Last Updated on December 31, 2025 by Alexandra Markin, Dip.Mgmt.St.
As a student myself, I’ve had the chance to test several side hustles for college students and they’ve helped me earn extra income without taking away from school.
I know making a bit of extra money on the side takes some of the stress off your student budget. You can use a side hustle to save, help pay for tuition or just have a bit of extra cash for the little luxuries you love without the guilt.
I’ve been side hustling for over 15 years, and many of these I still do today while I complete my undergraduate degree. If you’re an online student like me, you’re in luck—you have a lot more options for side hustles because you’re not locked into set class times each week.
In this post I’m sharing my favorite side hustles for college students. Some are easy side hustles to work at home, some require leaving your house and others are online side hustles so you can decide what works best for you.
Best Side Hustles for College Students
I want to preface this post by saying that ALL SIDE HUSTLES TAKE WORK AND TIME, and they’re not a “get rich quick” scheme.
However, putting aside 7-10 hours each week to can make a big difference in your budget.
The key is to start small. Pick one that fits your schedule and interests and focus on getting good at it before adding a second.
Once you find what works for you, it becomes easier to balance multiple streams of income without feeling overwhelmed.
Remember to have fun! Picking up a side hustle in college can be a great way to make money from a hobby, compliment your major or have it potentially turn into a profitable career.
1. Start a Blog
I started this list with blogging because it’s the side hustle I purposely grew into my career through careful, intentional planning.
Blogging is the practice of content creation: writing and publishing articles (blog posts) on a website you own. You can write about any topic you love: fashion, lifestyle, food, beauty, books or the website you’re reading now—studying!
You can earn income in multiple ways: display advertising, affiliate marketing, brand partnerships, sponsored posts and digital products.
I started blogging while I was working my 9-5 corporate job and taking online college courses to obtain my Diploma in Business Management Studies. If you’re interested, you can read my full story here.
All blogs take time to grow, but it’s one of the most rewarding side hustles for college students because you can build it entirely around your schedule and passions.
💻 START YOUR BLOG: Ready to get started? With Bluehost, you can get hosting, a free domain and WordPress set up in minutes, all for an affordable, student-friendly price.
MY TIPS: If you’re serious about blogging as a side hustle to make money, I highly recommend taking a blogging course. Blogging can be quite a big learning curve, and paying for a course at the beginning of my journey was 100% worth the investment because I was able to start earning income much faster than stumbling around trying to figure everything out myself—which I wasted my entire first year doing.
The course I took was Stupid Simple Blogging. Mike is a leader in the blogging industry and someone I highly respect and still follow closely.
2. Resell Items
Reselling items simply means selling things you already own and no longer want or need.
This is one of my favorite side hustles, and I’ve been doing it for 15+ years. I regularly resell items around my house and I’ve made over $9,000 and sold 450+ items on Facebook Marketplace. Before I switched to Marketplace, I sold on Craigslist for years.
There are many platforms you can resell on:
- Facebook Marketplace
- Craigslist
- Kijiji
- Poshmark
- eBay
- Depop
- Mercari
MY TIPS: Take clear photos, write detailed descriptions, repost frequently and respond to buyers promptly. Treat it like a business!
3. Flip Items
Flipping items means buying things at a lower price and reselling them for a profit.
You can flip a multitude of things: clothes, thrifted and vintage items, furniture, jewelry—the list is endless. You can resell items in person (like Facebook Marketplace) or online (like Poshmark). It’s a fun and profitable side hustle for anyone who loves to bargain hunt!
MY TIPS: Start by flipping items you already know a lot about (like clothes or books) to see what sells and what doesn’t. Once you get a feel for what’s in demand, scale up slowly so inventory costs stay manageable.
4. Do Online Surveys
Make a bit of extra cash by giving your opinion on products, services and lifestyle habits by taking online surveys.
While doing online surveys isn’t a high paying side hustle, they’re perfect to do on study breaks, between classes, while commuting or while watching TV.
Many give the option to earn either cash or gift cards, and it’s one of the best ways to make some extra money for minimal effort.
The best survey sites I’ve found are:
- LEO Surveys (my favorite and I’ve made over $300 cash so far)
- Survey Junkie
- Swagbucks
- InboxDollars
- Pinecone Research
MY TIPS: Stick to legitimate survey sites, and sign up for as many as possible and be consistent to earn the most.
💻 Sign up for LEO Surveys here to start earning money between study sessions!
5. Get a Part-Time Job
Sometimes the most traditional side hustle is the easiest—like working retail at the mall, cashiering at the grocery store or serving in a restaurant. You just show up, work your scheduled shift and go home.
I worked 20 +/- hours a week at a high-end retail jewelry store and having the extra cash was great. It was close to home, I got to learn about precious gemstones and employees made a small amount of commission.
I worked this retail job in early 2025 and it was relativly easy to get despite today’s challenging job market.
Read the post Essentials Every Student Must Know Before Starting Their Job Hunt to start the process.
It’s low stress (for the most part) and the money is guaranteed. Some jobs even offer benefits for part-time employees.
MY TIPS: if you want more hours and your schedule is flexible (like mine was as an online student), once you get hired there are ALWAYS extra shifts to pick up. People call in sick, don’t show up and quit without notice—way more often than you might think.
6. Babysit
Babysitting is another traditional side hustle that never goes out of style, and it’s a perfect option if you like working with children. Hours are typically evenings and weekends, perfect if you have class or work during the daytime.
MY TIPS: Try to take evening babysitting jobs so you’ll have lots of time to study after the child goes to bed.
