What is the best side hustle for college students with no experience?

If you've never had a paid job, consider the following hustles that require no experience: Rideshare or delivery driver Pet sitting Dog walking Online surveys Mystery shopping Online focus group

Can I make good money with a side hustle as a student?

Absolutely, but remember that you'll be self-employed. To succeed, you'll need to pick a hustle with enough demand to support the level of earnings you hope to achieve, and put in the time and effort required to drum up business.

What's the most flexible side hustle for a busy class schedule?

Rideshare drivers have completely flexible schedules. You can drive as much or as little as you want, and as often or infrequently as you want.

Are side hustles taxable for college students?

Possibly. For 2025, single filers need to file tax returns and may owe tax if they earn $15,000 or more ($30,000 for married joint filers).

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30 Best Side Hustles for College Students in 2025

May 16, 2025

Written by Daria Uhlig

Edited by Elizabeth Constantineau

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Want to make extra money in college without throwing off your schedule or long-term goals? These 30 side hustles for college students are flexible, beginner-friendly and can even add to your resume. Whether you’re tech-savvy, creative or just need quick cash, there’s an option for you.

30 Side Hustles for College Students That Are Flexible and Easy to Start

The best side hustles for college students go beyond generic job lists. Think of this as your guide to finding flexible, strategic gigs that fit your college lifestyle.

1. Freelance Writer

Freelance writers provide articles, blogs, social media posts, website copy and other content to publishers and other businesses. Any company that communicates in writing is a potential client.

Although freelance writers work on deadline, you can structure your time however you want, which makes it easier to fit work into your school and social schedule.

Average pay: $21 per hour
Ideal for: Communications, journalism, marketing, creative writing majors
Experience needed? Yes, but student experience may qualify
Where to find work: Upwork, Fiverr, LinkedIn
Flexibility: High

2. Graphic Designer

If you’re studying graphic design or fine art, you may be able to find a side hustle that allows you to share and show off your skills across a wide variety of forms ranging from branding to editorial design.

This can include everything from creating menus for restaurants to designing fliers or newsletters for businesses. You can also create your own designs to sell through a print-on-demand site like Printful.

Average pay: $23
Ideal for: Graphic design, fine art majors
Experience needed? Should have portfolio of sample work
Where to find work: Upwork, Fiverr, Printful
Flexibility: High

Today's Top Offers

3. Virtual Assistant

Strong organizational skills or administrative experience are needed as a virtual assistant or virtual administrative assistant.

If this skillset applies to you then you could potentially operate as support for busy business owners who need help with scheduling, correspondence and other tasks.

Many virtual assistants work remotely, but you may need to be available by phone, text and/or email during scheduled work hours.

Average pay: $28 per hour
Ideal for: Business majors
Experience needed? Yes
Where to find work: Upwork, Fiverr, LinkedIn
Flexibility: Low

4. Delivery Driver

The side hustle of delivering food or other goods has grown exponentially over the last several years.

All you need is a reliable form of transportation and then sign up with one of the numerous gig apps to get started.

Average pay: $20 per hour
Ideal for: Any major
Experience needed? No
Where to find work:
- Uber Eats
- Grubhub
- Seamless
- Instacart
- DoorDash
Flexibility: High
Special requirements: Car, bike or scooter, depending on location

5. Rideshare Driver

If you are one of the lucky college students to have a car, driving for apps such as Lyft or Uber can be a great money maker.

College campuses are often high-volume areas for rideshare opportunities as many students don’t have cars.

Average pay: $20 per hour
Ideal for: Any major
Experience needed? No
Where to find work: Uber, Lyft
Flexibility: High

6. Social Media Coordinator

As a social media coordinator, you would be in charge of expanding your client’s online presence and brand awareness.

Average pay: $21 per hour
Ideal for: Marketing, communications majors
Experience needed? Yes
Where to find work: Upwork, Fiverr, LinkedIn
Flexibility: High

7. Cleaning Houses

Cleaning houses or even starting a cleaning business comes with very little overhead cost and a lot of flexibility.

Today's Top Offers

Not only is it an in-demand way to make some quick cash but you can also set up recurring gigs on a schedule around your school responsibilities to make consistent income.

Average pay: $16 per hour
Ideal for: Any major
Experience needed? No
Where to find work: NextDoor, Care.com
Flexibility: Medium

8. Coder

Those pursuing a computer science degree may consider helping with coding a merchant’s website or supporting other technology.

