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young woman contemplating best job for college student
When most people think about working in college, they imagine themselves living off financial aid and the minimum wage work they can get from a fast food joint. You are obviously more than welcome to do so if you want, but chances are you will need more than a pint-sized paycheck and scholarship money to get by. Before you go end up broke trying to start your future, you may want to learn about the high paying career opportunities that are available to students right now. Here is a list of the six jobs students should consider to make some extra cash.

Six Best Jobs for College Students

1. Paid Intern

Most internships do not offer any money, but learning how to find an internship can offer financial compensation for career training. In other words, you could lean more about your career path while simultaneously making money. This will make it easier for you to find work after graduation and help you avoid massive debt living on student loans. If you happen to establish some positive career connections, you might be able to land a job before completing your degree program.

2. Freelance Writer

As a freelance writer, you can work from the comfort of your own home and make a decent salary too. Every word on the web (including this one) has to be written by someone, and a lot of companies will pay people to write those words for them. Most freelance writers start at about $15 an hour, whereas experienced writers can make as much as $50 or more an hour.

3. Bartender

If you are over the age of 21, you could make good money bartending. This depends on where you live and what kinds of bars are in your area (most college towns have plenty of good bars to choose from). Bartenders have the potential of earning several hundred dollars a night if they are good at what they do. It’s a big plus if you can charm people and multitask. Instead of getting drunk on the weekends, why not provide the drinks? This is a much more profitable option in the long run.

4. Server

Serving jobs don’t always pay as well as bartending jobs, but they are still great options for people who don’t possess an extensive knowledge of alcohol. The average server at most restaurant chains will make at least $100 per shift. If you are friendly, strong on your feet, and wants fast cash,  this is the job for you.

5. Affiliate Marketer

In affiliate marketing, you basically get paid to promote someone else’s products or services. You could achieve this by putting affiliate links on blogs, videos, social media channels, and the like. You can post product reviews with attached links, so long as the website you’re posting them to allows affiliate linking. Every time someone clicks on a link you posted, you could make money. Some companies will pay per click, and others will pay per purchase. You just need to draw traffic to your post and you’ll have the potential of making money with very little effort.

6. Tutor

Why not put your knowledge to the test and make some money at the same time? You could sign up to be a teacher’s aid at your school, or you can search for private tutoring options in your area. You may even want to look into online tutoring positions too. A basic tutoring job may only pay $10 an hour, but you could make more if you host study session. Find a group of people to instruct, and you’ll make money in no time.

All the aforementioned jobs offer decent pay, flexible scheduling, and significant opportunities for college-bound students. Evaluate what you will do best, and find a job to support yourself during your studies. The more you earn during college, the less financial worries you will have come graduation.

You can find all kinds of job opportunities for college students on sites like Simply Hired, Glasssdoor and Jooble.

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