If you're a college student, you have probably searched for ways to make some extra money on the side. But most articles you find give you the same list, no matter how busy you actually are.
The truth is that how much time you have for a side hustle depends a lot on your course load. If you only have a few classes this semester, you can probably handle a part-time job or something that takes a bit more effort.
But if you are taking a heavy load with labs, group projects, and late nights studying, you need something that actually fits into the little free time you have. So, instead of giving you one big list, I want to help you figure out what kind of side hustle makes sense for your specific schedule.
Below, I will go through flexible ways to make money in college that would fit best for all types of students.
What to expect?
Based on a survey conducted by Aviva, 65% of college students usually have a side hustle.
This guide is meant to help students with different course loads figure out great ways to earn extra cash, so they don't have to spend hours testing which side hustles to work on. It will discuss the types of student course loads and the recommended side hustles for each type.
I'll also include links to great lists, so you don't have to spend hours researching the right sites and apps to join. I'll also include a bonus tip at the end to help you with your side hustle journey as a college student.
So, let's get to it, shall we?
Types of Student Course Loads
Before we get into the best ways to make money for each type, it can be good to figure out which one fits you. Most students fall into one of these categories:
Light Course Load
If you are only taking on 12 credits or fewer this semester, you can consider yourself a light course load student. These are usually students who are taking it easy this semester, doing an online-heavy schedule, or who are close to graduating and only have a few classes left.
Either way, you have a decent amount of free time to work with.
Standard Full-time Load
This is the normal schedule for most college students. On average, that would be around 15 to 16 credits. Normally, you’ll have a mix of classes, some homework, and the usual amount of studying. The takeaway is that you have some free time, but it is not unlimited.
Heavy Load
This is for students taking a lot of classes at once (17 or more credits), often with labs, group projects, or classes that are just more demanding, like pre-med, engineering, or other similar programs. So, your free time is limited, and when you do have time off, you probably want to use it to rest.
Irregular or Online Schedule
If you are doing an online degree, a hybrid schedule, or have classes spread unevenly through the week, then you belong to this category. Your free time might not follow a normal pattern, so you need something flexible enough to work around it.
Once you know which type fits you best, you can easily figure out which types of methods actually make sense for your schedule.
Ways to make money for different course loads
Now that you know the type of course load you have, it’s time we discuss the appropriate ways to make money according to your course load. I’ll include examples for each course load, so you will know where to get started.
For light course loads
As explained earlier, if you are only taking 12 credits or fewer, you probably have quite a lot of free time compared to other students. This can be a great time to take on something that pays a bit more, since you actually have the hours to put into it.
The first thing you should think about is “How much time do you have?” It all depends on your classes, of course, but with a light load, you could probably find 10-20 hours a week for a side hustle, sometimes even more if your classes are all online or spread out well.
What fits best with this much free time? Well, you have a few options:
- A part-time job on or off campus is possible since you have room in your schedule. A regular part-time job, like working in a campus store, library, or a local shop, can be a great way to make steady money. This is the more common option students go for. I did this when I was still in college, so I know it works.
- Tutoring is another good way to earn extra cash. If you are good at a subject, tutoring other students can pay quite well for the time you put in. You can check out this list of the best online tutoring sites to get started.
- Reselling items like clothes or textbooks can be a nice way to make extra cash. You just have to spend time taking good photos of the items you want to resell. To get started, you can check out the best sites to sell used clothes.
- If you have a skill like writing, design, or video editing, freelancing can be a great option, since it lets you build up steady clients over time. Even if you are a beginner, this guide on the best freelance jobs for beginners can help you.
Now, even with a light load, it is still a good idea not to take on too much at once. You might be tempted to sign up for several things right away, but it is better to start with one or two and see how it fits into your schedule first.
This is how I would approach it. Once I can develop a routine or rhythm, then that’s when I would consider adding more, so I can increase my earnings.
During the summer, when you might have even more free time (or no classes at all), this is a great time to take on a part-time job with more hours, or to really put effort into freelancing to build up clients for the rest of the year.
But if you ever have a week or two where things get busier than usual (usually around finals), paid surveys for students can be a nice way to still make a bit of extra money without needing to commit to a set schedule.
For standard full-time course loads
If you are taking a normal full-time load, you probably have a decent amount of homework and studying to do, but you should still have some free time during the week to work with.
So, with a standard load, you can probably find 5-15 hours a week for a side hustle, depending on how your classes and assignments are spread out. Some weeks will have more free time than others, especially around midterms or finals.
What fits best with this much free time? Well, since your time is a bit more limited compared to a light load, these are what will usually work best:
- Freelancing is also a good option if you have a skill like writing, design, or social media management. In general, freelancing is a good option because it lets you work whenever you have time, instead of needing set hours.