Many of these side hustles can be done on or off campus depending on the student’s preference.

Average pay: $35
Ideal for: Computer science, web development majors
Experience needed? Yes
Where to find work: Upwork, Fiverr, LinkedIn
Flexibility: High

9. Photography or Selling Stock Photos

People looking for wedding, family and party photos on a budget are sometimes willing to hire hobbyist photographers and pay cash on the spot for their services.

If you are an avid photographer with professional equipment and pro-quality work, you can also submit photos to websites like Shutterstock. If your work is accepted, you could earn a small commission each time someone licenses one of your images.

Average pay: $22 per hour
Ideal for: Art, photography majors
Experience needed? Yes
Where to find work: Upwork, Fiverr, social media
Flexibility: Moderate
Special requirements: Requires at least prosumer-level camera, lenses and flash

10. Babysit

With babysitting, your rate of pay increases the more children you watch. Keep that in mind when signing up for gigs.

This side gig is great for college students who are good with children or going into professions such as teaching or social work.

Average pay: $16 per hour
Ideal for: Any major
Experience needed? No
Where to find work: NextDoor, Care.com
Flexibility: Moderate
Good to know: CPR certification might be required

Today's Top Offers

11. Housesit

Becoming a house-sitter can be convenient if you need a place to stay. You can set times to housesit when you are in between homes, need to save on rent or just get out of the dorms for a bit.

Average pay: $50 to $100 per day
Ideal for: Any major
Experience needed? No
Where to find work: Care.com, NextDoor
Flexibility: Moderate

12. Pet Sit

Many pet owners need to have their furry friends attended to while vacationing or even if they are out of town on business for an extended period.

This can be a regular gig or a good way to get free room and board for a couple of weeks.

Average pay: $50 to $100 per day for overnight care, $25 per short drop-in visit
Ideal for: Any major
Experience needed? No
Where to find work: Care.com, NextDoor, Rover
Flexibility: Moderate

13. Dog Walking

A quick way to earn some cash is to walk dogs for people you know or who live near you. You can walk more than one at a time to up your earning potential.

Average pay: $21 per hour
Ideal for: Any major
Experience needed? No
Where to find work: Care.com, NextDoor, Rover
Flexibility: Moderate

14. Complete Online Surveys

You can make some extra money in your spare time by filling out surveys online.

There is also a variety of online activities for you to complete besides surveys such as watching videos or filling out questionnaires. You will be paid for your time with cash, gift cards or other rewards.

Average pay: $0.25 to $5 per survey in most cases, paid in cash or in redeemable points
Ideal for: Any major
Experience needed? No
Where to find work: Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, Inbox Dollars
Flexibility: High

Today's Top Offers

15. Put Ads on Your Car

There are companies that pay you for advertising space on your car. Once you sign up, you can get the magnet or mesh to attach to your car and drive around making some dough.

Average pay: $100 per month and up
Ideal for: Any major
Experience needed? No
Where to find work: CarVertise, Wrapify, Nickelytics
Flexibility: High
Good to know: Campaigns not available in all areas; pay depends on campaign and how much you drive within a defined area

16. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is when you promote a certain product on your website or social media page. If someone purchases it, you’ll receive a commission.

This is a great side gig for college students who enjoy creating content and have a strong social media following.

Average pay: 5% to 25% of sale
Ideal for: Marketing, communications, web development or design majors
Experience needed? No
Where to find work: ClickBank, CJ Affiliate, Amazon Associates, ShareASale
Flexibility: High

17. Fashion Assistant

What’s available to students who are studying a fashion major? These students might be able to find a fashion assistant role at local retail shops. Tasks may include providing sewing assistance and helping out with fittings.

Average pay: $19 per hour
Ideal for: Fashion majors
Experience needed? Yes
Where to find work: Local dress shops
Flexibility: Moderate

18. Online Tutoring

Having just gone through the subjects yourself, online tutoring for high school students could be right up your alley to make some extra cash.

Online tutoring in areas such as SAT preparation or other test prep is in demand, so it is a solid side gig plan.

Average pay: $26 per hour
Ideal for: Any major
Experience needed? No
Where to find work: Wyzant, Care.com, Varsity Tutors
Flexibility: High

Today's Top Offers

19. Party Planning

If you have a talent for organizing shindigs, you can freelance party plan for school organizations or even student body groups.

You’ll be responsible for finding vendors, coordinating payments, being onsite to ensure things run smoothly on the big day, and assisting with cleanup.

