10 Good Jobs for College Students

When you’re in college, making ends meet, maintaining good grades, and acquiring all the skills you’ll need to land a fabulous job after you get your degree is difficult. It’s easy to feel like you’re being pulled in a dozen different directions and just can’t keep up. One thing that will help relieve some of that stress is finding a job that’s suitable for the college lifestyle. Here are 10 good jobs for college students:

I can personally attest to the fact that these are good jobs for college students because, as a college student, I did every single one of them at one time or another.

10 Good Jobs for College Students

1.) Tutor – Tutoring is a good job for college students because it provides flexibility. You can typically set your own hours and pick up more or less hours depending on your course load. Tutoring positions may be available with your college or you can do it on your own by advertising on school bulletin boards and Internet forums. According to care.com, tutors make about $10-$15 an hour.

2.) Babysitter – This is another job that provides flexibility. In addition, the perks are great. You often get free food, you get to be out of your (likely tiny) dorm or apartment, and you generally have some downtime to do homework and study. The pay isn’t bad either. According to the Huffington Post, the average hourly rate in the U.S. to watch one kid is $13.50 an hour.

3.) Dog Sitter – This is a good job for college students because it provides flexibility, the ability to raise or lower the number of hours you work, the chance to get away from your dorm or apartment for a bit, and the opportunity to get some fresh air. When you’re fighting the freshmen fifteen, that opportunity to get some fresh air is a big plus.

4.) Intern or Co-Op – Internships may not be especially flexible, but they do provide skills that will beef up your resume. In addition, if you make a good impression, you may be offered a job when you graduate. This is a great opportunity to network and learn more about the industry you’re studying to join. Personally, I found that what I learned during my internship helped me with my coursework, and I was able to use the company’s research and resources for school projects. An internship or co-op may even count for college credit.

5.) Freelancer – This is a good job for college students because it provides flexibility, the chance to practice your skills, and doesn’t require transportation or changing out of your pajamas. Freelancing is an option for many industries including finances (I did financial consulting and data entry), graphic design, IT, copywriting, translating, and administrative tasks. Depending on your industry, there are specific websites you’ll want to check out. For example, 99designs.com is great for graphic designers and artists. You may also want to look into www.elance.com.

6.) Retail Store Clerk – This type of position will generally provide non-traditional hours that can be scheduled around your courses (ex. weekends). Retail will also typically offer the perk of a store discount which can definitely come in handy. For example, when I worked at Eddie Bauer, I got a 50% discount.

7.) College Employee – The fact that you don’t need transportation and typically can get a flexible schedule make working at the college or university a good job for college students. This is another opportunity to beef up your resume by working in the library, student services department, or etc. If you receive financial aid, you may be eligible for work-study which is a program that helps you secure employment at the college. Talk to your financial aid office to see if you qualify.

8.) Teacher’s Assistant – Being a teacher’s assistant is a good way to earn college credit and (hopefully) some cash. Sometimes teacher’s assistants are not paid so make sure you get the full details before signing on. In addition, the teacher you work for will probably teach courses in the industry you’re hoping to go into so its a great opportunity to gain additional insight into your future profession.

9.) Study Subject – If your college is a research driven institute, you will probably encounter plenty of opportunities to participate in studies. These studies may be medical, psychological, business, marketing, sociological, or other in nature. Typically, these studies won’t take up too terribly much of your time. If your college isn’t doing any studies, seek corporate studies in your area. For example, in my area, Procter & Gamble regularly does market research studies.

10.) House Sitter – Like babysitting and dog sitting, house sitting is a good job for college students because it provides flexibility, the opportunity to get off campus for a while, and time to study while at “work”. According to housesitter.com, a reasonable industry price is $25-$30 a day.