Summer is a time for fun and relaxation, but it’s also the perfect opportunity to make extra cash while in college. Consider earning money with a summer job if you can’t juggle a part-time role with a full class schedule during the school year. It’s not only a great way to offset school expenses, but it’ll also encourage better thinking (which results in positive academic outcomes).
Why Should College Students Work During Summer Break?
Not everyone’s family can afford expensive tuition and fees, so working during summer break can generate income to pay for it. Additionally, you can gain valuable real-world experience which can boost your chances of employment after graduation. Assuming you don’t take any summer classes, you have more time to devote to a part-time or full-time position.
Best Summer Jobs for College Students
Need some ideas on good summer jobs for college students? Here’s what you can explore during your summer break:
Housesitter
If you’re comfortable living in other people’s houses and taking care of their pets, being a housesitter is a fantastic way to make money over the summer. You can make anywhere from $50-200 per day, depending on the location, requirements, and how many hours you work.
The best part about housesitting is that it’s pretty flexible. There are no hard deadlines—you just have to make sure everything is safe and sound in your clients’ homes while they’re on vacation.
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Lifeguard
Do you swim well, love the outdoors, and have a good handle on stressful situations? Be a lifeguard! The pay can be attractive, but you must pass a test and earn certification from the American Red Cross or American Heart Association before you can qualify for most jobs.
Lifeguards have three main duties:
- Watch swimmers at their assigned pool or beach
- Enforce safety roles
- Act as an emergency responder in case of an injury or accident
A typical day might include:
- Attending morning briefings with other staff members
- Checking in with guests when they arrive at the pool or beach (and making sure they know what areas are open)
- Patrolling your area of responsibility looking out for potential hazards like broken glass
- Testing water quality levels throughout each shift
- Responding to emergencies like drowning incidents
- Following up with injured bathers until EMS arrives on the scene
Camp Counselor
If you love the outdoors but don’t like swimming, you can still stay active while making money as a camp counselor. Camp counselor jobs give students the chance to give back to their community, whether it be through teaching kids about nature or helping them learn new skills.
Camp counselors are responsible for keeping children safe and in high spirits during their stay at camp. They interact with kids every day while teaching them important lessons like how to tie knots or survival tips in the wilderness.
Freelancer
With the gig economy booming, more students have turned to freelance work to make a lucrative summer income. It’s an awesome way to work on your terms. You can do it from home or from anywhere with Internet access. This means you could even make money while traveling!
The options are endless when it comes to offering freelance services. The key is to find your innate talent and then monetize it. Here are some gig ideas:
- Photography
- Videography
- Photo/video editing
- Content writing
- Copywriting
- Editing
- Graphic design
- Translation
- Social media management
- Web design
- Consulting
Freelancing allows you to develop practical skills that you can carry over to future jobs such as:
- Customer service
- Time management
- Communication
- Organization
- Budgeting
- Multi-tasking
Tutor
Do you get amazing grades in your classes? Tutoring could be your ticket to some extra spending cash this summer. If you’re passionate about learning and have strong communication skills, you may have what it takes to help someone else succeed.
Tutors work with students who need guidance with a particular subject. You can advertise your tutoring services based on what you excel in. For example, if you know chemistry well and have gotten an A on every exam, you can tutor someone who struggles in this subject.
The earning potential for tutoring is much like freelancing—you set your rates. Depending on the demand, you could earn $20 or more per hour—not too shabby for a college student!
Internship
Internships are an excellent way to get experience in a field that interests you while building your resume. They can even lead to competitive full-time jobs after graduation. Companies know that student interns have more hands-on experience, and are more likely to hire them over someone else without this experience.
Not sure about what you want to do full-time after graduating? Interning in different fields allows you to explore potential routes.
Teacher’s Assistant
Teachers often need help with classroom management, lesson planning, grading, and other duties. As a teacher’s assistant, you work in various settings like elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, or colleges. This is a wonderful summer job choice for students considering a career in teaching.
Server or Bartender
Working as a server or bartender at a restaurant is a fun summer job if you love being around others all the time. Servers bring food and drinks to the table and take orders from customers, while bartenders serve alcoholic beverages to patrons at the bar. Both positions require strong customer service skills. You must work well under pressure and handle multiple tasks at once without getting flustered.
Research Assistant
Those studying science and who want to pursue a career in medicine may look into research assistant positions. As a research assistant, you conduct experiments for professors and work on lab equipment. The pay is competitive—you could earn anywhere from $15-20 per hour.
Research assistants must be detail-oriented and organized because they keep track of a ton of information. They also need robust communication skills so they can effectively work with their professors.
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Learn New Skills While Making Extra Money to Pay for College
Summer jobs are a productive way to roll in some dough to pay for school while developing crucial life skills. As you can see, there are many different jobs you can do during the summer in college. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it gives you a glimpse of what’s out there. Hopefully, you can identify some opportunities that appeal to your interests. Now get out there and find yourself an exciting job!
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