Average pay: $23 per hour
Ideal for: Marketing, hospitality, project management majors
Experience needed? Yes
Where to find work: Local businesses, schools and organizations
Flexibility: Moderate

20. Lawnmowing and Landscaping

Lawn mowing can be a seasonal side gig or a regular occupation depending on where you live.

Groundskeeping is an option for students with experience in gardening and landscaping. This side gig fits in great for students who have summers off.

Average pay: $18 per hour
Ideal for: Landscape architecture, turf management, horticulture majors
Experience needed? Yes
Where to find work: NextDoor, Care.com
Flexibility: Moderate
Good to know: Some states require landscapers to have a home improvement contractor license or work under the supervision of a licensed contractor

21. Grocery Shopper

Running errands for those who can’t or don’t want to can earn you a paycheck.

Grocery shopping services run by individual grocery chains can take care of the details. All you have to do is sign up to be a shopper and drive the goods to customers.

Average pay: $17 per hour
Ideal for: Any major
Experience needed? No
Where to find work: Instacart, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods
Flexibility: Depends on store or platform

22. Mystery Shopper

Mystery shopping, also known as secret shopping, is when you go into restaurants or other service-based businesses and gauge the quality of customer service and overall experience.

You’ll be hired through a third party to visit an assigned retail store or restaurant. Expect to report on the cleanliness of the location, employees’ product knowledge and how you were treated.

Average pay: $18 per hour
Ideal for: Any major
Experience needed? No
Where to find work: Market Force, Intouch Insight, BestMark
Flexibility: High

Today's Top Offers

23. Lifeguarding

If you are a strong swimmer, you can lifeguard at campus pools or public recreational spaces.

This is a part-time job rather than gig work, but it’s great to make money, especially if you live near a beach or in a warmer climate.

Average pay: $17 per hour
Ideal for: Any major
Experience needed? No
Where to find work: School campuses, local governments, homeowners associations, recreational facilities
Flexibility: Low
Good to know: You’ll likely need to complete lifeguard and CPR training and pass an exam and skills test to qualify for a lifeguarding role

24. Paint Houses

When people are moving to a new space or looking to upgrade or freshen up their current one, they might need their house painted. As it can be a time-consuming process, many people prefer to hire someone else to do it.

Average pay: $21
Ideal for: Any major
Experience needed? Yes
Where to find work: NextDoor, TaskRabbit
Flexibility: Medium
Good to know: Some states require painters to have a home improvement contractor license or work under the supervision of a licensed contractor

25. Edit Papers

Eagle-eyed students with impeccable English, spelling and grammar who get straight As on their papers can make some money proofreading or editing classmates’ papers.

You can charge per project or even per page. If you set a reasonable rate, there will be great word of mouth to help you pick up other customers on campus.

Average pay: From $14 per hour
Ideal for: English, journalism majors
Experience needed? Yes
Where to find work: On campus
Flexibility: High

26. Write Cover Letters or Resumes

Many of your fellow students and peers are about to graduate and may need help writing cover letters or resumes.

Taking part in this side gig will also help you during your own job search after graduation.

Average pay: $18 per hour
Ideal for: Business, English, journalism majors
Experience needed?: Yes
Where to find work: Upwork, Fiverr
Flexibility: High

27. Online Focus Groups

An easy way to earn good pay is by participating in a focus group.

Duties depend on the group or company but typically include answering questions about a product or giving feedback about services.

Average pay: $27 per hour
Ideal for: Any major
Experience needed? No
Where to find work: User Interviews, FocusGroups.org
Flexibility: High

28. Start a Dropshipping Business

Dropshipping is when you handle online orders that don’t require the retailer or seller involved to maintain a physical product inventory.

You are the middleman for distribution, and it is all done remotely with little to no overhead.

Average pay: $20 per hour
Ideal for: Business majors
Experience needed? Retail experience helpful but not necessary
Where to find work: Shopify, Zendrop
Flexibility: High

29. Start an Etsy Shop

If you’re a talented painter, photographer, graphic designer or general artisan, starting an Etsy Shop is a great side gig.

Though you will pay fees to sell your wares on Etsy, the platform allows you to reach buyers from a wide market and grow your entrepreneurial skills at the same time.

Average pay: $0 to over $40,000 per year
Ideal for: Any creative student
Experience needed? No
Flexibility: High
Good to know: To be successful, you’ll have to actively market your shop

30. Tour Guide

Tour guides introduce visitors to tourist destinations, museums, historical attractions and other interesting places around their cities.

