How to Make Money as a College Student? Say Goodbye to Being Broke

If you’re looking to earn your higher education degree, you are probably aware that college can be expensive. In fact, on average in the United States, an undergraduate degree at a public, in-state four-year university can cost $20,770 per year. On the other hand, you can always apply to online and tuition-free universities like University of the People. Yet, you likely still may find yourself wondering how to make money as a college student.

The ideas are plenty —- some are online and some are in person. You just have to find the right fit for you!

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How to Make Extra Money as a College Student

1. Part-time Job:

Perhaps the most obvious of answers would be to get a part-time job. Although it’s challenging to work while you earn your degree, it’s possible and even more conducive if you also study part-time or online because the nature of the school schedule is so much more flexible.

2. Work Study:

Some colleges offer the option for work study, where the federal government will subsidize your income and some of your earnings can be applied to schooling tax-free.

3. Gig Economy:

The sharing economy continues to grow, and as such, it creates more jobs. Perhaps driving for Uber or Lyft or performing tasks on TaskRabbit can be a good way to earn extra cash. Another option could be to become a food delivery person.

4. Freelance:

Depending on your own special skill, you may be able to earn extra cash. For example, you can sell gigs on freelancer networks like Fiverr or Upwork. Maybe you’re into content writing or you can develop a website. You could monetize these skills!

5. Start a Blog or YouTube Channel:

Although it may take some time and a lot of effort, you can start a blog and if it amasses a following, you can sell advertising space or sponsored content. You could also start a YouTube channel, build your subscribers and get paid for advertisements. Maybe you can teach how to code or create makeup tutorials. Whatever you’re interested in, there are other people in the world who want to learn, and the global and expanding access to the internet makes your potential reach nearly infinite.

6. Housesit:

Expand your network with friends and family or post your house sitting services in your community so that when someone goes out of town, they can count on your help. Maybe you can get paid to mow the lawn, water the plants, or even petsit.

7. Babysit:

In a similar manner as housesitting, but definitely requiring more responsibility, you can start babysitting and charge hourly.

8. Resell Textbooks:

While you’re in school, you’ll likely have to pay for textbooks and course materials. Although they may not be useful after the course is over, other students will need them. You can always try to resell your books through your friend network, online through Facebook groups or through dedicated websites like Chegg.com.

9. Sell Your Clutter:

It’s easy to amass a lot of items and clothes over time. Try your hand at a yard sale or post your items on Facebook to sell.

10. Rent Your Room:

If you have a place of your own and go on vacation or can stay with family or friends, you can always rent your room out on sites like Airbnb for extra cash.

11. Take Online Surveys:

Did you know you could get paid for your opinion? Here’s a list of sites that offer cash or gift cards for your feedback.

12. Teach Music or Tutor:

If you can play an instrument, you can probably teach someone else how to do the same. Post around that you offer music lessons or tutor in another subject that you excel in to make some extra money.

13. Transcription and Translation:

Are you a fast typer? Do you speak multiple languages? You can get paid to transcribe documents and/or translate languages.

14. Virtual Assistant:

Like going to school online, you can work from anywhere as a virtual assistant. Virtual assistants help people get their tasks done, schedule meetings and stay organized, and all the work is done over the internet.

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Learn to Manage Your Money

It goes without saying that no matter how you choose to earn extra cash, you will want to manage your money wisely. Not only does this mean knowing how to set a budget and track your expenses, but it also means aiming to save and invest money so that it can work for you.

During college, you’ll want to budget for expenses like tuition, room and board, supplies, food, and leisure activities, to name a few. You may have extra expenses like the cost of a gym, doctors, insurance, etc. If you can outline your costs and create a list of expenses that you need to cover monthly, it becomes easier to manage your money wisely across all your needs.

Cost-Effective Education

College can surely be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. University of the People believes in education as a human right, and as such, we are tuition-free. Our completely online university offers degrees in four disciplines: Health Science, Education, Business Administration and Computer Science.

The opportunity to study full-time or part-time is up to you, and the only costs associated with earning your Associate’s, Bachelor’s or Master’s degree is a one-time application fee and course assessment fees. If these costs are too much to cover, you can also apply for scholarships.

Along with the flexibility and low-cost nature of the university, the education operates on a pedagogical model, which means that you interact a lot with your peers to teach one another and even to grade each other’s work. With students from over 200 countries and territories globally, you will have the opportunity to expand your network, and perhaps you could even meet students who will want services you offer such as translation or tutoring!

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that you can in fact grow your bottom line while you earn your education. Financial worries and burdens should not impede your right to an education. Whether you have to work full-time and study part-time or work part-time or seasonally, there are countless ways how to make money as a college student. Say goodbye to being broke and hello to stacking cash!