Getting paid to work online can be an attractive proposition when you’re in college, but it can also be a bit intimidating – what if it turns out to be some kind of scam? Don’t worry, there are plenty of great opportunities out there that you can trust, including many that pay you well. With that in mind, here are trusted online jobs for students that pay well.
Online Trusted Jobs for Student
Tutoring
You don’t need a teaching degree to tutor. You just need your subject expertise and a talent for breaking down information. Share your knowledge of Spanish or algebra with students in need and help them improve their grades while earning cash. Tutoring is flexible work with schedule options that fit around your class load, too.
If you have extra time, try becoming an online tutor or offering your services at local schools; ask friends and family members if they know of any opportunities, or reach out to businesses directly. For more information on starting a tutoring business, read: How to Start a Tutoring Business: A Step-by-Step Guide
Remember, tutors, are also expected to cover subjects like test preparation (SAT/ACT) or exam review (AP/IB). According to getting Schooled, there are plenty of other situations where you can apply your skills as a teacher—you could help parents prepare for PTA meetings by sharing ideas about parenting techniques in general, provide career counseling to high schoolers who are looking into college majors or offer after-school homework assistance.
Other positions may require specific experience—particularly if working with people with special needs—but still allow you to be creative and offer unique insights based on previous experience. These jobs can all be done from home as long as there’s strong Internet access and reliable phone service.
Transcription Services
If you’re a student with decent typing skills, transcription services may be an easy way to earn some extra cash. Companies such as Rev, Scribie, and Verbal Ink pay anywhere from $15 to $25 per hour for medical transcription work, which is typically less than your full-time gig but enough to cover your bills and add a little to your savings account.
If it sounds like something you can handle with minimal training, check out companies offering transcription jobs on Monster and Indeed—but be sure you read their policies so you don’t get in trouble! Also, keep in mind that these companies don’t hire students directly; they often rely on third-party contractors who employ freelance workers—including high schoolers! Your parents will want to know!
Writing Jobs
If you’re willing to take your writing online, there are quite a few reputable companies that hire virtual writers. One of my favorites is Scripted (currently hiring), where you can earn up to $100 per day writing movie reviews.
Another popular one is Textbroker (many CopyPress readers are earning good money with them), where I earn about $200 per month writing SEO-friendly articles for businesses. Or, if blogging is more your style, check out HubPages and Squidoo — they both pay a flat rate per page view and will pay you in cash via PayPal or in Amazon gift cards. If you have any questions about these or other sites that hire virtual writers, feel free to ask me in the comments below. Good luck!
Data Entry
Since you’re in school, there’s a chance you have a bit of extra time on your hands. Take advantage of it and sign up with an online data entry company. These businesses hire people to do all kinds of tasks online, from data processing to research, writing, and many other tasks that take up time. Look for one that offers competitive rates and provides good perks and benefits (i.e., paid holiday or health insurance).
If you can work full-time for a few months, not only will you earn some money but also make some great connections in case things don’t work out at graduation.
SEO Services
A lot of companies are jumping on board with SEO, which means there is a need for experts to provide these services. These types of online jobs are great because they can be performed anywhere as long as you have an internet connection.
It’s also nice that your work can be completed at any time since there isn’t a deadline or quota to meet unless you set one for yourself. The pay varies greatly depending on which company you choose to work with although it typically falls between $10 and $30 per hour.
Social Media Job
It’s no secret that just about every company on earth is using social media as a key way to reach their audiences, so if you’re not using social media, you’re missing out on one of your best opportunities to get an internship or job. If you want to know how to make money from social media, it’s all about knowing what each platform can do.
For example, Instagram is great for helping brands go viral, but companies are better off posting images on Facebook than they are on Twitter. You also need a schedule: As long as you’re planning out your efforts in advance and sticking with them consistently (and creatively), social media shouldn’t be that difficult to use as a source of income.
Selling on Amazon
If you’re a college student, working on campus is a great way to make some extra cash—as long as you don’t mind juggling classes and shifts. But if you have your heart set on making money beyond your tuition, consider selling items on Amazon.
To get started, visit Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), where sellers can find out how to sell their products in Amazon’s warehouses. A seller account costs $39.99 per month, plus referral fees for each product sold.
Graphics Designer
If you have a knack for graphic design and want to make money online, try your hand at selling stock images. Stock photos are pictures that businesses can use in their advertising materials. You can sell these pictures to businesses directly or on websites that work with freelancers. If you’re looking to get started with some decent-paying gigs right away, don’t forget to check Shutterstock—which has over 200 million high-quality images uploaded by people all over the world.
Once you sign up and start an account with them, you’ll be able to quickly browse through many of their existing images which are all royalty-free. This means you can use them in any way you like without having to pay any fees!
Freelance Writing Job
If you’re a student, or even if you’re not, freelance writing can be a great way to earn extra money. If you are new to freelance writing and looking for how to get started as a freelance writer in Canada, the USA, or the UK, check out our guide on how to become a freelance writer. Our guide will help you understand how much it costs to become a freelance writer and what potential clients expect from a newly hired online writer.
Get up-to-date news on current trends in the content marketing industry by reading Content Marketing Institute and many other blogs.
Bookkeeping
One of my favorite jobs was doing bookkeeping for a hair salon. I loved it because all I had to do was deposit checks and enter them into QuickBooks. The client allowed me to work from home, so I’d often eat while entering data, which meant no dinnertime math problems. It also helped that my boss let me take my sweet time on projects and show up at 4 p.m., as long as I finished my tasks by 5 p.m.
Customer Service
Working in customer service is a great way to build practical experience, especially when you’re starting. Many companies specifically seek out recent graduates because they’re willing to work without pay at first (or they want to do it while they look for another job).
This gives them a chance to gain some experience in their new career path, and it allows you to get your foot in a door somewhere. If there are paid positions available at your place of study, internships might be worth looking into as well some schools encourage students (and local businesses) to work together on these programs.
Surveys
If you’re looking to make some side money, starting your own virtual assistant business can be an easy way to do so. The standard way of setting up a virtual assistant business is by setting aside a few hours a week to help others with tasks that don’t require any specialized skill set. If you live in North America, popular full-time virtual assistant positions include administrative work, social media management, and writing/editing jobs.
Though part-time opportunities exist as well, they may offer significantly less pay depending on where you live. And keep in mind there are plenty of other side businesses that can pay well if you’re willing to put in some effort.
Virtual Assistant Job
Virtual assistants perform a wide range of tasks online. Some set up websites, some send emails, and others market products. If you’re a hard worker with good writing skills, you could earn an average of $35 an hour or more working as a virtual assistant.
One great place to look for virtual assistant jobs is FlexJobs. The site has dozens of job listings, including several that are specifically looking for students. You can also try one of these sites: Upwork, Guru, and Freelancer.
Conclusion
The job market is tough. According to Pew Research, 90% of Millennials graduating from college said finding a job was difficult. When you’re short on cash and long on time, it’s important to consider your options if you want to earn money outside of working in a restaurant or some other low-paying retail job.
One option that many people don’t immediately think about is freelance work, but students can find plenty of trusted online jobs for students if they look in all the right places. In addition to flexible hours and potential earnings that may surprise you, getting started with freelance work is easier than ever thanks to sites like Craigslist and eLance.