Side Hustle Ideas for College Students: How to Earn Some Extra Cash in 2023

College students can now work on a side hustle instead of crunching numbers to save up for a large purchase or pay off student loan debt. Common side hustles for college students include customer service roles, taking online surveys, or managing social media accounts for companies or brands. 

For college students, finding the right kind of side hustle is important. While studying full-time, side hustles for college students must not interfere with their ability to complete their studies. This guide shares the perfect side hustles for college students to earn extra income in 2023.

What Is a Side Hustle?

A side hustle is a way to earn extra money in addition to a primary source of income. Side jobs can range from part-time jobs to freelance work that allows you to set your own hours. If you are a busy student, you can do side gigs in your spare time, increasing your disposable income to cover rent and other expenses.

There are numerous side jobs for college students that do not require any special skills or can be built upon an existing skill set. For example, you could work as a customer service representative in your spare time if you have good communication skills.  

How to Turn Your Hobby Into a Side Hustle

Side hustles may be motivated by a desire to earn more money, but they can also be enjoyable. You can explore and learn about different fields of creative side hustle work such as photography, writing, editing, and videography. Doing what you enjoy on the side by working a freelance job that pays well provides both motivation to do the extra work and financial freedom once you start earning more.

Before pursuing your hobby as a career, you can do it as a side gig. If you decide to pursue your interests as a full-time job, your clients and side job experience will be invaluable in demonstrating your skills and passion.

How to Side Hustle From Home

There are many opportunities to make money from home, both in-person and online. From home, you can provide a service, such as tutoring in a language or subject. You could also sell clothes from your closet or housewares you have collecting dust around the house. If your side gig is online, you can work from home or from anywhere.

If you possess a skill that can be converted into a product, such as handicrafts, baking, or cooking, you can sell it online through websites, mobile apps, or ecommerce stores. You can also work in roles such as a content writer, video editor, or virtual assistant if you have an Internet connection at home. 

How to Start a Side Hustle as a College Student

If you’re wondering how to start a side hustle, we’ve got a step-by-step guide that’s ideal for college students. These steps are important when evaluating the side hustle that will be right for you, and the amount of time you can dedicate to it throughout the week. 

Identify Your Skills

As a college student, you should figure out what skills and hobbies you have that can be useful for a side job. Few side hustles require specific skills, so you should concentrate on soft skills that are useful for such jobs.

For example, being healthy and active is advantageous for active jobs such as dog walking. If you excel in math and are typically a patient person, you should consider tutoring students. If you have great tech skills, you can make money with Amazon Turk.

Find a Way to Work That Suits You

There are side hustles that you can do online, from home, in your neighborhood, at school, or on your own. Consider how many hours you have available for your side hustle. Once you’ve figured these two factors out, it’ll be much easier to keep your schedule organized for your side hustle.

Create a Simple Portfolio

Don’t be afraid to share what you’ve already accomplished in your spare time, in your college courses, or on your own. Create a simple portfolio to share your passion if you want to turn your hobby into a side hustle. Use it to inform potential clients about you so that they can see your talents and become interested in your services.

Take Courses or Classes

Educate yourself about the subject of your side hustle if you have the time. There are numerous free courses available to teach you about affiliate marketing, photography, entrepreneurship, teaching, baking, or personal development.

Develop a Client Base

Once you start your side hustle, you will begin to contact and gather clients. If your side hustle is in your field of interest, this will help you get a head start on your career. Since side gigs are generally less risky, you will learn both technical skills and soft skills in a more relaxed environment. Add your college education to the mix, and you have a recipe for career advancement.

Best Side Hustles for College Students

With so many side hustles available, it is best to choose one where the effort required does not outweigh the benefits. College students must use their time wisely and productively. Read on for the best and most profitable side hustles to try.

Data Entry

Data entry jobs are one of the easiest side hustles if you want to earn easy and quick money online. This job requires you to simply type information into computer software, transcribe audio files, or fill in forms from scanned documents.

This is an excellent side hustle if you want to work from home in your evenings or weekends as the work is flexible. Taking courses to learn data entry skills will help you secure these jobs at a higher rate as a freelancer, and build a strong reputation for high-quality work.

