writer, or even scriptwriter, the possibility is endless. You can also try becoming an author, especially if you are into writing stories and stuff. Just like a resume writer, you only need a computer and a solid internet connection. No need to spend extra money for buying expensive stuff.
Online Seller
If you are creative enough, you must have known by now that taking benefits from popular online shopping platforms is one of the smart ways to make money online as a college student. Don’t I need to have a lot of capital to be a seller? Well, it depends on your creativity, really. Selling stuff doesn’t always mean that you need to have a lot of money to get started. Have a friend that is skillfully crafted when making handmade stuff?
You can help them sell their stuff from Etsy and get yourself a commission. Do you have many unused items, still in good condition? Why not selling them as secondhand or preloved stuff? Do you know where to get crazy inexpensive branded shoes with tag prices way under the market? Why not buying them and then selling them in Amazon or eBay? As you can see, everything depends on your creativity. I know some people who started off selling when they were in college, and they are still doing it until now, making a lot of money from this activity. Who says online selling can’t be rewarding?
Proofreader
Are you meticulous and detailed? Do you like reading things thoroughly and being able to spot punctuation or grammar mistakes? Don’t underestimate this kind of work because you really need a pair of good eyes to be professionally able to pull it off. Being a proofreader can be one of the ways to make money online as a college student especially if you like finding mistakes and errors. You should know that this job isn’t for everyone.
Not all people are able to look into details. And imagine having to read between the long lines to find a single mistake? That’s a super power that not everyone can have! But if you are passionate about it and you simply love doing it, you can actually become a professional proofreader. The more you hone your skills, the higher the pay can be. It is potential? Is it promising? Definitely!
Product Reviewer
Don’t you love unboxing things? What about getting stuff and unboxing them – without you having to pay for them, but you get paid instead? Such a dream come true, right? Well, that’s the ‘deskjob’ product reviewers in general, really. This is basically the concept of endorsement, really, where online influencers are basically doing these days.
If you believe that you aren’t an influencer, don’t be discouraged. You can always be a product reviewer despite your social media status. For a starter, you may have to buy the product yourself and simply review it. Products love to get insights and feedbacks from their customers. You can always join several websites that offer people free stuff for reviews. If you want to make extra bucks, joining these websites can be a good options, especially you can do it in your spare time.
However, it’s also possible to be independent and start off everything on your own. If you like making use of your social media and you like sharing your user experience with others, this can be one of the ways to make money online as a college student. There are myriads of perks of being a reviewer. First, you get to share your opinions and experience. Second, you may gain popularity, viewers, or followers. Third, you may get free stuff, especially if brands start contacting you to review their products. It can be a potential job, especially for the future. You need to invest in good camera, ring light, and video editor app – aside from having a smartphone or laptop and a good internet connection.
Social Media Manager
This kind of work requires you to ‘stay tune’ to social media. If you have been spending hours doing so, then why not as well getting paid for it? Every business needs a good management, especially for their social media. In today’s world where internet and social media are the rulers, many establishments may need help managing their social media arrangement.
In most cases, they would hire contracted managers to help them build brand awareness. The social media managers would be responsible for driving new lead, building positive relationships with customers (whether the existing ones or the potential ones), and curate contents. The main role is basically becoming the business’ online voice. You’d be surprised that not everyone has the skill to manage their social media.
That’s why this is one of the most potential ways to make money online as a college student. Starting out may not be easy, but once you are able to show them your skills and abilities, you will never run out of clients. You can start by reaching out to the businesses that you are already familiar or use, like coffee shops, yoga studios, and others. Then, try to focus on the platforms of your preference and you are most comfy with. This can be your focus about how to help the business grow as well as reaching out to new customers or target markets. Then, you can also build your own followers so you can have a proof of your experience and knowledge in doing so.
Blogger
If you like to share of everything that is going in your life, then having a blog can be a perfect way to channel it. It can be one of the best ways to make money online as a college student, but it can also be a great way to build your own follower and audience. If you are doing the latter, then don’t expect to get money fast, unless you are managing other people’s blogs. Yes, someone can hire you to manage their blogs. This role is almost the same as being a social media manager where you are responsible for the contents and the overall management. Some people may call it the ‘web master’ role.
You’d be surprised to know that there are tons of different kinds of blogs. There are blogs in general, affiliate blogs, artists blogs, repair service blogs, niche blogs, and others. In some cases, it’s possible that brands or companies may reach out to you, asking you to either write contents about them or create contents FOR them. Whatever the scenario is, it is profitable and you can generate money from it. But such a thing takes time and it doesn’t happen overnight. But it’s a possible way if you want to get started and then reap the benefits later in the future.
Designer
If you are good in images and graphic, becoming a designer can be a good option. Some people with good drawing skills accept commissions for orders they get. If you are into graphic designs, the possibility of doing (online) design work for businesses and websites are open-wide and limitless. Whether you are doing a full site design or creating ads graphics, you can build your portfolios while doing the things you love: designing.
There are basically limitless options still available, such as app developer, virtual assistant, search engine evaluator, and so much more. One of the most important things about ways to make money online as a college student is to really get started, so what are you waiting for?
