75 Side Hustles For College Students & Ways To Make Money

If you’re a college student who is looking for side hustles that will make them money, then you’re in the right place. As a recent college graduate, I know first hand which side hustles you can do in college to earn money on the side.

Whether you’re looking for a side gig that will make you quick money, or a side hustle that can turn into a legit business, this list has something for everyone.

In this post, I share the 75 best side hustles for college students and ways to make money in college.

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75 Side Hustles for College Students

1. Resell Items

Reselling items is one of the best side hustles any college student can do. Whether it’s reselling clothing, computers, accessories, or random items, there is a lot of money in flipping items.

If you want to flip items, do some market research before investing money. It’s important to understand the value of the items before you resell them.

One of my friends in college would flip MacBooks. Since there are always students looking for Macbooks, it was very easy to buy and sell them.

He would buy MacBooks from people on Facebook Marketplace for $400 and sell them to other students for around $700. He did this throughout college, and it was an extremely profitable side hustle.

2. Start a Photography Business

If you have a good camera and an eye for photography, you can offer your services for events, portraits, or stock photography.

In college, there are so many opportunities to take photos of people. Many college students want good-quality photos, whether at a party, a sports game, taking pictures for a local business, or taking pictures of people’s cars.

Photography is one of the best ways for college students to earn extra income in their free time.

3. Become a Virtual Assistant

If you’re looking for a lucrative side hustle, consider being a virtual assistant. You can offer administrative and organizational support remotely to entrepreneurs, small businesses, or professionals.

This job is perfect for students because it’s remote and a great way to develop new skills.

4. Babysit

As a college student, one of the best side hustle ideas is to become a babysitter. Babysitting is easy if you like kids, and you can make good money doing it.

If you have a few different clients, you can babysit regularly throughout college. One of the main reasons babysitting is such an excellent job for college students is that it rarely interferes with their schoolwork.

As a babysitter, most of your work will be on the weekends and evenings. You can also focus on your studies while you babysit.

5. Offer Lawn and Gardening Services

If you know how to landscape, offer homeowners or businesses gardening, landscaping, or lawn care services. Many people are willing to pay college students for their landscaping needs.

Landscaping is a very profitable business, and it is one of the best side hustles for college students.

6. Tutor Your Classmates

If you excel in a particular subject, you can offer tutoring services to classmates or even high school students in your area. Tutoring is a great side hustle for college students.

If you become a reputable tutor in college, you can earn a lot of money on the side. This side hustle has virtually no overhead costs, and you can charge up to $50 an hour.

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7. Teach Swimming Lessons

If you know how to swim, consider teaching swimming lessons. Whether you’re teaching kids or adults, there are always people who want to learn how to swim.

As a college student, you can teach people how to swim on your own schedule. You can charge between $15-25 an hour as a swimming instructor.

8. Give Tours

If you’re familiar with your city’s attractions, offer guided tours to tourists or newcomers. This side hustle is a great way to leverage your skills, and develop new skills in public speaking.

As a tour guide, you can charge between $30-$100 an hour, depending on the group size.

9. Deliver Food (Uber Eats)

If you have a car, you can earn quick money by being a delivery driver. Companies like Uber Eats, GrubHub, and Doordash make it easy for their employees to earn money by delivering food.

The good thing about being a delivery driver is that you can choose when you want to work.

11. Haul Junk

Hauling junk is a good side hustle for college students who don’t mind lifting heavy items. Many people higher a company to haul junk because they don’t have the time or they’re not physically capable.

You can charge up to $500 to remove junk from somebody’s home. If you have a truck and a friend that is willing to work, you can make a hundreds dollars in a few hours.

11. Driver Uber or Lyft

If you have a car, consider driving Uber or Lyft. Working for these companies is great, because you can make your own schedule.

Throughout college, I knew quite a few people who would drive for Uber to earn some extra money during their free time. The pay is pretty decent and the hours are flexible.

