Online Part-Time Jobs for Students
Are you a college student or even a high schooler who wants to work online? Working online in college was how I afforded to pay my rent and tuition, so I’m a huge supporter of online part-time jobs for students.
Why part-time jobs? I’ve already written a full guide to the best online jobs for college students that could be full-time gigs, so why part-time? Basically, as a college student, you need time to study, make friends, and just be in college.
A full-time job is really demanding, so it’s best to avoid it until you graduate! In this guide, I’ll share the best work online jobs for college students that won’t demand all of your time. In general, you’ll only need between 10-20 hours a week to make good money online with one of these gigs.
Why Work Online Part-Time in College?
As I said before, college students need time to just be students! Working full-time in college is hard to keep up with, and it can get in the way of your academics.
In addition, working one of these part-time online jobs in college has some surprising benefits:
- Build real-life job experience
- Create your own college portfolio website
- Get references to use when applying to “real” jobs
- Learn more about what you want to do
If it wasn’t for my own experience working online in college, I don’t know that I would have ever discovered my passion for writing for the web. Now, I’m so happy for the time I spent working online part-time as a student. It changed my life!
1. Freelance Writing
First, one of the easiest online part-time jobs for students is to become a freelance writer. While you will need to know how to write, there’s no experience necessary. You don’t even need to be studying English!
As long as you’re a strong writer and you know a few things about how to write for the web, you can get paid to write.
To get started, check out these 20 websites that pay writers for their work. In addition, check out my free downloadable guide to working as a freelance writer in college.
As a freelance writer, I create online content for businesses. I write mainly about marketing and technology, but you can write about just about anything.
2. Virtual Assistant
Another great way to make money online part-time is as a virtual assistant. As a virtual assistant, you’ll act as a digital administrator, helping with tasks and duties like you would in an office.
Who hires virtual assistants? Bloggers, professionals, and even small businesses. You can either pitch clients yourself, or you can use a company that hires freelance virtual assistants. Here are a few popular options:
- Belay – Belay hires independent contractors who work from home as virtual assistants. You’ll be paired with a client that matches your availability and experience.
- Time, Etc. – Similar to Belay, Time, Etc. hires virtual assistants as long as they’re able to work 3+ hours each week. While you’ll mainly be needed from Monday – Friday, this is a pretty flexible position.
3. Part-Time Seller/Reseller
If you’ve got an eye for style and products, this might be for you. Sellers and resellers buy products and resell them, usually through Amazon or eBay.
A lot of people have found great success in doing this. Most notably, the mastermind behind #Girlboss and NastyGal got her start selling things on eBay that she found at the thrift stores near her house!
Here are some places you can sell things online:
4. Do Online Surveys
While online surveys might not seem like an easy way to bring in lots of cash, these platforms are getting a lot more lucrative! While you probably won’t bring in a full-time income doing surveys, they’re perfect for students who have a few seconds between classes.
I personally do survey sites in my downtime, and I always can bring in an extra $100 here and there. What college student wouldn’t want that? Pizza money, right?
The best online survey sites for college students are
These links above are affiliate links. That means I might get a small commission if you sign up through my link, and you’ll also get an intro bonus. Thanks for supporting the brands I use and trust!
5. Data Entry
Another popular part-time online job for students is data entry. Data entry might get a bad reputation for being a bit mundane and repetitive, but it’s one of the best online jobs there is!
If you’re an organized person and a fast typer, this might be the right gig for you. Plus, you can customize your work hours and only work when you want to. If you want to get started working part-time online, I recommend looking for data entry positions or clients here:
- Upwork (Check out my guide to creating the perfect Upwork pitch)
- Fiverr
- Craigslist
6. Social Media Manager
Let’s be real, a lot of college students are pros at social media. It’s one of the perks of being a digital native! Why not put that skill to good use as a social media manager part-time?
A lot of businesses know they need to invest in social media, but they don’t have the time. That’s where you come in. You can set up your own self-hosted WordPress blog (check out my guide to creating an affordable website) and pitch clients directly or use one of the many freelancing websites listed above.
Pro tip: Join blogger groups on Facebook! You’ll often see job listings looking for social media managers.
7. Create and Sell Products
Finally, creating and selling your own products is a great way to make money online in college. If you’re a student with some kind of special skill, why not make some products you can sell?
Check out Etsy to see for yourself how profitable this can be. Not only are industries like calligraphy, crafting, and so on booming right now, but you can really let your artwork shine.
No matter what you make, there’s someone out there who’s willing to buy it. The same goes for digital products! Think outside the box and watch that money roll in.
Make Money Online Part-Time in College
Who said you had to make a lot of sacrifices when it comes to making money online in college? If you want to work online part-time, these gigs above are perfect for you.
Which one of the ideas above speaks out to you the most? Let me know in the comments. I’ve personally been blogging and freelancing since college, so I know what it’s like. Best of luck on your online work journey!
