In an ideal world, you’d be able to work full time, have a full class load, maintain some sort of social life, and balance it all perfectly. Unfortunately, we don’t live in an ideal world. Having a job while attending college is one of the keys to avoiding monstrous piles of student loan debt. But it can be hard to find a job that allows the flexibility you need. This is where a flexible part-time job can come in handy.
There are hundreds of perfectly legit ways to earn a part-time income on your own hours from the comfort of your home. These ten flexible part-time jobs are a great fit for college students. Note: these are all freelance jobs – which work great for side gigs.
1. Freelance Writer
Freelance writing is how many people start their work-from-home journey and is a skill that is in huge demand. As more and more companies build their online presence, the need for competent writers has grown as well. The pay of a freelance writer can vary greatly, ranging from $20 per article to $1,000 or more. The pay you earn depends on your areas of expertise, your writing abilities, and how well you’re able to market your services. The beauty of freelance writing is that, while you’ll have deadlines to meet, you won’t have a set schedule. You can also scale up or down on work as your other commitments fluctuate.
2. Social Media Manager
Another higher-paying freelance job is a social media manager. The median pay rate for a social media manager is $14/hour, but if you are effective at your job, you can certainly earn a much higher hourly rate. One popular approach is helping local small businesses run their social media accounts – something you could easily do on the side.
3. ESL Teacher
If you like teaching and are looking for a way to earn doing it, there are many places seeking ESL (English Second Language) teachers. These positions require the ability to teach English to non-native English speakers. You generally do not need to know a second language.
4. Online Tutor
Tutoring jobs have always been great options for college students but can be cumbersome if you’re working with a busy schedule. Tutor.com will allow you to work as little as 5 hours per week and up to 29 hours per week. You’re able to schedule sessions ahead of time according to your schedule or you can pick up one of the available sessions at any time.
5. Transcriptionist
Transcriptionists listen to audio and transcribe that content into text documents. There are a number of different transcriptionist opportunities – medical transcription, transcribing podcasts, transcribing speeches, and more. The average pay for transcription sits right around $15 per hour, but the pay will depend on your speed and accuracy.
6. Start a Blog
While starting a blog isn’t going to earn you immediate income, it could pay off down the road if you’re willing to put in the effort. Blogging is not a get-rich-quick scheme, but with time and dedication, it can be a profitable venture.
7. Search Engine Evaluator
Big search engines like Google and Yahoo hire evaluators to make sure that the search results listed for specific search terms are relevant. These jobs generally pay $10-$15 per hour and are very flexible.
8. Website Tester
Companies always want to make sure their websites are user-friendly and attractive. Website usability testers review a website and record a video of themselves using that website along with their audio commentary. This job requires good communication skills and pays per test completed.
9. Data Entry Specialist
Data Entry jobs may not be the highest paying online jobs but can be a good fit for beginners looking for fairly simple work. As a data entry specialist, you organize data or input it into specific programs. The pay ranges from $6-$12 per hour.
10. Freelance Researcher
Freelance research sites like AskWonder hire researchers to answer customers’ questions. The pay varies depending on the complexity of the question being asked, with top researchers earning up to $35 per hour.
Finding a flexible part-time job that fits your skills, schedule, and pay requirements may take some trial and error. Be wary of scams and never pay to get a job unless you’re purchasing required equipment. With the abundance of flexible part-time jobs available online, you’re sure to find one that suits your needs.
