How to Make Money In College

Let me paint a picture for you. You’re halfway into your fall semester and all the money from your hard earned summer job has miraculously disappeared in late night runs to Mcdonalds and you’re suddenly facing a winter full of splitting ramen packets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you’re tired of having cash flow problems but don’t want to fully skip out on your virtual classes, here are 48 ways to make money in college.

1. Join a Work-Study

While probably the easiest of the options, many colleges and universities offer work studies for their students. Those who apply and receive the spots are given an on campus job that works with their schedule, making it way easier, and closer, than a random part time gig at a fast food chain. Some work-studies also come with certain stipends, making life easier for everyone involved. 

2. Become a teaching assistant

Really good at a particular class or subject? Teaching assistant (TA)positions are a great way to work with interesting professors and make money at the same time. Most posts involve menial work like printing and grading papers, but they aren’t nearly as much work as waitressing and provide you with pretty sick money. Most TA positions aren’t advertised, so the best way to get one is by participating in class. If the professors know your name, it’s a start. 

3. Babysit

No, I’m not talking about the freshmen. In any college town, there are always a plethora of children ready to be babysat. And I’ve never met a parent who would turn down a night out without the kids. You can create a profile at Care.com to let seeking parents around you know you’re available. This is especially helpful for international students who aren’t allowed jobs with W-9s. 

4. Join Task Rabbit

You don’t need to be a master at any one thing to join Task Rabbit. As long as you’re willing to build IKEA furniture, mow a lawn, or hang some paintings on the wall, this a great way to make easy cash around your schedule. Just sign up, and you’ll be able to complete odd jobs for cash.

6. Give Essay Help

Sometimes college essays are just a little too hard to handle. That’s where you come in. While writing essays for people isn’t ethical, giving help, notes,and edits on already written essays is just what the doctor ordered. If you offer

7. Become An RA

You know what’s better than money? Free housing accommodations. Not only do resident advisors get a monthly paycheck, but since their job is to make sure dorm residence goes smoothly, it's only fitting that their room and board is absolutely free. 

8. Safe Rides

If you have a car, then driving people home might make you more money than you think. There are requirements to drive for uber, but if you advertise locally, you can make quite a few bucks when darty season starts again. 

9. Writing Center

Are you great at writing essays? Getting a job at the writing center won’t just give you a solid paycheck. It can also give you solid contacts on more work, and help you make a ton of friends along the way.

11. Model

No, I’m not telling you to become the next Gigi Hadid. But art students find live models extremely helpful in their creative process. Regardless of body type, you can sign up to be a live model, and get paid per session. Just make sure you can stand still for a long, long time. 

12. Set Up For Events

Have any experience hanging banners? Then you might be in luck. There are plenty of campus events that require idle hands for set up. Charging by event is a great way to get paid for taping things up. 

13. Internships

Internships aren’t just for padding your resume. Many name brand internships don’t just offer credit, they also offer competitive pricing. You could earn over minimum wage doing what you already love. 

14. Work Security

This job is less Paul Blart: Mall Cop and more sitting around for hours at a time, but it’s a pretty great gig if you’re worried about keeping on top of your school assignments. Most security positions also let you do your homework, which means you’re basically getting paid per assignment.

16. Work As A Research Assistant

There are always professors with book or research projects. Joining on as a research assistant can bring in money long after the semester ends. If you work hard enough, you can also get a credit or byline on an academic project. 

17. Become A Dog Walker

If you can walk, or roll, you can do this job. Walking dogs is a great way to get exercise and get paid. Plus, the more dogs, the more cash in your wallet. 

18. Recycle Cans And Bottles

Most states have a cash recyclable program. While it’s a little more work, collecting and returning bottles and cans can have a pretty big payout by the end of the year. 

19. Sell Class Notes

If you have pretty handwriting, then this might be the gig for you. Desperate  or sleepy students will pay extra for great class notes, which means cash and absolutely no work on your part.

21. Resell Textbooks

We can all agree textbooks are far too expensive. But if you’ve already purchased those money-sucking manuals, then you have stacks of cash just sitting on your bookshelves. Reselling those books for a smaller fee than the campus bookstore will make you a hit with needy incoming students, especially if you have notes in the margins. 

22. House Sit

House sitting is a great way to get paid to do homework. As long as you aren't tempted to throw any Project X style parties, house sitting requires very little work, and give you a ton of payoff. 