Freelance Writer

You can make a good living by working as a freelance writer. Creating quality writing in different genres for multiple clients will help you diversify your revenue sources. You can establish a reputation as someone who is dependable and adheres to deadlines. You can learn to become a writer and grab writing freelancing work.

Social Media Influencer

You can earn passive income by becoming a social media influencer. Influencers have a large social media following on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. They make money through a combination of sponsorships, affiliate marketing, advertisements, or subscription packages.

Influencers work with products in their niche to influence people’s purchasing habits in fashion, health, lifestyle, and entertainment. It is a profitable side hustle in 2023, with earnings ranging from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars per month.

Mystery Shopping

If you enjoy shopping and have good communication skills, you can work as a mystery shopper while pursuing your education. Mystery shoppers are employed by companies to collect feedback for marketing research. Many brands seek feedback to improve customer service. They have in-depth interactions with employees and report on the product or employee experience. You can complete many assignments and provide high-quality feedback to get more jobs with higher pay.

Photography

If you are skilled with a camera, shooting techniques, and editing software, becoming a photographer is a great way to supplement your income. Prepare some samples of your photography to demonstrate your talent to prospective clients. The income potential of photography varies according to your level of skill and experience.

Proofreading

Take up proofreading gigs in your spare time if you have strong editing skills. Students, writers, bloggers, and business owners all require proofreading services. Upwork and other freelancing platforms allow you to create an online profile to market your skills. Additionally, you can offer fellow students assistance by proofreading their projects or homework.

Selling Clothes

You can make extra money by selling the clothes taking up extra space in your closet. Many items in good condition can be sold on the reselling market. You can declutter any dresses, shoes, or bags that are no longer in use. Poshmark, eBay, and other mobile apps can help you sell your clothes. 

Surveys

Another way to make some money is to look for survey sites that allow you to take surveys for money online. This job takes time to accrue a decent amount of money, so this stream would not be a top earner, despite being an easy one. Survey Junkie is a well-known website that allows you to sign up to take surveys and earn rewards or cash in return.

Tutoring

Tutoring requires proficiency in a subject. You don’t need to learn new concepts yourself but you will leverage your existing expertise. You can manage the amount of time and effort you devote to this side hustle by establishing a meeting duration and topic for each lesson. While tutoring used to be mostly in person, mobile apps and web platforms have brought tutoring online, letting you find work anytime and with students from anywhere.

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Virtual Assistant

If you prefer to work from home and have administrative skills, you could become a virtual assistant. In this role, you will be in charge of handling your client’s schedules and emails. Additional responsibilities could include marketing or social media tasks, web design, or bookkeeping. Small and large companies may also hire virtual assistants to maintain their online services. 

Side Hustle Apps You Can Use to Earn Extra Cash

There are side hustle apps that you can use to help grow a supplementary source of income. Most side hustles allow you to make money online quickly and easily using your phone, laptop, car, or personal devices. Here are the top side hustle apps to install if you want to earn extra money.

• Uber/Lyft. If you don’t mind driving people around, register at Uber or Lyft. Use your car for ridesharing and only work when you want.
• Fiverr/Upwork. Freelancing gig apps like Upwork and Fiverr enable you to market your in-demand skills such as typing, proofreading, or web design. You should strive to build a strong profile and gain positive feedback over time to increase your contract prospects.
• Airbnb/Turo. With these apps, you can rent your living space while you’re away, making money to offset your rent or other bills. By being friendly and flexible, your place could become a quality place to stay for interested parties.
• Rover/Wag. These apps are for finding dog walking and pet sitting services. You can sign up as a walker or sitter and take care of local pets in your neighborhood or city.
• DoorDash/PostMates. Working as a food deliverer is a popular side hustle these days. All you need is a mode of transportation, typically a bicycle, scooter, or car, and you’re ready to go!

What Is the Best Side Hustle for College Students?

The best side hustle for students is one that can be completed on a flexible schedule and is related to one’s career goals or passions. You want to work in your spare time without overburdening yourself and jeopardizing your education. The perfect side hustle will provide you with new opportunities to expand your experience or discover new interests and goals.

College students can benefit from side hustles such as freelance writing, coding, selling their art or clothes, and virtual assisting. You can deliver people’s groceries using apps like Instacart. Freelancer.com provides a wide array of freelance opportunities. 

Side Hustles for College Students FAQ