30+ Best Paying Part-Time Jobs for College Students (USA)

Best Paying Part-Time Jobs for College Students | Highest Paying Part-Time Jobs for Students

It’s been more than two years now since the whole country went into lockdown!

Many have lost employment and many of us, who were hoping to get part-time online jobs from home during this period, are sitting idle at our places.

Yes, I’m talking about my fellow college students and grads! 

I know this has been a very challenging time for all of us – emotionally for some, financially for others. 

But you should know that you have all the means to overturn the situation to work in your favor. YES!

And, this blog is going to be your guide on how exactly you’re going to do that.

I’ve curated a list of the best paying part-time jobs for college students that you can pursue both online as well offline.

Start scrolling to unlock the brightest future that you deserve!

39 Best Paying Part-Time Jobs for College Students (Online!)

I have created this list of the best-paying part-time jobs for college students at home.

1. Online Tutoring

Online Tutoring - Best Paying Part-Time Jobs for College Students
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We all know, with the whole pandemic situation going on, turning any business opportunity into a digital channel is proving to be a boom.

Tuitions have always been a great source of income if you have the required knowledge and skills.

So why not start your tuition online? I mean, so many students have no idea what is going on with their studies.

Tap the door now! Start giving online tuitions while they cannot pursue offline ones.

Online tuition is one of the best-paying part-time jobs for college students.

Example: Tutor.com

You can start online tutoring in either of the two ways:

  1. Live online teaching via Zoom calls.
  2. Recorded online sessions via platforms like YouTube. 

2. Online consultant

Online consultation is another one of the best paying part-time jobs for college students, like online tutoring only, except for the fact that here your audience will not be students. 

You can provide consultation services if you have adequate knowledge in a specific field. 

This can go over zoom calls, skype calls, etc. You just need to have a website or a social media account to promote your services.

Example: Try Upwork

You can provide psychiatrist services over skype calls if you are an expert in the subject matter.

3. Translation

Translation - Online Tutoring - Best Paying Part-Time Jobs for College Students
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Translation is another great part-time job for college students at home who are proficient in multiple languages

The fact that most of us are bilingual can work in our favor here. There are a lot of job openings for translators on the internet. You can get paid well if you have consistency in your services.

Example: Gengo.com

4. Game Tester

Next on the list of the best paying part-time jobs for college students is game testing. If you have the technical knowledge regarding game development, then surely you must also know how to test games for their efficiency before launch. 

You can make a considerable amount of money from these part-time online jobs from home, and also it is fun!

Example: LinkedIn

You can work as a game developer at one company and be a part-time tester in another company.

5. YouTube 

YouTube is a broad arena. When you think of creating content for YouTube, you do not have to limit your creativity to any particular niche or topic.

You can choose to present content on any topic which you pleasure. But, yes, you cannot expect to make the best paying part-time jobs for college students out of any irrelevant topic.

If you want to ensure your success, you’ll have to understand the trends and algorithms. You’ll have to be consistent. And you have to keep in mind that you cannot be a millionaire overnight with YouTube.

6. Data Entry

If you have fluent typing speed, you can join this part-time data entry job,. Data entry includes many different types of work, and it sometimes includes form-filling, sometimes it involves filling up data into the company servers.

Again, a data entry job is not a very well-paying job, and also it does not have any prospects.

Still, it is a part of the list of best-paying part-time jobs for college students as you do not need any prior experience for this job.

7. Content Writing

Content Writing - good paying job for college students
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Content writing is, for sure, among the best paying part-time jobs for college students at home as it not only pays well but, in my personal opinion, it also helps you gain valuable experience.

Creative writing is not only about being fluent in a certain language. It’s also about researching various topics and expanding your knowledge horizons.

While drafting content for your employers you gain a lot of knowledge and experience, which can be very useful while applying for a full-time job.

Example: Fiverr, Upwork

You can start your content writer career in any field like e-Commerce related research and article drafting, copywriting, technical content writing, non-technical content writing, website content creation, etc.

8. Graphic Designing

Graphic designing is a budding career. There’s a huge demand for graphic designers these days. Most companies and brands like to include engaging graphics to promote their products and services. 

Graphic designing is not only in demand, but also, a very well-paid part-time job from home for students if you have the required skills.

Example: Freelancer.com, Fiverr, etc

  1. You can start your website to provide freelance graphic designing services.
  2. You can start a social media page for your graphics and attract traffic.
  3. Or, you can work for companies as a graphic designer. 

9. Website Designing

Website Designing
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Website designing, just like graphic designing, is very popular these days. As more and more businesses are deciding to transform digitally, the demand for website designers is increasing.  

