How to Make Money in College: Easy Ways to Earn Extra Cash

Sep 5, 2024 • last_updated • min_read

Figuring out how to make money in college means hunting down flexible opportunities, letting you balance studying and working. After all, college can cost a fortune (like buying course books, renting apartments, commuting, and buying groceries). Also, it’s a wondrous time, and you likely don’t want to stay in your dorm or apartment every Saturday! Sadly, everything has a price tag, and college students struggle to cope.

Thus, you might be searching for some ways to make money in college. Mainly, you wish to find opportunities that don’t force you to drop everything else, having enough time to study, party, or relax after an exam.

So, this guide introduces you to some of the best ways to make money in college without losing your grades and social life! Start by exploring various on-campus jobs, like a library assistant or tutor. Furthermore, remember the benefits of freelancing, giving you the flexibility to work whenever you like. Finally, effortless ways how to make money in college also exist, and the potential of passive income shouldn’t be underestimated!

Check Out On-Campus Job Opportunities

On-campus jobs can be a starting point for finding out how to make money as a college student. It can relate to various positions, such as:

Teaching assistants;

IT assistants;

Research assistants;

Event planners;

Library assistants;

Resident assistants;

Tutors;

Campus tour guides;

Dining hall supervisors;

Lifeguards;

Student drivers.

Why On-Campus Jobs Are Worth It

Here are some of the reasons why seeking these opportunities is a wise decision:

One of the biggest advantages of on-campus jobs is the convenient location. You can get to your classes quickly without having to commute.

On-campus jobs help you get to know your community and engage with other students. So, it’s an opportunity to find new friends!

Such jobs likely accommodate class schedules, meaning you can avoid the awkward conversations about adjusting your working hours.

You can even gain valuable experience in the field you would like to work in!

How to Find the Best Option

So, on-campus jobs are an excellent answer to the dilemma of how to make money in college. But how do you go about finding the best option? Depending on your location and college, you might follow different recommendations:

See whether you need to meet any conditions. Sometimes, you need to participate in a work-study program. You can apply for this by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®).

Consult specialists (if possible). Colleges might also have career services or employment offices. If possible, try to schedule a consultation to learn about your options.

Check out resources on the available on-campus jobs. Some colleges might post the available jobs and explain how you can apply on their websites.

Be professional when applying. On-campus jobs likely get many applications. So, try your best to stand out and follow the general tips for writing your resume.

Sometimes, you can’t wait for the best ways to make money in college to fall on your lap. Try emailing different departments to see if any positions are available.

Try Freelancing or Online Work

How do most college students make money? Well, your skills might be the answer! Thus, freelancing is one of the options for how to make money from home for students. Here, you would employ your talents without long-term commitments. It could be considered a lighter version of having a full-time job. Also, business owners tend to hire college students for these gigs.

How to make money as a college student with freelancing means discovering what skills you can sell! These abilities are perfect for starting this online side hustle and learning how to earn money online for students:

Website creation;

Web design;

Graphic design;

Writing;

Data analytics;

Video editing;

Photo editing;

Photography;

Voice acting;

Digital marketing;

Data entry specialists;

Virtual assistants;

Tutors;

App developers;

Translating.

How to Start Freelancing

Freelancing can be one of the easy ways to make money in college. Yet, you need to find some clients to get started. Luckily, you’ll find plenty of helpful platforms to get hired!

Start looking for freelancing opportunities locally. Essentially, explore popular job search sites that focus on freelancing. In fact, your first stop might be different Facebook Groups, where you can find people looking for specialists.

Register for freelancing platforms. Sites like Upwork and Fiverr help you reach global audiences! Thus, you get many more potential clients. All you need to do is prepare your profile, explain your skills, add a portfolio, and settle on prices.

Spread the word about your skills! By adding posters to the announcement boards, you can find clients in your department.

Build a Profile That Gets You Hired

Your freelancer career starts once you get clients. But do you prove yourself to be the best candidate? Your profile should resemble a traditional resume. Yet, the format can be more casual as well. Here are some tips on how to earn money online for students and create an excellent freelancing profile:

You should start with a clear description of your skills and your previous work experience. For college students, the experience option might be limited. So, don’t forget to show examples of your work! Otherwise, promote yourself through your strengths, personal attributes, and other relevant details.

