3 Side Hustles Perfect for College Students

College life is fun but also stressful. Balancing academics with social life is challenging. Adding to it is the stress of finances. Pocket money is never enough to meet college expenses. How do you pay for ski trips and endless cups of coffee, then? 

Side hustles are the perfect solution to earn extra cash without losing focus on your studies. About 59% of Gen Z were engaged in side hustles in 2022. 

When it comes to side hustles, the plethora of options makes it challenging to decide which one to go for. To help you out, we’ll explore some side hustles that are perfect for college students. These will help you cover expenses as well as offer opportunities for personal growth and professional development. 

1. Drive for Lyft or Uber 

Have a car, bike, or scooter? Make use of your vehicle and become a driver for Lyft or Uber. 

Working as a driver for a ridesharing company is a lucrative side hustle for college students. You can earn, on average, $21/hour. You’ll make hundreds of dollars per week if you offer transportation services to passengers for 3 to 4 hours daily. 

Factors such as demand and ride length also determine how much money you can earn. Many passengers offer tips to rideshare drivers. Your earnings will increase if your passengers offer you generous tips. 

Lyft and Uber’s drivers are allowed to set their own working hours. Want to drive for either of the two platforms at night? No problem. You can decide your own working hours—be it morning, evening, or late night. 

Driving gigs, however, come with their own share of expenses. You’ll have to pay for gas, maintenance, as well as rideshare insurance. Do some careful calculations before you sign up as a Lyft or Uber driver, however. It will help you decide when, where, and how often you should drive. 

2. Walk Other People’s Dogs

Who doesn’t love the company of dogs? Turn your love for canines into a lucrative side hustle by becoming a dog walker. 

Many pet parents with busy schedules have no time to walk their dogs. These people often look for professionals who can take their fur babies on walks. You can walk their dogs on their behalf and get paid for that. Dog walkers, on average, get paid $17/hour. But you can earn as much as $25/hour if you’re experienced enough and provide quality service. 

Rover, Facebook Marketplace, and Wag! are great platforms to market your service. But remember, they’ll charge a small commission from your earnings. 

You can, however, save on commissions by building your own website. Don’t take the traditional route, though. Building a website through coding will cost you a lot of money and time. 

Use AI-powered website builders instead. These website builders design a website in as little as five minutes. AI wizards will ask you a few questions and generate a website tailored to your needs. You can, of course, edit the website as you want before making it live. 

One of the benefits of using AI to create your website, Hocoos explains, is that the website creation process is quicker and easier than traditional website-building methods. This will save you money and time. 

3. Work as a Babysitter

There has been a surge in the demand for babysitters. More than 19,000 babysitters are required in the U.S. Why don’t you start working as one? You will have to take care of children when their parents are away. On average, babysitters get paid $19/hour—that is pretty good. 

Babysitting is quite flexible. You can work a few hours daily or babysit only on weekends—the choice is yours. Decide on your working hours and then create a profile on websites like Care.com and Sittercity to connect with potential clients. You can even ask your family, friends, or neighbors if they are looking for a babysitter. 

Before you start working as a babysitter, take CPR classes. You’ll be paid a bit higher if you have a CPR certificate than you would otherwise. The American Red Cross offers CPR classes online for $37. You can enroll yourself in them.  

This side hustle will be beneficial for those majoring in early childhood education. As a babysitter, you’ll enjoy some downtime, too. When kids are busy doing their homework or sleeping, you can study. 

To wrap things up, side hustles are perfect for college students who are interested in earning money while managing their college commitments. Whether you decide to work as a rideshare driver, dog walker, or babysitter, these hustles offer flexibility, the potential for growth, and the chance to develop valuable skills. They will also prepare you for future career paths. So, dive in and start exploring the opportunities today!