How to Earn Money Online for Students – 45 Ways

There are a lot of expenses that come with being a college student.

You need money for books, tuition, rent, and let’s face it, sometimes you just need to have some fun.

I’ve been making money on the internet for over a decade and I know a thing or two about getting started and earning money online as a student.

That’s why I’ve put together this list of the 45 best online jobs for college students that don’t require any experience or special skills.

So, whether you are looking for a part-time job or want to start a side hustle, there is something for everyone.

How to Earn Money Online as a Student

1. Affiliate Marketing: $5,000/Month

Affiliate marketing is a marketing model in which businesses pay commissions to affiliates for generating traffic or sales. You can easily earn money online with some affiliate marketing skills. Making money online doesn’t have to be hard.

For example, if you have a website about dogs and you recommend a dog food product and someone clicks on your affiliate link and buys the dog food, you would earn a commission, usually a percentage of the sale.

The reason why I believe affiliate marketing is the best way for college students to make money is that it’s a very hands-off business model.

Once you have put in the initial work of setting up your website and creating content, you can earn commissions while you sleep!

And, there is no limit to how much you can earn. The more traffic you generate, the more sales you make, and the more money you can earn!

If you want to learn more about affiliate marketing and how it works. check out this free beginner guide.

2. Start a Dropshipping Business: $3,000/Month

Dropshipping is a business model in which businesses sell products that they don’t actually have in stock.

It works as the following:

1. You find a trendy product that you think will sell well.
2. You set up an online store and list the product for sale.
3. When someone buys the product from your store, you order it from the supplier and have it shipped directly to your customer’s doorsteps.

Obviously, you will be listing the products at a higher price than what you pay the supplier, so you will earn a profit on each sale.

The beauty of dropshipping is that you don’t have to worry about stocking inventory or dealing with shipping. And, you can start a dropshipping business for very little money!

3. Start a YouTube Channel: $2,300/Month

You watch videos online for sure? How many youtube millionaires have you heard of?

I can think of a few off the top of my head: Pewdiepie, Mrbeast, and Jake Paul.

All of these YouTubers started with zero subscribers and now they are earning millions of dollars per year!

And, you can make money on YouTube as well.

You can start a youtube channel about any topic that you are passionate about.

Whether you want to vlog about your life, review products, or teach others about a certain topic, there is a niche for everyone!

Making youtube videos is a lot of work, but it is definitely worth it if you can build a large following.

4. Start a Blog: $2,000/Month

If you are shy or don’t like being in front of the camera, then starting a blog may be a better option for you.

Blogging is similar to youtube in that you can write about any topic that you are passionate about.

And, once you build up a large enough following, you can start monetizing your blog through Google Adsense, affiliate marketing, and sponsored posts.

The great thing about starting a blog is that it is very inexpensive to get started.

All you need is a domain name and a good hosting provider, which can be purchased for less than $100 per year.

Some free blogging platforms, such as Medium and NewsBreak even pay you to blog for them!

5. Start a Podcast: $2,000/Month

Do you think you can be the next Joe Rogan?

If so, then starting a podcast may be a great way for you to earn money as a student.

Podcasts are a bit harder to monetize than blogs and youtube channels, but it is still possible to earn a decent income from them.

6. Start a Twitch Channel: $3,000/Month

If you are an entertainer at heart and love playing video games, then you can start a twitch channel and make some more money on the web.

Twitch is a live streaming platform that mainly focuses on video gaming.

But, you can also find channels that live stream creative content, such as music, cooking, and art.

7. Become a Booster: $700/Month

Are you good at video games?

If so, you can earn money by becoming a booster.

Yes, we all hate boosters, they are ruining our games, they are the scum of the earth and all that, but they do earn a decent amount of money.

So, if you are good at video games and don’t mind being hated by the community, becoming a booster may be a great way for you to earn money online as a student.

8. Sell Your Course Notes: $5,000/Month

Let’s be honest, most of us don’t really pay attention in class.

And, even if we do, we don’t really remember everything that was said.

But, there are always those few college students who take great notes and remember everything that was said in class.

If you are one of those college students, you can start selling your course notes on websites like Stuvia and Nexus Notes.

9. Sell Your Old Textbooks: $500

On average, college students spend around $1,225 a year on textbooks.

And, when you are done with your textbooks, you can sell them back to the bookstore for a fraction of the price.

But, there is a better way to sell your textbooks.

You can sell them online on websites like Facebook Marketplace and Textbooks.

10. Work as a Freelance Writer: $5,000/Month

Every business is moving online, which means that there is a huge demand for content.

And, where there is demand, there is money to be made.

If you are a good writer, you can start working as a freelance writer and make about $0.03 per word. Not bad, right?

And, if you are good at writing resumes, some resume writing services can pay you $500 per resume!

You can find hundreds of freelance writing jobs on boards, such as Upwork and Problogger.

11. Work as a Proofreader: $1,500/Month

If you are a good reader and have a keen eye for grammar and punctuation mistakes, then you can work as a proofreader and earn money.

Proofreading is a great online job for college students because it is relatively low-stress and can be done in your free time.