As a website designer, your job is to create engaging websites for your clients to attract maximum traffic.

Website designing pays very well and also has a great future scope!

Example: Peopleperhour.com, etc

  1. Again, you can create your website or a social media page to provide freelance website designing services.
  2. Or you can work professionally for companies as a website designer. 

10. Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is among the most popular, highest-paying part-time jobs for students these days. As more and more businesses are becoming digital, the marketing requirements are also becoming digital. 

Digital marketing is one of the largest growing services in the states. As a digital marketer, you can earn as much as $32 per hour! 

You can start working as a digital marketer in companies or provide your services as a freelancer. If you are more inclined towards freelancing, I would suggest you create a Fiverr profile just like this.

11. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search Engine Optimization is the process of optimizing a website or web portal for better search results. 

When a user searches for something on the internet, they usually tend to continue the search till the second search page at most.

So, SEO services involve optimizing a site using several tools and techniques so that it can rank on the first few pages of the search results. 

12. Freelancing

Freelancing job for college students
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Freelancing means providing any sort of service as an individual service provider and not by being employed by any organization or business. 

If you are efficient in a particular service, then you can provide your services as a freelancer through your website or maybe social media pages, etc. 

The biggest advantage of freelancing is that you get to work as per your flexible schedule and you work for yourself!

Most of the jobs covered in this article are freelancing jobs only.

Example: Peopleperhour, Fiverr, Upwork, etc.

13. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a great part-time online job from home that involves promoting products in a way that people buy them from your links. 

When they do so, the selling company shares with you a part of the sale proceeds as a commission. 

All you have to do for affiliate marketing is just get an affiliate program from any website. You can promote the products of your own choice. You can even make up to 50% as commission!

Example: Amazon Affiliate, Fiverr affiliate, etc

14. Micro Jobs

You might not know this, but there are such jobs where you get paid to perform different micro-jobs. You might have to write some reviews or a short article, watch some videos, identify an image, etc.

Moreover, you can work for 2-3 hours a day and earn fairly through these micro-jobs.

15. Captcha Solving

We all are familiar with captcha, right? The set of jumbled images appears when you have to sign up for e-mail or some website, etc. 

Companies employ people to solve captchas and identify images to make way for automatic sign up. 

The reason why this needs human efforts is that no software can solve a captcha. Only a human can solve it.

Now this job also pays poorly. You can hardly make Rs. 60-120 for solving as many as 1000 captchas!

Example: MegaTypers, 2Captcha, etc.

16. Online Surveys

Filing up online surveys might not be one of the best paying part-time jobs for college students, but it is a great way to earn money without any experience at home. But to be clear, this is not a job that you can include as a part of your job experience. 

What happens is that a company that wishes to promote their advertisements asks a hosting website to do so through their portal. 

The hosting websites then send you the surveys to be filled and then pay you for it. 

Although, it’s not easy to earn money through online surveys. You earn merely after filling up hundreds of surveys.

17. Become a part-time seller

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You can become an online seller on various e-Commerce sites like Etsy, Amazon, eBay, etc. This is a very profitable business, and you can also convert it into a full-time profession later on.

All you need is a seller account and a ready supply of your products.

You can find goods which are supplied in your local area and sell them on these sites. Or you can find the trending products in the market and start selling them online.

18. Baking

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I have witnessed this myself, that there are a lot of home bakeries that have started their operations during the pandemic and have become very successful.

You need to have baking and decorating skills and a way of charming your audience to gain popularity.

You can either build your website or have a social media page for your business.

Most home bakeries usually go this way as it is easy to take customized orders through personal conversations.

19. Social Media Marketing

Next on the list of the best paying part-time jobs for college students is social media marketing. If you get this job in college, it would be a massive kick-start to your career thereafter.

Just like digital marketing, social media marketing is also an in-demand job. Social media marketing also offers a huge future scope as a full-time profession.

Social media marketing involves promoting and marketing businesses over social media platforms. 

You can provide these services as a freelancer as well as or you can get part-time work in companies.

20. Painting/Handmade Crafts

Painting/Handmade Crafts
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Crafts have emerged as the highest paying part-time jobs for students during the pandemic. Many people who have art and craft skills have started their home businesses during this time. People love handmade gifts and artwork which is why this business is quite profitable.

I make and sell commissioned artworks as a part-time profession. And, I can assure you that if you have the skills then people will value your work.

Example: Etsy

Etsy, a US-based e-commerce platform is a great example of how you can sell your artworks or crafts without even having the hassle to create your website.