Don’t forget to add your portfolio on freelancing platforms like Upwork. It’s a way for potential clients to see your skills and decide whether it suits them.

Offering lower prices than your competitors is an excellent way to attract clients. It might cost you a bit at first, but it can help you get positive reviews.

If possible, engage with your community and be open to negotiating prices. Yet, always set boundaries for working hours or workload.

Start Earning Passive Income

Still, how to make money in college when you’re incredibly busy with your studies is a mystery. After all, your courses might require a lot of time, and getting a part-time job seems impossible.

Luckily, you can consider passive income one of the best ways to make money in college. Passive income, different from active income, doesn’t require much effort.

Let’s start with examples of common passive income strategies:

Creating a blog;

Running a YouTube channel;

Managing an Instagram account;

Renting items or unused space (like garage or parking spots);

Sharing unused internet bandwidth;

Selling digital products;

Game streaming on Twitch.

With YouTube channels, blogging, becoming an influencer, or streaming on Twitch, you need to put in some effort. Yet, the strategies within these activities bring you passive income! Here are some common passive ideas on how to make money in college without a job:

Try affiliate marketing, which involves adding affiliate links to your blog or channel. You then get a commission for every purchase made through your link!

Always consider integrating ads into your website or videos. Then, you can profit from showing them to your users.

Another great option is sponsored posts, which involve partnering with a brand and posting promotional photos/videos. You might get paid per post, not for the number of customers you bring.

Accept guest posts to your blog, meaning you get paid to publish articles from others on your blog!

Honeygain for Passive Income

Passive income comes easy with Honeygain! Our service lets you share unused internet bandwidth and get paid for it. Hence, you can do it anytime and anywhere (even in your dorm!).

Another perk is that it requires no interaction. After creating an account and agreeing to share your internet, Honeygain does all the work for you. You can study, relax, or party while you share your internet and increase your earnings.

No Initial Funds Needed

You’ll be pleased to hear that most passive income strategies require no initial investment. Thus, it’s one of the best ways how to make money in college.

For instance, renting unused items or space won’t make you spend a dime. However, there are cases when you might need time and money to prepare everything. For instance, running a blog requires setting up a domain and getting hosting services. Luckily, many providers offer low-price plans to help you start with as little as $5!

Sell Your Stuff or Skills

Use your current assets to quickly learn how to make money in college without a job! Essentially, you put up various items you no longer need for sale.

Here are some ideas that might spark your imagination of what to sell:

Selling your class notes. Of course, you should take the time to neatly organize everything. If you have handwritten notes, use apps to transfer the texts into digital form! Having accurate, correct, and easily scannable files of helpful information will be attractive to many people taking the same courses!

Extra cash through various arts and crafts. Don’t forget that your creativity can bring you money as well. Consider posting about your creations on different campus groups. Also, spread the word to your friends and classmates: maybe their circles will become your potential clients.

Put your old clothes for sale. Getting rid of jeans or tops you no longer wear is an excellent option for how to make money in college. Post them on Facebook Groups or use platforms like Etsy or thredUp.

Offering textbooks and other study materials. The potential of selling your textbooks should motivate you to keep them in pristine condition! Always be on the lookout when a course starts: new students might need to buy it.

Start a Small Business on Campus

With the right idea blossoming, you can effortlessly learn how to make money as a college student. But what could a small business on campus look like? What services could you provide in your free time? Well, we hope that some of these examples can get the ball rolling:

Become a fitness trainer if you have the required certification.

Event planning can be trendy on campus, considering the number of workshops, gatherings, or parties.

Start offering tutoring services, and you might even ask other interested people to join.

Of course, before starting a business on campus, check your college policies and regulations. Also, pay attention to other legal aspects, like liability, taxes, or forms you might need to fill out.

Get Paid for Your Opinions

Learning how to make money in college also means not leaving any stone unturned! Thus, explore various survey sites or market research programs. They pay users for, say, sharing their opinions, clicking ads, playing games, using particular search engines, and watching videos.

Always look for local options, like a survey site where you can use your native language to answer survey questions. For more global options, we have a convenient list of popular platforms:

Opinion Outpost;

Survey Junkie;

Swagbucks;

Surveoo;

YouGov;

Kashkick.