12. Do Handyman Work

If you’re skilled in basic repairs and maintenance, offer your services for tasks like assembling furniture, fixing leaks, and minor household repairs.

A smart way to leverage your handyman skills is to offer your services to other students. Many students need help with installing TVs and building furniture.

Depending on the job, you can charge between $20-40 an hour.

13. Start an Etsy Business

On Etsy, there are several ways to earn money by selling specialized products to people. Users will purchase digital art, jewelry, candles, and other items on Etsy.

If you have a specialized product, you think others will enjoy, consider starting a business on Etsy.

14. Become a Freelance Writer

If you’re a good writer, you can offer your services for content creation, blogging, or writing essays for others. This side gig is a great way to earn money on your own time in college.

If you’re looking to start freelance writing for businesses, you can reach out to them VIA e-mail.

If you want to write essays for students, offer the service to one student, and the word will travel fast. Plenty of college students are willing to pay to have their essays written for them.

15. Write Resumes and Cover Letters for Your Classmates

Assist job seekers in creating professional resumes and cover letters to increase their chances of landing interviews. This is a good side hustle for college students and a valuable skill that will be useful.

You can charge students $15-$25 to write their resumes. If you build a positive reputation, many people will recommend your services.

16. Housesit

Housesitting is a great side-hustle for college students. If you can find some people who need housesitting services, you can make a good amount of money.

As a house sitter, you may need to water plants, collect the mail and keep the house clean. House cleaners can earn up to $20, which is pretty good considering the job is very easy.

If you can build up a clientele, then you can earn a solid passive income by house sitting.

17. Proctor Tests

If you’re looking for an easy side hustle and a great way to earn side money, consider proctoring tests. When you proctor tests, you will have to hand out pencils, let students know how much time is left, and make sure nobody is cheating.

Whether you’re proctoring tests at a high school or your college, this job is straightforward. Proctoring tests pays around $20 an hour, and you will be working a lot during exam time.

18. Try Dog Walking or Pet Sitting

If you love animals, you can offer pet sitting, dog walking, or pet care services to local pet owners. This fun side hustle can earn you between $15-20 an hour and is an excellent way to get your mind off your school work.

If you’re pet sitting, you can charge between $80-100 a day. If the pets are low maintenance, then this will be the best side-hustle ever.

19. Language Tutoring

If you’re fluent in a second language, you can offer language tutoring or conversation practice to others trying to learn that language. Many people are willing to pay to learn another language.

You can charge between $20-25 an hour for language tutoring lessons.

20. Work as an Overnight Attendant

One of the best part-time jobs for college students is being an overnight attendant. As an overnight attendant, you must answer the phone, help seniors in need and give out medications.

Shifts can be up to 12 hours long, and you can earn between $12-15 an hour doing it. Overall, this is a pretty sweet side gig for college students who want to earn a consistent income.

21. Shovel Snow During the Winter

If you’re looking to make some extra cash during the winter, then you can offer to shovel snow. During a heavy snowfall, people are willing to pay between $10-$20 to have their walkways cleaned.

This is a great side hustle as a college student, because you will earn money and stay active.

22. Teach Music Lessons

If you’re good at playing an instrument, you can always try to teach music lessons. Music lessons are an easy way to earn some side money, and if you can build up a clientele, you can earn a consistent income.

As a music teacher, you can charge between $20-30 and hour for your services.

23. Offer Social Media Services to Local Businesses

If you’re savvy with social media platforms, you can handle social media accounts for local businesses, helping them with content creation and engagement. Since most college students already use social media, social media management is the perfect business for students to get involved in.

In order, to start a social media management company, there are no overhead costs. All you need to do is understand how to grow social media accounts and pages.

24. Offer Moving Services

Offering moving services is a great side gig for college students. Whether moving furniture in and out of dorms or helping local homeowners, this side hustle is a great way to earn cash on the side.

Don’t be worried about customers. People are always happy to pay a college student to do some heavy lifting. Depending on how much you are moving, you can charge between $20 to $35 an hour.