7. Become a Nanny
Also a traditional side hustle for college students, nannying takes babysitting a step further—it’s more consistent but requires more responsibility. Nannying usually means regular hours and building a close relationship with one family.
If you’re interested in becoming an exchange student, nannying is the best experience to help you get a job as an au pair so you can earn extra travel money.
MY TIPS: Join Sittercity to find families and get your CPR certificate to make your profile stand out.
8. Tutoring
There are two different types of tutoring: traditional tutoring and peer tutoring. Both mean teaching students subjects you’re strong in, and it’s especially popular for English courses and STEM subjects like math and science.
Traditional tutoring: Working with younger students or clients through a company, platform or your own business as a trained professional, often having a degree or certification in the subject matter.
Peer tutoring: Helping your peers or classmates in subjects you’ve done well in for an hourly rate.
MY TIPS: Start with subjects you genuinely enjoy and understand well, and don’t undervalue your time just because you’re tutoring other students! Set fair rates based on your experience and subject difficulty. Good grades are highly valued to students trying to get accepted into scholarships, prestigious universities or graduate programs.
9. Freelance Writing
Freelance writing means creating written content for clients, such as blog posts, email newsletters and much more.
In our digital wold where content is king, businesses always need fresh online content. Contrary to what you might think in the age of AI, there’s huge demand for clear, well-written work done by human beings, even if you’re just starting out.
When I first started freelance writing I had an account on WriterAccess and Textbroker to find jobs, but you can also find tones of writing gigs on legitimate freelance platforms sites like Fiverr or Upwork.
MY TIPS: Join a freelance platform or two and start building a small writing portfolio on your profile. You can use class projects or papers, personal blog posts or writing samples you create just for practice.
10. Social Media Management
Social media management involves creating, scheduling and engaging with content on platforms like Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok for brands or small businesses.
It’s one of the most in-demand online jobs right now, and the industry will only continue to grow. If you love posting or designing content, it’s a great side hustle choice.
MY TIPS: Optimize your own social profiles and start think of them as your portfolio. Use free design tools Like Canva to hep you create professional posts that will stand out to brands and businesses.
11. Dog Walking
Dog walking means taking other people’s dogs out for walks, usually while their owners are are busy at work or traveling.
If you love dogs, it’s a simple and enjoyable way to get exercise and spend time outside while getting paid. Join apps like Rover or Wag to find clients, or advertise through community Facebook Groups and word-of-mouth.
💵 EARN BONUS MONEY: Sign up with Rakuten USA or Rakuten Canada before joining Rover to earn cash back bonuses!
MY TIPS: Start small by offering your services to friends, classmates or neighbors to get experience and build references.
12. Pet Sitting
Pet sitters take care of someone’s pets while they’re away. This can include stopping by for feedings, staying overnight at their place or watching their pets in your own home. It’s a great side hustle for anyone who loves animals.
You can find clients through apps like Rover, Facebook community groups or referrals from friends, family, colleagues or classmates.
💵 EARN BONUS MONEY: Sign up with Rakuten USA or Rakuten Canada before joining Rover to earn cash back bonuses!
MY TIPS: Limit yourself to one or two clients until you get the hang of it.
13. Content Creation
This is a great online side hustle for college students that can be extremely lucrative.
Content creation is the process of creating written, photo or video content (or a combination of all 3) for websites or social platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, etc.
You don’t need any fancy equipment to get started. All you need is your smartphone and a phone tripod with remote.
MY TIPS: Instead of using your existing personal profiles, create a new one exclusively for professional use.
14. User-Generated Content (UGC)
User-generated content (UGC) is where brands pay individual creators to create social content brands can use on their platforms to promote their products.
UGC is a growing form of content creation that’s in high demand right now. All you need is a smartphone and tripod—no need for fancy equipment as UGC is supposed to feel authentic and organic.
MY TIPS: Pick a niche you want to specialize in that you already know a lot about. You’ll get more UGC contracts being a specialist rather than creating content in many different areas.
15. Sell Printables on Etsy
Printables are digital products that people can purchase and download. You can create physical printables like meal planners or invitation templates that people will print out, or digital downloads like Notion templates.
Once you create a printable, it can be sold an unlimited amount of times making it great passive income.
MY TIPS: Pick a niche you’re passionate about and start with one simple problem-solving printable.
16. Food Delivery
If you have your own vehicle, food delivery is one of the easiest side hustles for college students because it’s flexible, requires little setup and lets you work around classes and exams.
Popular food delivery services to try:
- DoorDash
- Uber Eats
- Postmates
MY TIPS: Deliver during peak hours (lunch, dinner and weekends) and stick to an area near your house. Shorter trips usually mean faster orders, lower gas costs and better tips.
What is the Best Side Hustle for College Students?
The best side hustle for college students will be different for everyone, but it’s the one that most closely aligns with your skills and study schedule.
For example, if you already enjoy creating and editing video content for your social media, UGC would be a good fit for you since you already have some experience and it’s easy to fit around your class schedule.
Your Next Move: Side Hustles for College Students
Side hustles can be a great way to earn extra income in college, but the key is choosing something that fits your schedule, time commitments and goals.
Start with one option that feels like a good match, learn as you go and adjust as you gain experience.
Remember—a side hustle is WORK performed for supplementary income ON TOP OF your regular job or school. While they can be great to make extra income, be careful not to burn yourself out by taking on too many at once.
What is your favorite side hustle while in college? I love learning about new ones, so please share in the comments!