- Gig work like food delivery or rideshare driving can be great, since you can log on and off whenever it fits your schedule. You can check out the best gig jobs and where to find them to get started.
- A part-time job with flexible hours like campus jobs or retail with flexible scheduling can still work well if you talk to your employer about your class schedule.
- Reselling items online, in general, can be a great option for any student because it doesn’t take up a lot of your time. If you have some spare time here and there, you can resell clothes, textbooks, or other items you do not need anymore.
- Paid surveys and Get-Paid-To sites will most likely be your go-to option here because they won’t require any significant time investment. You can spend as little as 30 minutes per day (or even less) answering surveys and completing tasks to earn extra cash. Just temper your expectations in terms of earning potential because it can take a while to earn a significant amount.
Just remember that with a standard load, it is easy to take on too much and then feel overwhelmed once assignments pile up. So, make sure to pick something that lets you scale back during busier weeks, instead of something with a fixed schedule that does not leave room for that.
For heavy course loads
If you are taking a heavy load, with a lot of classes, labs, or demanding programs like pre-med or engineering, you probably do not have a lot of free time left over. And when you do have some time off, you likely want to use it to rest instead of adding more to your plate.
So, with a heavy load, you might only have a few hours a week for a side hustle, and some weeks, especially around exams, you might not have any free time at all.
Since your time is so limited, low-effort options are usually your best options:
- Paid surveys and GPT sites can work because you can work on them whenever you have a few minutes. You do not need to commit to a set schedule, so you can just do a survey or two whenever you have some free time.
- Cashback apps are also another great option since you are already spending money on things like groceries. It’s a great option because using a cashback app does not take any extra time or effort. Just treat it as a way to save money instead of a source of extra income.
- Passive income apps let you earn a bit of money just by installing them and letting them run in the background, so they do not take up any of your time at all. You just have to adjust your expectations because it can take a bit of time to earn a significant amount from them. You can check out the best passive income apps to get started.
- User testing can also be a good option for this type of course load because it doesn’t take up much time. Aside from that, it usually pays more than paid surveys based on my experience. You can check out the best user testing sites to find out which ones to go for.
As you can see, with a heavy course load, it is best to stay away from anything with a fixed schedule or a big-time commitment, like a regular part-time job or even freelancing for that matter. Even if it sounds like good money, it can end up hurting your grades if you do not have enough time left for your classes.
I actually think students with this type of course load are more like people who have a full-time job, but are also working on side hustles. The amount of workload and free time will be quite similar. So, if you know someone like that, you can ask for pointers on how they handle that.
For irregular or online schedule students
If you are doing an online degree, a hybrid schedule, or your classes are just spread out unevenly throughout the week, your free time probably does not follow a normal pattern. Some days you might have a lot of free time, and other days none at all.
So, the options you can go for will really depend on your specific schedule. So, instead of a set number of hours, what you need most is something flexible enough to work around your schedule.
Since your schedule is not fixed, you need options that do not require set hours either:
- Since freelancing lets you work whenever it fits you, it can be a great option, especially if you have a skill like writing, design, or video editing.
- Paid surveys and GPT sites can be done whenever you have some free time, whether that is early in the morning or late at night, so they fit well no matter how your schedule looks.
- Gig work can also work. You can do various types of gig economy jobs. Just make sure to choose ones that will let you log on and off whenever you have some free time, and without needing to plan ahead.
- Remote jobs can also be an option because some will let you complete tasks on your own time. It can take a bit of patience to find the right opportunities, but it can also be the most rewarding method. You can check out the best sites for remote jobs to get started.
As you can see, with an irregular schedule, it is best to stay away from anything that requires you to be available at a set time. So, even if it sounds flexible at first, it can end up being hard to combine with a schedule that changes from week to week.
Additional Tip
If you are planning to earn extra cash the whole time you are in college, you’ll eventually encounter different course loads. So, you’ll have to reassess how you should approach each semester.
A good approach is to keep a checklist that can help you reassess your course load. This checklist can include the following:
- Difficulty of courses or subjects
- Weekly workload
- Other academic or extra-curricular commitments
It is important to pay more attention to the difficulty of the subjects/courses you are taking on for the semester because that can also dictate how much free time you will have. With a harder course/subject, you will likely have to spend a lot of time studying, which can eat up your free time.
So, you must adjust accordingly. Don’t just stick to whatever was suggested. You also have to be flexible. That way, you won’t get overwhelmed with your course and workload.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, earning extra cash while you are in college is slightly more complicated than you might think. You have to consider a few factors like course load, difficulty of subjects, and even your earning goals.
It can take a bit of time to get used to the pace, based on my experience, especially if you are also focusing on your studies. But with proper time management, you can easily make it work. Just remember that the end goal is to finish your studies.
If you have any comments, questions, or experience with flexible ways to make money in college, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.