25. Become A Substitute Teacher

As a college student, there may be opportunities to work as a substitute teacher in a middle school or high school. Currently, I have a friend who teaches a French class part-time to middle school students while he is studying in college.

You can earn between $25 to $35 an hour as a substitute teacher. This job is quite rewarding, and it can lead to potential career opportunities

26. Teach Sports Lessons

Whether you’re good at soccer, football, baseball, or tennis, you can always try to teach sports lessons. Many parents will pay good money for private lessons with a top athlete.

If you can build a good reputation, you will get plenty of customers and you can charge between $25 to $50 an hour.

27. Become a Birthday Party Entertainer

A fun side hustle that college students can do is become a birthday party entertainer. For this job, you will have to dress up as a character from a popular show, or movie and interact with kids.

During college, I had a friend who would do magic shows for kid’s birthday parties. He would charge $100 to show up, and he would get booked for a few birthday parties a month.

28. Offer Painting Services

If you’re looking for an easy way to make some side money, consider offering painting services. Many people are willing to pay college students to paint a room in their house.

You can ask your clients to pay for the paint, and you come to their house to do the painting. Throughout my time in college, I know a few students who did this as a side hustle to earn some extra money during the summer.

29. Trivia Night Host

Organize and host trivia nights for local bars, cafes, or even online events, and charge a fee for your hosting services. If this idea becomes popular, you can make a lot of money.

30. Become a Lifeguard

If there’s a local pool near you and or a pool at your college, consider becoming a lifeguard. As a lifeguard, your job will be pretty relaxed most of the time.

Of course, you do need to have the qualifications. However, this is a great job for students as its not mentally exhausting and the pay is pretty good. As a lifeguard, you can earn between $10-$16 an hour.

30. Start a Car Washing Business

Provide car washing and detailing services to people in your area, either by visiting them or setting up at a convenient location. Car enthusiasts will pay hundreds of dollars to have their cars professionally detailed.

Starting a car wash does not cost a lot of money, and it has the potential to make a significant income.

31. Rent Out Your Car

If you have a car that you don’t drive often, you can always earn a side income by renting it out. Turo and Getaround are car-sharing services that make it easy to rent out your vehicle.

Depending on how often you rent your car out, and what type of car you have, you can make between $200 to over $1000 per month.

32. Teach English Online

If you’re a college student looking for a remote side hustle, you can always teach English online. Preply and Varisty Tutors are two websites that are always looking for virtual English tutors.

As an English tutor, you can earn up to $20 an hour from the comfort of your dorm room. This side hustle is perfect for college student because the hours are flexible, it’s a remote job, and the pay is decent.

33. Offer Grocery Shopping Services

Offer to do the grocery shopping for busy individuals or those who need assistance finding specific products. Over the last few years, this side hustle has become very popular.

This side hustle is a great way for college students to earn extra money in their spare time.

34. Fix Phones and Computers

Offer smartphone or computer repair services to help people with technical issues. Plenty of online tutorials can teach you how to repair phones and computers.

You can run this side hustle out of your dorm room and earn a lot of money doing it. You will never have a shortage of customers since students always need their computers or phones repaired.

35. Get a Data Entry Job

In college, you can earn money by providing data entry services for businesses or individuals who need help organizing and inputting information. Companies are always looking for people to do data entry work.

If you’re looking for a data entry job, check what jobs are available on Indeed.

36. Teach Excel

If you’re good at using Excel, you can always get pair to teach other people how to use it. Nowadays, Excel is a skill that many companies value.

Whether it’s an older person or a college student, there is always someone who wants to learn how to use Excel. You can advertise your Excel courses on Facebook, or by putting posters around college campus.

37. Rent Sports Equipment

Rent out outdoor fitness and sports equipment like bicycles, sports balls, or paddleboards for students to use in parks or recreational areas.

You can invest in cheap equipment by purchasing it used on Facebook marketplace. This side hustle is a great way to earn some extra money while you are focusing on your studies.

