I worked my way through my entire 4.5 years in college, mostly with temporary or part-time jobs. Along with scholarships from my good grades in high school, I was able to fund my college education and graduate debt free! If anyone understands how difficult it is to save and earn money during college, it’s me. My university tuition was low, so it was more manageable to pay the bill each semester. Of course, tuition varies by the school, as some schools can be very difficult to pay for each semester with a part-time income alone.
Whatever the price tag, part-time jobs can help students pay for college in big ways. Not only do they pay the bills, but they can also add experience to your resume. As someone who worked my way through school, I highly recommend spending at least some of your time in college working a part-time job (or a full-time job if that works the best for you!).
1) On-Campus Jobs
One of my very first jobs in college was at the Student Recreation Center! I loved it. I had previously worked as a lifeguard, so the student gym was a great place for me to start out. On-campus jobs are very beneficial to your college experience because they really advocate for your overall well-being as a student. The hourly pay wasn’t amazingly high, but they made sure that my schedule was flexible when I needed it. They also offered me great opportunities to grow as a leader while gaining additional training and certifications. I made some really great friends there, too. I really loved having this job because, as a freshman, I was able to network and listen to their advice. Many universities offer extensive opportunities for student part-time work.
2) Retail or Food Service
Working retail or food service can have so many benefits. If you are looking for customer service experience, these are great jobs to have! I highly recommend finding a place that you can connect with or you are interested with. I think that gaining customer service skills during college can really teach you a ton about working with other people, regardless of the career you have in mind for the future. You can also work towards promotions that pay better. These jobs can be flexible with your school schedule as well because they are usually open most hours of the day.
3) Part-Time Tutor
College students have many opportunities to work as a tutor. If you have a specialty, such as standardized test prep or playing a musical instrument, that opens you up to many other possibilities. Parents to grade school-aged students are often looking for tutors to help their kids with their homework assignments or even just extra practice in subjects they are struggling in. This can be easy because many parents will pay you for multiple sessions per week, and the subject material is usually pretty easy. There are also many opportunities on college campuses for tutor part-time jobs. Many colleges have a tutoring center where you can tutor your peers in courses that you may have expertise in. There are also numerous private tutoring companies that regularly scout for new tutors.
4) Lifeguard
This is my personal favorite just because I learned so many skills from my numerous part-time jobs as a lifeguard. I loved swimming competitively throughout middle and high school, so it was pretty natural for me to gravitate to lifeguarding. Lifeguarding is not as luxurious as it seems, but it is a great and reliable job. Once you take the certification course, the certification is good for two years and is super easy to renew. If you are a reliable worker, you are almost guaranteed a lifeguarding job. Most places offer up to 40 hours during the summer months (major cash!!), and up to 20 during the off seasons. Getting paid to swim, get a tan, and possibly finish your homework is a great deal in my opinion.
5) Reselling
One of my new favorite ways that I have learned to earn money is through reselling. To earn a few extra bucks, just start by collecting all of your old clothing that you don’t wear anymore. This can be a great part-time job for a college student. You never know what kind of money could be just laying in your closet! I started by using the Poshmark app, but there are so many consignment and resale apps that are available now, like Ebay, thredUP and Mercari. If you get hooked like I have, you can also try reselling clothes or items from thrift stores, garage sales, or other, regular brick and mortar stores. You can make your own hours and even practice a little bit of entrepreneurship.
