The sun is shining, birds are chirping, and you’ve just finished your last final exam. It’s summer, and the college semester has come to an end. Now, you’re in need of something to do…and money. You need a summer job to pad your pockets before fall semester rolls around.
If you’re a college student in need of a summer job, you’re in luck. In this article, we’ll review 7 summer jobs that pay well, are easy to enter, and offer plenty of flexibility. What’s really cool is that you can mix and match these jobs, working more than one at a time.
Let’s jump in and find your next opportunity!
The Ideal Summer Job For College Students
Not all jobs are well suited for college students. After all, students only have a 3 month window to find a job and start earning money before returning to college in the fall. So, the best summer jobs for college students have 4 characteristics:
#1: Low barrier to entry
You’ll want to find a job with a low barrier to entry. Meaning, a job you can sign-up for quickly and start earning money within a week. Any job where you have to submit an application and wait, isn’t ideal. Look for jobs where you can sign-up online within a couple hours, or that offer walk-in interviews and on-the-spot hiring.
#2: Above average pay
A summer job in between college semesters doesn’t need to be glamorous. But it does need to pay well. After all, why spend time busting your butt for 3 months doing something you hate while earning minimum wage. Look for jobs that pay $15+ per hour, or jobs offering “per project” pay where can earn $50 for 2 hours of work, for example.
#3: Flexible schedule
As a college student on summer break, you may not want to work a 9-5. It is summer after all! Ideally, a summer job offers flexible work hours. Fortunately, there are quite a few gig and freelance job opportunities available to college students. But a traditional 9-5 is always an option.
#4: Easy to leave
Lastly, the ideal summer job needs to be easy to leave. Something where you can literally not show up tomorrow, and no one is the wiser. Be sure to let your employer know you’ll only be around for a few months. That way, it’s not a burden on you or anyone else when you leave for college in the fall.
7 Best Summer Jobs for College Students
#1: Driving for DoorDash
Driving for DoorDash (or equivalent) is an excellent summer job for college students. And checks all 4 boxes of the characteristics listed above. I have personal experience driving for DoorDash (my review here), and only wish it existed when I was a college student.
You can expect to earn $15 to $20 per hour delivering food for DoorDash. Of course, your pay will depend on where you’re located. But if you’re within a fairly urban or metro area, you can easily earn above minimum wage. And work as much or as little as you want.
#2: Concessions worker for a pro team
Have you ever been to a MLB or MLS game during the summer? Have you ever noticed how many concessions stands there are? I’m sure you have, and you’ve likely commented on how expensive the food and drinks are!
My wife recently began working concessions for the Cincinnati Reds. She signed up after learning a friend of ours earned over $1,000 in a weekend by working 3 games!
My wife found the application online, applied, and worked her first game within 2 weeks. Her base rate is $12.75, but the money is in the tips. On average, she earns over $200 per game for 6 hours of work, which equates to $30+ per hour. Plus, she picks and chooses which games to work. And isn’t forced to work a minimum number of games.
So, if you live in a city with a professional sports team, take advantage of the opportunity. As this may be one of the best summer jobs for college students.
#3: Freelance writing
The ability to write is a valuable skill. Not only in college, but in the workforce as well. It’s one of those classes I recommend all college students take, even if it’s unrelated to your major.
Did you know you can get paid to write online? I like to write about stocks and investing, and get paid $60+ per article writing for Seeking Alpha (my review here). But there are all sorts of freelance writing opportunities out there. A couple I’m familiar with are Medium and iWriter.
A quick Google search and you’ll have more opportunities than you’ll know what to do with. Put some of that college education to work, and start writing for profit.
#4: Wash clothes for Poplin (Sudshare)
As a college student, chances are you still live with your parents during the summer. If your parents have a washer and dryer at home, you can put them to work and start earning money washing other people’s clothes.
Poplin (formerly Sudshare) operates an online platform connecting people looking to outsource their laundry with those willing to pick up the chore.
My wife is a part-time Laundry Pro for Poplin, where she picks up, washes, folds, and delivers the occasional load of laundry. What’s nice about the service is, after you’ve delivered a good product to the customer, they tend to request you in the future. Now, my wife receives consistent requests from around 3 or 4 families.
You’re not going to get rich washing clothes for Poplin. The base rate is $1 per pound, but the money is in the tips. On average, my wife gets paid around $30 to $40 for 3 average-sized hampers of laundry.
#5: Babysitter
If you’re a college student that’s good with kids and doesn’t mind changing the occasional diaper, babysitting can be a lucrative job. As a parent of 4 kids, I can confidently say that a reliable babysitter is almost priceless.
If you’re responsible, caring, and reliable, you can write your own ticket. Parents will pay $15+ per hour for a good babysitter. I do, and know plenty of other parents just like me.
During the summer, parents need someone to watch their kids while school is out. So demand for babysitters increases during the summer, which usually means you can charge more per hour. Supply and demand, after all.
An easy way to find potential babysitting gigs is by posting within your neighborhood’s Facebook group. Or by going door-to-door in your neighborhood handing out a well-done flyer. A college student did that in my neighborhood and her flyer is currently posted on my refrigerator door!
#6: Lawncare
It may be old school, but mowing grass is one of the best summer jobs for college students.
The average neighborhood lot size is around 0.25 acres. These lots can be mowed and trimmed within 1.5 hours, and you can typically charge $30+ per lawn. That works out to $20 per hour. Of course, how much you get paid will vary based on customer and size of the yard.
Similar to babysitting, I recommend posting on your neighborhood’s Facebook page to advertise your services. Or go door-to-door in your neighborhood to land your first mowing job. Landing 10 customers could mean an extra $300 per week.
#7: Deliver packages with Amazon Flex
Amazon Flex operates much like DoorDash where you determine when you want to work and how often. As an Amazon Flex driver, you’ll use your personal vehicle to deliver Amazon packages.
With Amazon Flex, you select which days and times you prefer to work, then reserve a block. You pick up the packages from a local Amazon warehouse, then deliver them. It’s pretty simple, and Amazon Flex drivers make around $18 to $25 per hour.
The only downside to Amazon Flex is that it’s not available in every town and city. Nor are there always openings for new drivers. It’s all based on supply and demand, of both goods and delivery drivers.
But if there are Amazon Flex vacancies in your area, it can be an excellent side hustle for college students.
Summing It Up
If you’re a student who’s home for summer break and are looking to earn some money, consider one of these 7 best summer jobs for college students. Better yet, consider mixing and matching these jobs to really grow your income.
After all, there’s no reason you couldn’t mow grass in the morning and drive for DoorDash in the afternoons. Or pick up the occasional load of laundry when its raining outside with no grass to be cut. And why not work a couple MLB games during the summer and tack on an additional $200 per game?
The ease and flexibility afforded to college students these days is unprecedented. Never has it been so easy to earn money during the summer. I wish I had been afforded the same opportunity years ago!