38. Donate Plasma

Plasma is the liquid portion of blood that carries red and white blood cells, platelets, and various nutrients and hormones throughout the body. Plasma also contains proteins that play essential roles in clotting blood, fighting infections, and maintaining the body’s fluid balance.

Plasma is a crucial component of bodily function and is currently in high demand. You can earn between $20 t0 $50 each time you donate plasma.

39. Flip Furniture

Flipping furniture is a side hustle that can become extremely profitable. Use Facebook marketplace to find cheap furniture people want to get rid of.

Most of the time, you can negotiate heavily to get great deals on used furniture. Once you get the furniture, clean it up, and try flipping it for a profit.

40. Become a Note-Taker

An on-campus job available to many college students is becoming a note-taker. As a note-taker, you must attend class and take notes for special needs students.

This job is relatively easy, and the pay can be very good.

Another option, is to sell your notes to students in class. Many students are willing to pay money for organized notes, especially when it’s exam time.

41. Coach Sports Teams

If you’re an athletic college student, you can always try coaching sports teams. As a sports team coach, you can earn extra money, and you will learn a lot.

If you want to pursue a career in sports, coaching is a great place to start.

42. Become A Sports Referee

A great side hustle for college students is becoming a referee. Depending on the sports, sports referees can make between $30 to $100 per game.

Check job hiring apps like Indeed for sports referee job opportunities.

43. Try Dropshipping

Start an online store and sell products through platforms like Shopify or use dropshipping to fulfill orders without holding inventory. It’s important to note that dropshipping has risks and can be challenging.

However, if you get good at dropshipping, you can earn a lot of money. Dropshipping is also a great way to gain valuable entrepreneurship experience.

44. Become a Fitness Instructor

If you’re into fitness, you can offer students or small groups personal training or fitness classes. This is a great way to stay active while earning some extra money.

As a personal trainers, you can earn between $25-30 an hour. This is a great side hustle for college students, because you can choose your own hours.

45. Learn How To DJ

If you have DJ equipment and love music, offer your services for parties and events in your area. Your college years are the best time to learn how to DJ.

If you can get your name out there, you can open the doors to plenty of opportunities. Whether you’re the DJ at house parties, clubs, or on-campus events, being a DJ in college is one of the best side-hustle ideas.

46. Start a YouTube Chanel

Start a YouTube channel on a topic you’re passionate about, and earn money through ads, sponsorships, and merchandise. Nowadays, becoming a YouTube is the dream job for many students.

However, being a YouTuber does involve working a lot and being consistent. If you can provide value for other people, consider starting a YouTube channel.

47. Become a Freelance Audio Transcriber

If you’re looking for a side hustle, consider trying to transcribe audio or video content for individuals, businesses, or content creators. Websites like REV and Fiverr always have opportunities for those interested in transcribing audio.

48. Fill Out Survey Online

If you want to earn a little bit of extra cash on the side in college, consider filling out surveys. Now, this side hustle does not pay great. However, it is a good way to earn some extra money on the side on your own schedule.

You can earn money by filling out surveys on website like: OneOpinioon, Swagbucks and Survey Junky.

49. Sell Your Old Textbooks

If you’re looking for quick cash, you can always try to sell your old textbooks. Typically, there is a way to sell your books through your college or on Facebook groups.

If you have old textbooks lying around, it’s worth trying to sell them online.

50. Get Into Investing

Although you may not see returns right away, college is a great time to start investing. Whether it’s investing in stocks, futures, or Forex, investing is a great skill to learn in college.

Online, there are many resources that can help you get into investing as a college student. If you want to start investing, you can begin by learning on practice accounts and investing real money once you have gained experience.

51. Start a T-Shirt Printing Business

In college, I had two friends who started a t-shirt printing business out of their dorm rooms. They would design and print shirts for events, special occasions, or by commission for other students.

