The Best Side Hustles for Students

Shea Lenniger: Ever wondered how you can turn your free time into extra cash while still in college? Let's talk about side hustles. A side hustle is a great way to make extra money outside of your normal job. You can pursue a passion and gain extra experience in another field. It's a really great way to explore a passion of yours with less pressure and more flexibility.

Plus, side hustles have numerous benefits. Financially, it's a fantastic way to make extra money to cover expenses, pay off debt, or save for future goals. And you can even start building something that can help you earn passive income in the future. Side hustles are fantastic for developing new skills or really polishing your existing skills, which will definitely help in your future career. They can also help to provide opportunities to explore different fields or industries, potentially guiding your future career choices.

And sometimes we aren't really crazy about the jobs that we're doing, but side hustles allow us to explore what we're really passionate about, which can make the hustle feel less like work. For example, during college, I had a job working in journalism, but I also enjoyed blogging and making my own YouTube videos on the side. And the best part about having a side hustle is that you are your own boss. Your side hustle schedules are created by you, so there's plenty of flexibility, and it also feels pretty empowering. So now you're probably wondering what side hustles are there for college students?

Let's dive into some side hustle ideas. If you have a passion for writing and are studying something like English, journalism, or related fields, freelance writing is a great option. You can find plenty of writing gigs on Upwork with typical rates ranging from $19 to $45 per hour for copywriters and $15 to $35 per hour for SEO writers. I did a lot of freelance writing gigs during college, and it was very manageable. Because usually, if I went to a cafe or a library to study, I would take breaks and work on some blogging or other freelance writing gigs.

Or instead, if you have a good eye for detail and enjoy revising content, consider becoming an editor or proofreader. Students majoring in English, journalism, or communications with a strong command of grammar would be great editors. There are plenty of gigs available on Upwork, and students can earn anywhere from $18 to $35 per hour reviewing written content. 

Do you enjoy all things social media and digital marketing? If you have a great understanding of trends or maybe you've grown your own social media accounts, then social media management could be a great side hustle. You could create video and photo content, manage accounts, and monitor analytics. Many brands and individuals are looking for a social media manager on Upwork with potential earnings of $14 to $35 per hour. 

And if you don't necessarily want to create content or manage social accounts, but you like organizing, scheduling, and carrying out tasks, then you should consider becoming a virtual assistant. If you have strong organizational skills, enjoy handling tasks such as managing emails, scheduling, and conducting research, a virtual assistant role could be perfect for you. Hourly pay typically ranges from $10 to $20 per hour.

If you have great design skills, you could offer services like creating logos, banners, or social media graphics. Plus, this is a great way to experiment a little, find your style, and build up your portfolio during college. Upwork has plenty of gigs looking for graphic designers, and you can earn rates from $15 to $35 per hour. Or take your design skills a step further and use your skill set for web design. Students who are studying graphic design, web design, or visual communications should consider a side hustle in web design. If you have a good eye for aesthetics, hourly rates for a role like this range from $15 to $30 per hour. 

And if you're a coding expert, web development can be a very lucrative side hustle for college students. Hourly rates depend on your expertise. For example, a Java developer averages $17 to $35 per hour, while a WooCommerce developer averages $15 to $29 per hour. 

Or if creative roles within social media and graphic design aren't really for you, you can always use your expertise in other areas to become a tutor and teach others. This option is great for students with strong knowledge in specific subjects. There's a high demand for students to excel in certain subjects, so you will definitely find plenty of work if you go this route. Plus, you can create a tutoring schedule that works best for you. Potential earnings range from $18 to $34 per hour. 

Or an option for ambitious students who want to start building their own business could get involved in ecommerce or drop shipping. If you have that entrepreneurial spirit and are interested in selling products online without handling inventory, many students have gotten into drop shipping or use Shopify or Etsy to sell ecommerce. The earnings per side hustle like this average about $19 per hour. And you can also start an online business and sell handmade items or thrifted items in an online shop as a side gig. The majority of ecommerce business owners make between $34 to $44 per hour. 

And finally, it may not sound like the most glamorous job, but if you enjoy the routine of entering data into spreadsheets or databases and are very detail oriented, you could make some good money earning about $10 to $20 per hour.

Having a side hustle during college was a great way for me to explore my interests, learn what I actually liked doing, and helped me earn extra income on my own schedule. Remember to start small. Learn as much as you can from any side hustle experience and really develop your skills. Plus, having a side hustle during college is a fantastic way to start building a portfolio so you're already ahead of the game when you start searching for a post grad career. Share your side hustle ideas in the comments and subscribe for more tips on balancing college life with earning extra income.