The opportunity to earn more income is something that no college student can say no to. College is full of financial obligations, and it can be overwhelming when a student loan is the only alternative you have to go through school. Most college students are constantly on the lookout for side income hustles they can use to pay their tuition, buy books, lab or art exhibition equipment, go on academic trips, and do many other things.
Are you a college student looking for side income hustles you can do to earn extra income? This article provides you with the best side income hustles you can do to earn extra income without jeopardizing your academic pursuit. So, grab your coffee and relax as we explore these side income hustles in the next few minutes.
Top 10 Side Income Hustles for College Students
1. Freelance Writing
Freelance writing is one of the most lucrative side income hustles you can do as a college student. This side hustle is suitable for almost every student because no matter what your specialty is, there’s someone who needs your writing services. Your services can range from blog posts to cover letters, web contents, sales copy, emails, etc.
One good thing about this side hustle is that your presence is not required. You can write from anywhere at any time, be it in your dorm room or even in the classroom while waiting for your instructor.
There are various platforms that connect freelance writers to clients who need writing services. Platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, Guru.com, and many others give you the opportunity to build your portfolio from scratch. The more projects you do, the more you rank as an expert in a niche, and the more you’re seen as an expert, the higher you can charge for your services.
Freelance writing doesn’t just fetch you some extra income; it improves your vocabulary, which would be helpful in your academics.
2. Tutoring
If you have a good understanding of certain topics or subjects other students are struggling with, it’s an opportunity for you to make some income. You can do this by organizing paid classes on those topics/subjects in your free time. Just like writing, this side hustle also helps you increase your knowledge and attain a certain level of authority in a topic or subject.
You can also organize online classes and accommodate students who are not available in your location. This gives you the opportunity to work remotely and even earn more because you can accommodate as many students as you want. Furthermore, you can make more money by mentoring students in certain areas of their interests. Tutoring mustn’t be limited to students. You can make money by teaching certain skills you have to people who need them. If you’re a good swimmer, pianist, or programmer, there are people who would be happy to pay to acquire those skills.
3. Drive for Uber or Lyft
Driving is one skill that can come in handy when you need some extra money to sort out college bills. If you have your own car on campus, you can register with transport companies like Uber or Lyft to offer driving services to other students. This side hustle allows you to work in your free time and for as long as you want.
People are always on the move. So whether you choose to work in the early morning hours before going to class or late in the night when you’re back, you’d have customers to attend to. You can make as much as $30 per hour doing this.
4. Delivery Services
You can offer delivery services to students, professors, and anyone else and make a good income doing it. People love convenience and are willing to pay anyone who offers to help them take some tasks off their plates. You can deliver anything from food to documents, clothes, groceries, or any other material you can afford to carry.
It will even be more convenient if you have a bike or a car. However, this job requires you to have certain interpersonal skills like people management, communication, attention to details, and time management.
5. Dog Walking
Dog owners who are too busy or do not have the means to walk their dogs would be glad to pay for your services. One thing about this side hustle is that once you’ve established a connection with a dog, you’ve automatically earned the love of the owner. You’d get recurring jobs from them, and they’d even be glad to refer you to other dog owners.
You can dedicate an hour or two a day to doing this side hustle, thereby making time for your studies and academic engagements. If you’re a dog lover, you’d have fun doing this side hustle, as it won’t feel like work to you.
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6. Create Video Contents on YouTube
There’s no limit to how much you can earn by creating useful video content on YouTube. YouTube has established itself as a video information hub, and lots of people are making a living from it. Reports have it that over 5 billion videos are watched on YouTube every day. If you have any knowledge, skill or information to share to the public, YouTube is the best place to do so and make money. You can make money teaching mathematics, baking, sewing, and drawing and literally anything you know how to do on YouTube.
Sharing even the craziest things can earn you thousands of subscribers on YouTube. All you have to do is ensure you share what people want to watch. When you’ve gathered many subscribers, YouTube strategically places adverts on your videos, and you’d get paid for every ad click your videos gets for YouTube.
7. Blogging
Lots of students make money by blogging about various things that interest them. Blogging is all about sharing information about certain topics, events, or situations online. People are constantly seeking answers to various things as they go about their normal lives. Your duty as a blogger is to provide these answers.
There are many ways to make money from a blog. You can make money by selling advertising spaces, publishing sponsored posts, creating and selling online courses or e-books, and hosting paid webinars. You can also make money creating content for a select group of people.
8. Sell Stock Photos
Bloggers, YouTubers, journalists and almost every content creator requires images to help their audience understand their information better. If you have a knack for photography, you can make money selling stock photos of yourself or random things around you. Stock photos are often generic and can be used by anyone who sees meaning in them.
You can upload these photos on platforms like Shutterstock, istockphoto or any other stock photography platform. These platforms pay you a commission each time a photo of yours is used.
9. Flip Furniture or Clothing
Flipping business requires you to buy or get used items, fix them up and sell them at higher prices. You can earn a good income flipping furniture and clothes in college. Students want to have nice furniture and clothing, but oftentimes they do not have the money to afford those items in their first-hand states. Therefore, buying these used items and repackaging them doesn’t just meet their need for such quality items but also comes at a more affordable rate to them.
10. Become a Virtual Assistant
The need to establish a strong online presence has increased the demand for virtual assistants. Businesses need virtual assistants to manage their social media accounts, schedule meetings for prospective clients, update their website content, and do many other virtual tasks.
As a virtual assistant, you can make as much as $30 per hour and $200 per day, depending on how many hours you can put in.
Conclusion on the Best Side Income Hustles for College Students
There are many side hustles college students do to earn extra income. However, it’s best if you get the one that suits your schedules, offers you the flexibility and time to focus on your studies, and most importantly, has the capacity to earn you enough income to take care of important bills in school.
It’d even be better if you could find side hustles that are related to your program in school. For instance, if you’re a medical student, you can write for medical journals or blogs or offer health and fitness tutoring to those who need it.
I hope this article has given you some insight on the side hustles you can do to make some extra money in college.