To start a t-shirt printing business, you only need blank shirts, a t-shirt press machine, and some customers to sell your product to.

This business venture is a great way to gain some valuable experience, sell your product and deal with real life customers!

52. Apply for Scholarships

Although it’s not a side hustle, a good way to earn extra money when you’re in college is by applying for scholarships. As a college student, you should see what scholarships you can qualify for at the beginning of each semester.

53. Become a Pool Cleaner

If you live in a warmer climate, you can always become a pool cleaner. Many people who have pools don’t have time to take care of them.

As a pool cleaner, you must vacuum, clean, and maintain pools every week. Many people are willing to pay good money for this service, and once you get the hang of it, it is relatively easy to do.

54. Sell Baked Goods

If you have a really good recipe that people love, then you can sell baked goods. In college, I knew someone who take orders and bake cookies weekly for her clients.

This side hustle would make her hundreds of dollars a week and she really enjoyed doing it!

55. Become a Street Performer

Whether you’re a good dancer, singer, or magician, you can always try to become a street performer. All you need is a permit from your city, and you can earn extra money.

Busking on the street is a decent side hustle and a great way to perform if you’re talented.

56. Start A Podcast

Consider starting a podcast if you want a fun side hustle that can pay off in the long run. Nowadays, everyone listens to podcasts, so creating a podcast is a good idea if you have interesting conversations.

If you have video editing skills, you can also offer podcast editing services to podcasters who need help with editing, sound enhancement, and post-production.

57. Start a Window Cleaning Business

If you want an easy side hustle with large profit margins, try starting a window cleaning business. Whether it’s cleaning windows for people’s homes or businesses, many people are willing to pay a college student to clean their windows.

You can charge between $150-$250 per job, which doesn’t require much skill. You only need some window cleaner, a microfiber cloth, and a micro-bladed squeegee.

Overall, this side hustle is excellent for college students who don’t mind manual labor and want to try entrepreneurship.

58. Sell Stock Photos

If you have a good eye for photography, you can earn money by taking stock photos. By selling stock photos to website like Getty Images and Shutterstock, you can earn around $4 per 15 photos.

If you enjoy taking photos, this is a very solid way to earn some extra money throughout college.

59. Try House Cleaning

Offer cleaning services to individuals or small businesses looking for help with maintaining their spaces. You can charge between $25-30 an hour to clean people’s houses.

If you enjoy cleaning and want an easy side hustle, try offering cleaning services.

60. Become a Video Editor

If you know how to use iMovie or Final Cut Pro, consider becoming a video editor. Online, plenty of content creators are constantly looking for a video editor.

At first, it may be hard to land consistent work. However, as you become more skilled and reputable, you can earn a lot of money as a freelance video editor.

If you have a passion for content creation and editing videos, consider trying this side hustle out!

61. Become an Editor or Proofreader

If you’re good at writing and spelling, consider editing or proofreading your fellow classmate’s essays. You can charge between $20-$25 an hour for this service, and college students are always looking for help.

Throughout college, one of my good friends (now an English professor) would do this to earn money. This side hustle was super profitable for her, and there were always students willing to pay for her services.

62. Start a Pressure Washing Business

If you’re looking for a highly profitable side hustle, consider starting a pressure-washing business. Your startup costs will be around $1500, but you can easily pay off your expenses after you complete 2-3 jobs.

You can wash driveways, clean fences, decks, commercial space, and vehicles. Depending on the job, you can charge $250 on the low end and over $5000 for bigger jobs.

To market this business, you can hand out flyers or create a website and run advertisements. You can get multiple weekly jobs if your pressure washing business is advertised correctly.

63. Become An SAT/ACT Preparation Tutor

As a college student, you already have experience taking the SAT or ACT. A good side hustle that you can do is prepare high school students for the SAT and ACT.

Many parents are willing to pay good money for their children to get tutored for the ACT and SAT. You can charge up to $50 an hour for these services.

