Jobs for college students are popular. They typically work part-time jobs throughout the school year to fund their lifestyles, get some extra cash, and work on paying off student loans.
For students, it can be a challenge to find college jobs that are flexible with scheduling. These jobs are some of the most flexible, and with good pay.
Sales Associate
This is the number one most popular job for college students. Being a sales associate involves making sales, organizing inventory, and doing small clean up. To ensure the store is flexible with hours, be clear about your student status and class schedule.
The average pay for sales associates is $13 an hour.
Food Service
A close second for popularity in college jobs is a food service employee. This can range from being a bartender at a bar, barista at a coffee shop, server, dishwasher, or busser. Some roles offer the option of tips, which typically increases the pay significantly.
Tasks in food service are taking orders, serving food and drink, and clean-up tasks.
The average food service hourly pay is $11.16.
Brand Ambassador
A brand ambassador promotes brands by engaging with the public. They can do this either in person or online. Usually, brands that want ambassadors are sports, restaurants, hospitality, food, and beverages.
This is a good role for students because the events that brand ambassadors work at are typically on weekends and evenings. For most positions, brand ambassadors can pick and choose events they want to work with, therefore, creating their own schedule.
Tasks for brand ambassadors are traveling to locations for events, handing out products, and engaging with current or potential customers.
The average pay for a brand ambassador $17.40 an hour.
Social Media Manager
If you are a college student who is proficient with social media and spends their time on social media, then this role is perfect for you. Brands and companies are on social media and love to have Gen Z to be their social media experts.
These roles are typically remote and allow for flexibility in hours. Social media managers and assistants perform SEO optimization, content creation, minor graphic design work, blogging, and engaging with audiences on social media. It depends on the organization on what social media platforms they use. Most companies are active on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
If you are a college student who works in marketing, communications, advertising, this role is a fantastic side hustle to have on your resume when looking for full-time employment post-graduation.
The average pay for a social media assistant is $18 per hour.
Freelancer
There is an increasing number of new platforms, such as UpWork and Fiverr, that host online freelance work on them. These job opportunities range from social media services, virtual assistant jobs, graphic designers, researching, freelance writing, and more.
Freelancers typically make around $21 an hour for their work. But, it does depend on what type of work is requested and the skill level of the person doing it.
Tutor
Use the knowledge you are gaining in college by working as a tutor. Tutors can either work for a university, a company, or freelance. Being a tutor can be added to a part-time job for extra money. The hours are highly flexible, as tutors usually coordinate with the people that they tutor. The work experience can be great for future teachers.
A tutor has a high hourly rate with the average pay being $25 an hour.
Research Assistant
Research assistant positions are typically contracted by a university or a research institute. They work in specific departments, assisting the head researchers with tasks such as data entry, cleanup, and assisting during procedures.
The average rate of a research assistant is $31 an hour.
Gym Receptionist
Gyms are great with college hours because they are typically open late, or 24 hours a day. This allows for college students to work after class, and potentially have downtime to work on homework.
Along with flexibility, some gyms offer free or discounted memberships, which allows students to save money.
Tasks that gym receptionists do are sign up members, give tours, checking people in, and doing minor cleanup of equipment and locker rooms.
The average pay for a gym receptionist is $15 an hour.
Fitness Instructor
If you have a love for the gym, consider being a fitness instructor. This role typically requires to be additionally trained or certified. It helps to be majoring in a sports-related field such as kinesiology or physical therapy.
A fitness instructor teaches classes and conducts one-on-one training.
The pay grade for this role is great, being around $22.75 an hour.
IT Support
If you are good with technology, work as IT support! IT support is needed on campuses and external organizations. Typically, they prepare you with training. But, it can help to be majoring in a technology-related major.
Campus Tour Guide
If you love your college campus, spread the love by being a tour guide. Tour guides lead prospective or future students around campus by showing them the major locations and explaining them.
The pay depends on campus to campus, with the average being around $13 an hour.
Nanny
Being a nanny or a babysitter can be a fulfilling role in college while allowing for flexible hours. Some opportunities can lead into room and board as well.
Nannies and babysitters prepare meals, transport, and monitor children.
The average pay of a nanny per hour really depends on the state, the family, and the number of children.
Dog Walker or Pet Sitter
If you love pets, dog walking and pet sitting are for you. The hours are highly flexible and sometimes can result in overnight stays.
Dog walkers and pet sitters walk pets, clean up after them, take them to vet visits, and transport them.
The pay varies, but the general price is $10 to $25 per hour.
For more jobs for college students such as internships, check out the Scholars blog and the podcast, The Internship Show.