The average proofreader earns about $20 per hour, which means that you can easily make $1,000 per month just by working a few hours per week.

You can begin booking proofreading jobs on services like ProofreadingPal and Kibin.

12. Work as a Translator: $4,000/Month

Do you know more than one language?

If so, you can start working as a translator and earn money.

There is a huge demand for translators, as businesses are moving online and need to provide customized experiences for their customers in multiple languages.

Additionally, many online college students need help translating their course materials and assignments, so there is also a demand for college student translators.

You can start by joining services like Gengo or Blend.

13. Work as a Language Tutor: $2,400/Month

If you are a native speaker of a language, you can start working as a language tutor and earn money.

Language tutors are in high demand, as more and more people are interested in learning new languages.

You can start by joining a service like Italki or Preply.

14. Do Data Entry Online Jobs: $300/Month

Data entry is one of the easiest online jobs for college students.

All you need is a computer and an internet connection, and you can start earning money.

It doesn’t pay a lot, but it is a great way to earn some extra money in your spare time.

You can find data entry jobs on services like Upwork or Freelancer.

15. Work as a Tester: $10/Test

Before developers can release their products, they need to make sure that their website or application is free of bugs and that everything is working properly.

That’s why they hire testers to test their products and give them useful feedback to help them improve their products.

You can find a lot of testing freelance jobs on websites like UserTesting or Testing Time.

16. Work as a Search Engine Evaluator: $800/Month

Google and other search engines are constantly changing their algorithms to provide the best results for their users.

To do this, they need people who can evaluate the search results and give them feedback on how relevant they are.

You can find search engine evaluator jobs on platforms like Appen.

17. Take Online Surveys: $1/Survey

Companies are always looking for ways to improve their products and services, and one way they do this is by conducting market research.

And, one way they conduct market research is by asking people like you to take online surveys.

You can start by joining a survey site like Survey Junkie or Opinion Outpost.

18. Watch Ads: $50/Month

Watching videos and ads is a legitimate way to earn extra money.

You won’t make a lot, but it is an easy way to earn some extra cash in your spare time.

You can start by joining a site like Swagbucks or MyPoints.

19. Reward Apps: $100/Month

There are a number of apps that will pay you to do simple tasks like taking pictures of products in stores, surfing the internet, playing games, or even being fit.

While you won’t make a lot of money with these apps, they are a great way to earn some extra cash in your spare time.

Some of the popular reward apps are InboxDollars, Ibotta, Rakuten, Swagbucks, HealthyWage, and Evidation.

20. Review Songs: $0.05/Song

Aspiring musicians need all the help they can get to get their music out there and improve as artists.

One way they can get feedback on their songs is by paying people to review them.

You can start by joining sites like Current Rewards and RadioEarn.

21. Join Research Groups: $100/Study

Universities and other research institutions are always looking for people to participate in their studies.

And, they’re willing to pay good money for it, you can find a lot of research opportunities on websites like ResearchMatch.

Companies also need people to participate in focus groups to give feedback on their products and services, so they can improve them.

You can find focus group opportunities on websites like User Interviews and Respondent.

22. Work as a Social Media Manager: $6,000/Month

Social media is a huge part of the internet, and businesses are starting to realize how important it is to have a presence on social media.

That’s why they are willing to pay social media managers to handle their social media accounts.

If you have good social media management skills and can help businesses grow their online presence, this is a perfect job for you.

23. Work as a Virtual Assistant: $2,000/Month

A virtual assistant is someone who provides administrative support to businesses and individuals.

This can include anything from scheduling appointments to managing social media accounts.

If you are good at multitasking and have strong organizational skills, this is a great job for you.

You can find a lot of virtual assistant jobs by joining platforms like Zirtual and Fancy Hands.

24. Work as a Customer Service Representative: $2,000/Month

Customer satisfaction is one of the most important aspects of any business.

That’s why businesses are looking for reliable customer service representatives to help them provide the best possible experience for their customers.

If you are patient and have good people skills, you can start by joining a platform like Liveops.

25. Work as a Call Reviewer: $1,500/Month

One of the most important aspects of customer service is making sure that calls are handled properly.

If you have good attention to detail and can provide feedback that will help businesses improve their call quality, you can start by joining a site like CallSource, CallCriteria, or Humanatic

26. Work as an Online Mock Juror: $30/Case

In court, one mistake can mean the difference between a guilty and not guilty verdict.

That’s why lawyers need to practice their cases before they go to court.

And, one way they do this is by finding people to serve as mock jurors.

You can start by joining a service like eJury and Online Verdict.

27. Do Voiceovers: $1,000/Month

From commercials to YouTube videos, businesses need people to do voiceovers.

If you have a soothing voice and are good at reading scripts, you can start by joining a site like Bodalgo or Voices and start earning money.

28. Develop Apps: $3,000/Month

Developers can make a lot of money by creating apps.

If you have a great idea for an app and the skills to develop it, you can list it on the App Store or Google Play and start making money through in-app purchases or by selling advertising space.

29. Work as a Graphic Designer: $3,000/Month

Businesses need graphic designers to create logos, websites, and social media marketing materials.