64. Do Other Student’s Makeup

If you’re good at doing makeup, consider charging your fellow students a fee for doing their makeup. This is a service that college students may want to pay for when they are going on a date if they have a presentation or a job interview.

65. Learn To Cut Hair

Cutting hair is an excellent side hustle for college students. Cutting hair is a side hustle that can be done from your dorm room, and students always need haircuts.

For this side hustle, you should start by cutting hair for free so that you can practice. As you get better, you can begin to charge students.

If you become good at cutting hair, you can build up a large clientele and earn a lot of money.

66. Become A Graphic Designer

If you’re skilled in graphic design, you can create logos, social media graphics, and other visual content for individuals or small businesses. This side job is a great way to earn extra cash in your free time.

You can start by offering graphic design services for cheap. After you’ve built up a portfolio, you can earn a lot of money doing graphic design as a side hustle.

67. Flip Clothing from the Thrift Shop

Buy and resell thrifted or vintage clothing items on platforms like Depop, Poshmark, or eBay. This is a great way to get rid of your own clothing or make money off of thrifted clothing.

Over the last few years, this has become a very popular side hustle among college students. Although it may seem saturated, buying vintage clothing is more popular than ever, so you will have no shortage of customers.

68. Rent Out Your Parking Space

If your college is located in a busy city, then consider renting out your parking spot. In big cities, parking lots are like gold, and they’re also a great way to earn money on the side.

You can use SpotHero or ParqEx to rent out your parking space and earn money ASAP!

69. Try Blogging

If you’re active on social media and have a niche interest, you could become an influencer or blogger and monetize your content through sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, or ad revenue. Plenty of YouTube Videos and online courses can teach you how to blog.

70. Offer Website Development Services

Learning to create and maintain websites is a valuable skill that can be very profitable. Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to create a website. However, many business owners don’t have the time to learn how to do it.

After watching a few YouTube tutorials and creating some test websites, you can create websites for others. Approach local businesses and offer to build websites for them.

You can charge between $700-$1500 to create a website for a business. You can also charge a monthly maintenance fee, which is a great way to earn passive income.

71. Become a Designated Driver for College Students

If you have a car, consider being a designated driver for college students. In college, many students will either have to take a taxi, or an Uber to parties or a bar.

You can always offer to drive students from campus to their destination for a cover charge. This side hustle is a great way to earn some money on your free time and it is quite easy to do.

72. Become a Translator

If you’re fluent in multiple languages, offer translation services for documents, websites, or communication between parties. In college, there are plenty of students who may need a translator.

You can offer your services for between $15-$20 an hour.

73. Party Cleaner Service

In college, if you know people who like to throw parties, offer a cleaning service for them. You can charge up to $200 to come and clean up all of the garbage and surfaces after a party.

Most people in college don’t like to clean after their parties, so this service can really come in handy.

74. Design Printable Products

If you’re good at designing things on the computer, then design printable products is the right side hustle for you. There are many online entrepreneurs who are always looking for people to design their digital products.

Depending on the job, you can charge between $20-$30 an hour, or you can charge a flat fee for the whole project to be done.

75. Try Modeling

If you have the looks for it, you can always try modeling. Modeling is a decent way to earn cash on the side, and it can lead to some pretty cool opportunities.

If you want to get into modeling, start by doing it for free to create a reputation for yourself. Once you have built up some experience, you can charge a fee to model for companies.

76. Get An On-Campus Job

If none of these side hustles appeal to you, you can always get an on-campus job. Typically, on-campus jobs pay minimum wage, and they are easy.

The good thing about working on campus is that you don’t have to travel far for work, and you get to work with other college students.

This is a great way to make new friends while earning some extra money on the side.

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Final Thoughts on Side Hustles For College Students

As a college student, earning extra money on the side is essential. Having a side gig that can make money on your own schedule is ideal for all college students.

This list shares 75 different side hustles that are perfect for students in college. Whether you want to be an entrepreneur, work remotely, or work on campus, this list has something for everyone.