best remote jobs for college students

6 Best Remote Jobs for College Students

It’s almost time to head back to campus, co-eds! Unfortunately, leaving the income that a full-time summer job brings can be a challenge. With the cost of college rising faster than family incomes and grant increases insufficient to meet financial needs, many students are coming up short. But, before you turn to student loans to finish your education, consider adding a remote job to your fall to-do list. The benefits of online jobs for college students include:

  • Flexible work schedule. A key benefit of remote jobs is the flexible work hours so you can work around class schedules.
  • No car, no problem. Cars are expensive, and if you don’t have one, it can be difficult to get to an off-campus job. With a remote job, you don’t have to leave the comfort of your dorm room.
  • It’s eco-friendly. Telecommute student jobs can contribute to the reduction of car pollutants and help to reduce your carbon footprint.
  • No degree required. Even if you are a first-year student straight out of high school or fresh from your GED test, you can still earn extra money as a telecommuter.
  • Lower debt. Earning extra income means taking out fewer student loans each semester and, in turn, paying back less money after you graduate.

Are you looking for a flexible way to make money while chilling on the couch? Check out this list of the best remote jobs for college students to get you started.

1. Virtual Assistant Remote Jobs for College Students

Virtual assistants deliver administrative support services. Services can include scheduling appointments, organizing meetings and travel, drafting and responding to email correspondence, and managing electronic records. Clients for these services are primarily small businesses and start-ups that need extra help but don’t want to hire a full-time employee.

Typical Hourly Wage: Wage information for virtual assistants is not specifically tracked. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for the similar position of administrative assistant was $19.08 per hour in 2021.

Benefits for College Students: If you are studying business administration or a related field, securing work as a virtual assistant can not only provide revenue, but can also give you important insights into your chosen career. Virtual Assistants can be part-time or full-time positions. While sometimes you may have to work during your client’s business hours, those hours will depend on what time zone your client is located in. Furthermore, work can also be scheduled outside of work hours.



2. Online Tutor Remote Jobs for College Students

Online tutors deliver individual or small group instruction via video chat. They support in-class instruction or help prepare for standardized or admissions tests. With the increase in popularity of online tutoring due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is ongoing demand for tutors. For example, online tutors can supplement the education of K-12 students. In addition, you can provide peer support to other college students in your area of expertise.

Typical Hourly Wage: Although online tutoring jobs are not reported separately, the median hourly wage for tutors in 2021 was $17.53 as reported by the BLS.

Benefits for College Students: Do you have high grades or excel in your area of subject specialization? Online tutoring can be a great way to make some extra money! There is a high degree of flexibility, and you can usually pick your hours, instruction topics, and a number of students. Tutors who work remotely can also instruct students anywhere in the world. This means that you can even work overnight hours by tutoring students in different time zones.



3. Customer Service Representative Remote Jobs for College Students

Customer service representatives are usually called upon to answer customer questions, resolve problems, process orders or returns, and refer individuals to other departments as necessary. There are many remote opportunities available as a way to attract new employees and reduce overhead costs.

Typical Hourly Wage:  The BLS reports a median wage for customer service representatives of $17.75 per hour in 2021.

Benefits for College Students: Customer service jobs usually require little experience or education, so it’s possible for even a freshman to gain employment in this field. Set work hours may be mandatory to provide live assistance. However, hours are frequently offered in the evenings or weekends for customer convenience. Don’t want to work on the phone? No problem. Today, many customer service positions are email and chat-based.



4. Social Media Remote Jobs for College Students

Social media is a job field well suited to remote positions with a wide variety of social media roles available. As a social media manager, you may be required to develop a social media strategy, develop and post content, analyze traffic and analytics data, and respond to online comments.

Benefits for College Students: If you already spend a lot of your free time using social media, these positions are the perfect way to earn extra money. And if you are enrolled in a marketing, journalism, or communications program, these jobs are also a good opportunity to gain practical experience in online promotion. Part-time remote social media jobs can be an option, especially with small businesses. Many tasks can be completed at any time of day due to the option of scheduling posts.



5. Search Engine Evaluator/Internet Judge Remote Jobs for College Students

Remote search engine evaluators and internet judges focus on reviewing websites, landing pages, and advertisements to evaluate the quality of the content, the accuracy, and the likelihood that it will satisfy the needs of the searcher. They follow a stringent set of guidelines that they use to rate and record their impressions in an online information management system.

Typical Hourly Wage: Pay is usually between $11-$15 per hour, and some employers may offer bonuses if you meet quality and productivity goals.

Benefits for College Students: These positions are very flexible, requiring a commitment of between 10 – 30 hours per week, and when you complete the work is up to you=. In addition, there are few job requirements and training is provided.



6. Internship Remote Jobs for College Students

The pandemic presented challenges for many companies that have paid internship programs. While some businesses paused their hiring of interns, others took up the challenge and developed remote internship opportunities. Catering to current college students and recent graduates, these temporary positions provide an opportunity to gain entry-level work experience.

Typical Hourly Wage: According to ZipRecruiter, the current average hourly pay for an intern in the U.S. is $15.04 an hour.

Benefits for College Students: Remote paid internships offer the opportunity to gain valuable experience in your chosen career field. In addition, they are usually part-time during school and full-time over the summer months. Hours can also work around your class schedule. If you are successful in the internship, they frequently transition into full-time positions.

The number of remote jobs has increased dramatically over the past couple of years. This offers college students unprecedented opportunities to earn extra money without leaving campus. The jobs above are just a small selection of the types of positions available for today’s students. For a complete list of opportunities, check out the full Virtual Vocations database of hand-vetted remote jobs.



Are you a college student? Which of these remote jobs caught your eye? Connect with Virtual Vocations on FacebookTwitterLinkedInInstagram, and YouTube to share your thoughts and tips. We’d love to hear from you!



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