If you have experience in graphic design and are good at using software like Photoshop and Illustrator, you can find lots of genuine online jobs on freelance sites like Upwork.

30. Work as an Online Tutor: $4,000/Month

Online tutors are in high demand, especially for students who are preparing for exams like the SAT or ACT.

If you have experience teaching or tutoring online, you can start by joining a platform like Tutor or Chegg Tutors.

You can also create and sell your own online course.

If you have expertise in a particular subject, you can start by creating a course on Udemy or Teachable.

31. Sell Stock Images & Videos Online: $0.02 per Photo/Month

Most of the time, businesses can’t take their own photos or videos.

That’s why they’re willing to pay for stock images and videos that they can use for their websites, social media platforms, and marketing materials.

If you have a good eye and are good at taking photos or videos, you can start by joining a site like Shutterstock or iStock.

32. Online Flipping: $2,000/Month

Flipping is a term used in the online world to describe the process of buying an item for a low price and selling it for a higher price.

You can flip almost anything, from sneakers and phones to yachts.

If you’re good at finding deals and know how to get the best price, you can start by joining a site like Flippa.

33. Sell Your Art Online: $100/Sale

There are many websites that allow you to sell your paintings, drawings, and sculptures.

If you’re interested in selling your art, you can start by joining a site like Fine Art America and Artfinder.

34. Sell Your Designs Online: $3,000/Month

There are many print-on-demand websites that will allow you to sell your designs online.

Your designs can be used on a variety of products, including t-shirts, mugs, and phone cases.

If you can design cool and unique designs, you can start by joining a site like Redbubble.

Websites like Graphic River also allow you to sell fonts, logos, and other graphics for money.

35. Sell Your Handmade Items Online: $2/Item

If you’re crafty and good at making things by hand, you can start selling your handmade items online.

You can sell anything from jewelry and clothes to furniture and home decor.

If you’re interested in selling your handmade items, you can start by joining sites like Etsy and ArtFire.

36. Sell Insurance as a POSP: $1,000/Month

A POSP is a salesperson who sells insurance policies at the point of sale, such as in a store or online.

If you’re interested in selling insurance, you can apply to companies like LIC and Digit.

37. Compose and Sell Music: $3,000/Month

Commercials, movies, video games, and TV shows all need music.

If you’re a talented musician, you can start by selling your compositions on websites like Musicbed.

38. Rent Out Your Spare Room: $1,000/Month

If you have an extra room in your house or apartment, you can make extra money by renting it out.

There are many websites that allow you to list your spare room, such as Airbnb and HomeAway.

39. Rent Your Home for Filming: $3,000/Month

Photographers and film directors often need to rent houses or apartments for their shoots.

If you live in a desirable location and your home has something unique about it, you can start by listing it on websites like Peerspace.

40. Rent Out Your Parking Spot: $200/Month

If you live in a city with limited parking, you can make money by renting out your parking spot.

You can list your parking spot on websites like JustPark.

41. Rent Out Your Storage Space: $200/Month

If you have extra space in your house or apartment, you can make money by renting it out as storage space.

You can list your storage space on websites like Sparefoot and start earning some extra cash.

42. Rent Out Your Car: $200/Month

If you’re not using your car, you can make money by renting it out.

You can list your car on websites like Turo and Getaround.

Additionally, you can partner with one of your friends and let him work as an Uber driver and split the profit.

43. Earn Cashback: $30/Month

Coupon and cashback websites like Rakuten offer cashback when you shop online.

You can earn a percentage of your purchase price back in the form of cashback.

This is not really a way to make money but it can help you save money.

44. Find Property for Real Estate Investors: 2%/Sale

If you have real estate experience, you can earn cash by finding property for investors.

You will get paid a commission on every property that you help to sell and you can do it online using websites like Roofstock.

45. Claim Tax Back: N/a

Sometimes, you may be able to get a refund on your taxes.

If you’re a student, you can claim back the tuition fees and other expenses that you’ve paid for.

So, make sure to check with your local tax office to see if you’re eligible for a tax refund.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How Much Can You Make as a Student?

There is really no limit to how much can you make as a student. Some students make a few hundred dollars a month while others make a few thousand. It all depends on how much time and effort you’re willing to put in.

Do You Need to Pay Taxes if You Work While Studying?

If you earn less than $12,400 a year, you don’t have to pay taxes. However, if you earn more than that, you will need to pay taxes on your earnings.

How Many Hours Should You Work as a Student?

If you are a high school student, then you are restricted from working more than 18 hours per week, while if you are a college student, you are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week.

Which Way Will You Choose? 

There you have it – 45 ways to make money online as a college student.

No experience is needed for most of these methods and you can start earning money right away.

If you are interested in making a full-time passive income and getting out of your student loan debt, check out this free affiliate marketing webinar.

In this webinar, you will learn what is affiliate marketing, how it works, and how to get started.

Article by

Matt Diggity

Matt is the founder of Diggity Marketing, LeadSpring, The Search Initiative, The Affiliate Lab, and the Chiang Mai SEO Conference. He actually does SEO too.

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