It charges a minimal amount to register your listings and then a commission after the sale is made, and you have received the payment from your customers.

21. Video Editor

Video editing is a part of digital marketing or social media marketing jobs. Usually, brands are required to construct engaging videos to gain traffic.

You need to have adequate knowledge of video editing. 

You can work as a part-time video editor for vloggers, advertisement agencies, or other brands and companies and earn a considerable income. 

Video editing can prove to be one of the highest-paying part-time jobs for students.

22. Ticketing Agent 

You can start your ticketing/ booking service business. All you have to do is to have unlimited access to a computer and the internet. 

Many senior citizens might not know how to book tickets online, or how to fill out online forms and applications. You can provide these services and charge your fees. It is similar to cyber cafe operations.

You can start accepting requests online from your local neighborhood residents for booking tickets for railways, airlines, buses, etc.

23. Dropshipping

Dropshipping means setting up an online store and selling a product that’s not in your possession. 

So once you get an order from your customer through the website that you are operating on, then you place an order to the supplier, who can be a manufacturer or a wholesaler or another retailer, who is the original supplier of the product. 

Under this arrangement, your supplier is going to deliver the product to your customer directly. 

So you are acting as the middlemen as you are not buying the product physically, you don’t keep an inventory, you don’t have a warehouse where you store your products.

You can start your dropshipping business on the Amazon FBA program. You need to set up an Amazon seller account and find a reliable supplier to supply your products to the customers. 

24. App/Games Developer

Games Developer
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You can be an app developer or a games developer. Now both these professions require technical know-how. 

Although, if you have the required skills, well then this could be a great opportunity for you to make money and gain a lot of experience.

Most organizations use apps, and as we know, apps are constantly updating. You could work as a part-time app developer and help organizations grow.

This is one of the best-paying part-time jobs for college students who are technology geeks.

25. Blogging

Blogging is a great way to make money if you have thoughts that you want to share with the world. Sharing your thoughts could, indeed, be a great way of channeling them. 

The job of a blogger is very interesting. 

How do I know that?

Well, because I am one!

Trust me, you’ll get to learn a lot. As you start to write on some topic, you start researching, and then you just expand your horizons.

Also, being a blogger can pay fairly well. It also makes a great full-time profession!

  1. You can start working as a freelance blogger for different blog sites.
  2. Or you can start your blog site.
  3. You can also pursue guest blogging!

5 Highest Paying Part-Time Jobs for Students (Offline WFH!)

26. Dog Breeding

Breeding jobs involve the production of puppies or litters for show or companionship. The job of a dog breeder can be very well-paying. 

It is definitely one of the highest paying part-time jobs for students as the pay-outs are extremely lucrative. Although, you require knowledge for this job.

27. Offline Tutoring

Offline tutoring is a very common business. Many people offer tuition from their homes, some even provide home tuition at the students’ place.

Tuitions can prove to be very profitable!

I mean just think about it. You do not require any special investment, right?

  1. You can provide tuition to school students or college students.
  2. Maybe, you can teach music or instruments!
  3. You can even start your dance classes.
  4. Or, you can teach sports, if you are amazing at any.

28. Insurance Agent

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The job of an insurance agent is to persuade people to get insurance from their companies. The agent gets a commission based on the number of people signed up during a particular period.

Usually, this comes with targets and deadlines which makes it a little tiring. But, if you have great communication and marketing skills, you can easily complete your targets. It goes the same way for almost all insurance companies.

It is one of the best paying part-time jobs for college students who aspire to seek a career in insurance as you’ll gain first-hand experience which will be a great kick-start.

29. Dorm Receptionist

If you’re a night owl or if you suffer from SAD, then this makes one of the most suitable, best-paying part-time jobs for college students.

Many find the after-hours as the most productive time of the day. This job would make the perfect side hustle for Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai (if he’d ever need one, though!)

The timings for most dorm receptionist jobs start after sunset and can go as late as 3 AM. You can use this time to study while making an extra income. And yes, you are allowed to do your homework during your shifts.

30. Event Planning

Event planning is among the highest paying part-time jobs for students as it is a very profitable job and has quite a scope. 

The job of an event planner involves planning, organizing, managing, and coordinating functions. 

It might be a wedding function, a birthday party, a formal party at some office, etc.

You can work as a freelancer or with some event planning firm. As a fresher, it would be better to start under a firm as you will first need to establish contacts and get to know the market. 

3 Highest Paying Part-Time Jobs in California

31. Bike Shop Mechanic

bike shop mechanic - highest paying part-time jobs in california
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If you love bikes, then this would be the perfect gig for you to monetize your passion. Even f you do not have any prior experience at fixing bikes, you can take some basic lessons from any local bike club and start your journey.

