7 Best Side Hustles for Students, According to Self-Made Millionaire Mark Tilbury
Written by
Sean Bryant
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Rebekah Evans
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Are you a student looking to earn extra cash? Whether you are looking for cash to pay for school supplies or treat yourself to a meal out, taking on a side hustle might be easier than you think. In a video, self-made millionaire Mark Tilbury, who has 5.78 million YouTube subscribers, breaks down seven of the best side hustles for students.
Also here are some side gigs that offer perks on top of pay.
TikTok Shop
TikTok is one of the fastest growing social media platforms. In September 2023, TikTok launched TikTok Shop, which is an e-commerce store. TikTok users can promote products and receive commissions on each purchase. This is a great way for students to earn extra cash for products they might already be using.
Focus Groups
Data helps organizations create new products, services and offerings. This data is commonly collected through focus groups. Taking a few hours each week to participate in a focus group is an easy way to generate extra cash for giving your opinion. Even better, you might be able to join an online focus group.
Boring Business Optimization
Boring business optimization takes a standard business model and optimizes it for cash flow or profitability. For example, placing a vending machine on campus. Although this business model isn’t as flashy as other methods, it’s an excellent way to bring in extra cash as a student.
Part-Time Work
Part-time work is another side hustle that students can take on. Working part-time at your local bakery or retail store can give you access to additional funds each month. If you live in a college town, there are dozens of different part-time work opportunities that you might be able to secure. In fact, you might even be able to land a paid internship in your field.
Reselling Used Items
The resale market is a great side hustle for students, especially if you love shopping for gently used items or putting in sweat equity. For example, refinishing dressers that you find on the side of the road and selling them on Facebook Marketplace or opening a page on Poshmark and selling your thrifting finds. Reselling used items can be fun and give you extra spending cash.
Dropshipping
Dropshipping involves sending items directly to the end user. For example, if a customer orders a product, you have the order sent directly from a warehouse or the original seller. Dropshipping is a great strategy for students if they want to get in on the e-commerce market but don’t have the space to store inventory. With e-commerce popularity continuing to rise, you can’t go wrong with starting a dropshipping side hustle.
Dubbing
Dubbing is the process of replacing the original audio in a film with a new soundtrack. Dubbing is most commonly used in international distribution to release films in different countries. This can be a great side hustle for students because of the flexibility and remote capabilities.
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Source
- Mark Tilbury, YouTube, “The 7 BEST Side Hustles To Start for Students (in 2025).”