If you find survey or market research sites that pique your interest, remember to check whether they can be trusted:

Look for reviews online to see whether people have raised any concerns. Common issues users mention include not getting their earnings (or excessive delays).

The website should be secure (using HTTPS). If you see HTTP instead, don’t reveal any personal information!

The site should not ask you for personal information (like social security numbers or PINs).

You should avoid sites that require upfront payments (say, for registering or receiving your earnings).

Taking full advantage of survey sites is also one of the best ways to make money in college. If it pays for surveys, videos, games, and research, do all activities! Then, you can earn more quickly.

Jump into the Gig Economy

Join the millions of people taking advantage of the gig economy! If this term sounds unfamiliar, it refers to various short-term tasks that companies pay individuals to perform. The perfect and likely most notable examples are ride-hailing apps or food delivery services. Thus, for anyone looking to make money in college, the gig economy might give them the earnings needed.

Pros and Cons of the Gig Economy

When it comes to the benefits of taking gig economy jobs, you can find plenty:

It allows you to have a flexible schedule and work whenever you want! For instance, Friday nights or weekends can bring you more money as a driver for ride-hailing apps.

Most companies in the gig economy pay quickly, so you can pick up a shift whenever you are short on cash.

Depending on your needs, you can explore different companies and jobs, from ride-hailing apps to potential clients on Upwork.

Of course, you should also consider the disadvantages of such opportunities:

While flexible in working hours, the gig economy doesn’t promise stable income. You might earn more on one night and barely anything on the other.

Since weekends might be time for working, you lose precious time for socializing or visiting family.

Typically, you are an independent contractor, meaning you won’t get the benefits you would receive at a traditional position.

Balance Gigs and Studies

Of course, no job should compromise your studies! So, it’s essential to take breaks and prioritize college tasks instead of work. For that, setting a schedule and finding gaps when you can work stress-free is convenient. Most importantly, monitor your health to avoid exhaustion.

Offer Tutoring or Academic Help

hand holding books and a coin with a dollar mark

Tutoring is one of the goldmines you should explore when it comes to how to make money in college!

Here are some things to consider before starting your career as a teacher:

Identify the areas, topics, or courses you excel at and run with them. You can also learn as you go or get paid to learn new skills. Then, you can teach others!

Do some market research to know what hourly rates to ask. In the beginning, you might ask less to get more students.

Don’t limit yourself to your campus. You can always be more global, tutoring students from all over the world!

Promote your services on local announcement boards, online websites, freelancing platforms, and anywhere relevant!

Also, you can offer more than lessons. For instance, you might help others write their essays, prep for tests, or proofread their content.

Tap into Campus Resources

Sometimes, you don’t need to look far to learn how to make money in college. Your college can already offer multiple ways to get some financial support!

Funds from Your College

Here are the programs and opportunities to look for at your college:

Scholarships can be the financial funds you receive for outstanding grades, activities, or other achievements. See what conditions apply, like what grades you need to get a scholarship.

Grants help cover different costs; essentially, it is free money from your school. Consult college consultants to see whether you can apply to receive them.

It’s always helpful to visit the financial aid office and get more information on potential aid you can receive. If you’re struggling, visit them and consider what they offer.

Career Fairs and Campus Career Services

Always visit career fairs or other career-focused events organized by your college. They are free and practical and can help you find people looking for specialists in your field. Even if these connections don’t get you a job immediately, they might be useful later. As a bonus, you get some experience networking, a crucial skill for the future!

Besides jobs, career fairs and campus career services can open doors to paid internships. For instance, you can get a part-time opportunity to gain practical skills in your field!

Conclusion

The struggle of how to make money in college doesn’t have to hinder your grades or social life. You can explore different paths, from freelancing to various gigs, selling stuff, or using survey sites. Overall, finding options that help you balance your lifestyle stress-free is crucial. A scholarship might also give you the necessary funds to support yourself monthly. Thus, prioritize your studies and health whenever you wish to learn how to make money as a college student.

Honeygain meets all the criteria for a college student to earn money. It’s effortless, free, and requires no initial funds. So, download Honeygain, start sharing your internet connection, and get that extra income!