Themed specialty tours are also popular and might focus on pubs, wineries, haunted locations or art galleries.

Average pay: $22 per hour
Ideal for: Hospitality, art, theater, history majors
Experience needed? No
Where to find work: Local organizations and facilities, Airbnb Experience
Flexibility: Moderate

Best College Student Side Hustles: At a Glance

Here’s a side-by-side look at all the side hustles for college students:

Side Hustle	Avg. Pay	Best For	Experience Needed	Flexibility
Freelance writer	$21 per hour	Communications, journalism, marketing, creative writing majors	Yes	High
Graphic designer	$23 per hour	Graphic design, fine art majors	Portfolio needed	High
Virtual assistant	$28 per hour	Business majors	Yes	Low
Delivery driver	$20 per hour	Any major	No	High
Rideshare driver	$20 per hour	Any major	No	High
Social media coordinator	$21 per hour	Marketing, communications majors	Yes	High
Cleaning houses	$16 per hour	Any major	No	Medium
Coder	$35 per hour	Computer science, web development	Yes	High
Photography	$22 per hour	Photography, art	Yes	Moderate
Babysit	$16 per hour	Any major	No (may need certification)	Moderate
Housesit	$50 to $100 per day	Any major	No	Moderate
Pet sit	$50 to $100 per day	Any major	No	Moderate
Dog walking	$21 per hour	Any major	No	Moderate
Online surveys	$0.25 to $5 per survey	Any major	No	Moderate
Put ads on your car	From $100 per month	Any major	No	High
Affiliate marketing	5% to 25% of sale	Marketing, communications, web development/design majors	No	High
Fashion assistant	$19 per hour	Fashion majors	Yes	Moderate
Online tutoring	$26 per hour	Any major	No	High
Party planning	$23 per hour	Marketing, hospitality, project management majors	Yes	Moderate
Lawnmowing/landscaping	$18 per hour	Landscape architecture, turf management, horticulture majors	Yes, for landscaping (might require contractors license)	Moderate
Grocery shopper	$17 per hour	Any major	No	Depends on store or platform
Mystery shopper	$18 per hour	Any major	No	High
Lifeguarding	$17 per hour	Any major	No (might require certification)	Low
Paint houses	$21 per hour	Any major	Yes (might require contractors license)	Moderate
Proofread papers	From $14 per hour	English, journalism majors	Yes	High
Writer cover letters/resumes	$18 per hour	Business, English, journalism majors	Yes	High
Online focus groups	$27 per hour	Any major	No	High
Dropshipping	$20 per hour	Business majors	Helpful but not required	Moderate
Etsy shop	$0 to over $40,000 annually	Any creative student	Marketing experience helpful but not required	High
Tour guide	$22 per hour	Hospitality, art, theater, history majors	No	Moderate

Final Take: Start Your Side Hustle Today

Finding a side hustle in college isn’t just about earning extra cash — it’s a chance to build real-world skills that can boost your future career. The best way to start? Pick one gig that fits your schedule, give it a try and build from there. Whether it’s freelancing online or taking on local jobs, the experience and paycheck will pay off.

FAQ

Find the right side hustle and make the most of your gigs with these frequently asked questions.

What is the best side hustle for college students with no experience?
- If you've never had a paid job, consider the following hustles that require no experience:
  - Rideshare or delivery driver
  - Pet sitting
  - Dog walking
  - Online surveys
  - Mystery shopping
  - Online focus group
Can I make good money with a side hustle as a student?
- Absolutely, but remember that you'll be self-employed. To succeed, you'll need to pick a hustle with enough demand to support the level of earnings you hope to achieve, and put in the time and effort required to drum up business.
What's the most flexible side hustle for a busy class schedule?
- Rideshare drivers have completely flexible schedules. You can drive as much or as little as you want, and as often or infrequently as you want.
Are side hustles taxable for college students?
- Possibly. For 2025, single filers need to file tax returns and may owe tax if they earn $15,000 or more ($30,000 for married joint filers).

Caitlyn Moorhead contributed to the reporting for this article.

Pay data is accurate as of May 16, 2025, and was sourced from ZipRecruiter, LinkedIn and Indeed.

Our in-house research team and on-site financial experts work together to create content that’s accurate, impartial, and up to date. We fact-check every single statistic, quote and fact using trusted primary resources to make sure the information we provide is correct. You can learn more about GOBankingRates’ processes and standards in our editorial policy.