23. Dog Sit

Great at dog walking? Why not just take them home. You can make double the money dog sitting a cute pup for a night or two. Plus, you get a cuddly companion for the week. Just check with your dorm rules on pets. 

24. Sell Stickers

If there’s one thing college students like, it’s stickers. If you have a working printer, you can sell themed stickers about your college or favorite show.

26. Turn Your Hobby Into A Business

Is there something you do on a daily basis that brings you joy? Whether its playing an instrument, making clothes, or drawing, you can easily turn your hobby into a great business. You have skills! Why not profit off of them? 

27. Write scholarships

Yes, I’m sure if you’re looking for ways to make money, you’ve already considered large scholarships from your school. But did you know that thousands of dollars of scholarship money goes unclaimed every year? There are plenty of extremely specific scholarships that will pay hundreds of dollars. All you have to do is write a short essay!

28. Virtual Assistant

Good at organizing? You can become a virtual assistant for a professor or local business professional. The job requires organizational skills, email capabilities, and a great understanding of scheduling.  

29. Become a Mover

There’s always one new student who manages to bring their entire childhood bedroom to college with them. When it's time to move out, that’s where you come in. Offering your services as a mover is a great way to make money per room. Plus, anything they decide to leave behind is something you can keep!

31. Busk

Can you play an instrument or sing? Then busking might be the gig for you. Besides the possibility of becoming the next big thing, busking is a fun way to get paid for an hour of singing on the street. 

32. Ghostwriter

If you’re fine with being the voice behind the curtain, ghostwriting for marketing or student essays can reward your secrecy with some serious cash. 

33. Content Creator

If you already have a large following on social media, then content creator might be the next big step for you. Creators who post ads for specialized content can make tons of funds, and get some sweet sponsored deals in the meantime. 

34. Sell Plasma

While this is one of the more desperate part time jobs, selling your plasma is a great way to get big sums of cash for emergencies. Be careful, plasma selling can also be dangerous for people with medical conditions. Be sure to check with your doctor before signing up for elective treatments.

36. Deliver Groceries

If you’re willing to spend a couple of hours trolling through a Kroger, then delivering groceries might be your next big gig. Signing up through apps like InstaCart can give you a plethora of delivery options and a big paycheck based on big deliveries. 

37. Flip Items

Restoring old items, like dorm necessities or furniture, can provide lower income students with great items on the cheap, and give you a new form of income. 

38. Design T-shirts

Does your college have a ton of inside jokes? Then t-shirt designing might make you more money than you think. If you’re just starting, make sure to start small, as its the best way to turn a profit without spending too much on overhead. 

39. Create Resumes

If you’re great at using Adobe Creative Cloud, students and professors alike will pay big money for colorful resumes that make them stand out from the pack.

41. Retail Job

Don’t want to work with food. There are plenty of retail jobs that don’t require experience. While the pay is minimum wage, most shops offer employee discounts. If you work in a campus shop, those discounts can extend to books and campus merch. 

42. Watch Movie Previews

Truly looking for the most bang for your buck? You can make petty cash just by watching movie previews. You can make an account at Inbox Dollars and get paid for every preview you watch and review. 

43. Odd Jobs

While the easiest way to join the gig economy is an app, odd jobs still exist. See an elderly neighbor with an overgrown lawn? There’s your chance. Even better, it might make you a friend. 

44. SAT prep

If you made it to college, then there’s a pretty good chance you did well on a standardized test.  There are plenty of needy high school students looking for a little help of their own. While the high schoolers might not have many funds, their parents are definitely willing to pay whatever it takes for their kids to make it into their dream school.

46. Freelance Write

Publications are always looking for opinion pieces from current students. Publications like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Teen Vogue have specific landing pages dedicated to young voices. All of them offer payment per article, which means the more you write, the more you make. 

47. Fill Out Online Surveys

You can make money by filling out online surveys. While you have to click a few before the cash starts rolling in, working on several sites consistently can really pay off. You can find paid surveys on Swagbucks Surveys, Survey Junkie, and Branded Surveys.

48. User Testing

If you’re willing to try a ton of different products, user testing might be your key to more cash. UserTesting.com allows you to provide customer experiences to brands for a price. This job doesn't just give you more money. You also get the chance to test drive cool new products.

Whether you’re product testing, dog walking, or just working in the campus library, these college jobs might be the key to a ramen-less future.