You’ll gain a lot of experience at this job if you aspire to have a mechanical engineering career.

32. Photographer

If you have a sweet camera and the perfect eye to seize the moments, I would highly recommend you check out local photographers and see if they need an assistant. Or, you might go freelancing and start your own little venture.

The part that makes this one of the best paying part-time jobs for college students is that it offers you flexibility. You can choose to work at events that match your schedule or on weekends.

Photography is one of the highest-paying part-time jobs in California as you can charge any amount based on your skills and creativity.

33. Host or Server at a Restaurant

If you are on the hunt for the highest paying part-time jobs in California to pay for your college, you have to try out as a host or server at high-end restaurants. You’ll not only make fast cash but also gain valuable experience in the HORECA industry. 

6 Best Part-Time Jobs in San Francisco for College Students

34. Fitness Trainer

You can be a fitness trainer if you have a passion for health and are into training and nutrition. It is one of the part-time jobs in San Francisco for college students that combines passion and profession!

As a fitness trainer, you can work in gyms, or nutrition centers, or maybe start your fitness classes.

You can have aerobics classes, or you can work at a gym as a trainer with all the equipment, or you can be a yoga instructor, etc. 

35. Lifeguard

Next on the list of the best part-time jobs in San Francisco for college students is a lifeguard.  Lifeguarding can be a rewarding profession if you’re willing to get the proper training and certification,. 

You’ll spend your days by the pool or the beach, sunbathing and promoting safety in the water. As a plus, your co-workers are likely to be young and you’ll enjoy working in a fun work environment. 

Win-win?

36. Ice Cream Scooper

Ice cream scooper - Best Part-Time Jobs in San Francisco for College Students
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If you are looking for a social job, an ice cream scooper is one of the best part-time jobs in San Francisco for college students.

Although, I wouldn’t recommend this job if you have a sweet tooth or lack of control. I mean, you do not want to spend your weekly payout on treating yourself with the same ice cream, right? 

37. Juice/Smoothie Maker

Smoothies are all the rage these days. You must have noticed new juice shops popping up in your neighborhood. Get in the action by taking a spot in one of them. 

38. Barista/Bartender

If you have work experience as a barista or bartender, then these are the part-time jobs in San Francisco for college students that you are looking for. 

You can easily find a job around your college since cafes and bars cluster around campus. You will get the chance to socialize with tons of students outside of college. 

But, keep in mind, you might have to work late at night or long shifts!

39. Food Truck Staff

Food trucks are cool, PERIOD.

If you live in San Fransico, food trucks are the growing local business trend. Rather, I would say it is one of the best part-time jobs in San Francisco for college students.

You’ll get to work with a fun culture, gain customer service experience, food prep experience, and the opportunity to travel while working.

Conclusion

I think it is great for you that you are looking for a part-time job while still in college.

I can say from my personal experience that now is the right time to start knowing the industry from the inside.

Your aim should not be just to gain knowledge and skills, but also the hands-on experience to apply the knowledge and skills to real-life projects.

Not only do you get to make a living while studying, but you also get the experience of the corporate world.

You can go apply for various internships or part-time jobs from several portals.

Now, I don’t understand, why are you still here?

Hit the start of a dream career right now! 

Oh! and then make sure you get back here and let us know how this blog helped you. I would want to know everything – what you pursue, how it went for you, and the future of course!

If nothing else, it will help me curate better ideas and suggestions for future readers. Thanks!

FAQs:

  1. What are the best part-time online jobs for students?
    Some of the best part-time online jobs for students are blogging, content writing, digital marketing, web designing, etc. 
  2. What jobs can a student do from home?
    As a student, you can do various jobs from home including online as well as offline jobs like blogging, digital marketing, graphic designing, website designing, baking, and many more. The scale of operations will depend on how much time you can devote to it. 
  3. Which online job is best for students?
    The best online job for college students would be the one that offers maximum hands-on experience, and provides you with valuable certificates and LORs, while supporting you financially. 
  4. Does an online job pay?
    Yes, of course. Online jobs do pay and they actually can pay very well too. So much so that you might not even need an offline job. You just need to clear your path and walk straight without being distracted. Some of the best-paying online jobs are listed above. You should check them out. 

Hey there! I am Avipsa Lakhanpal. I'm a passionate writer and a self-taught artist. I like writing on subjects relating to academics, career, e-commerce, and general knowledge. I write with the sole aim of assisting my readers to their complete satisfaction.

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