How to Side Hustle in College: Best Ways to Get Started

In today’s economy, a college degree is no longer enough to guarantee a successful career. To make ends meet, more and more people are starting to learn how to side hustle in college.

There are several reasons why college is a great place to start a side hustle. For one, you have access to a large pool of potential customers or clients. You also have more free time, which you can use to work on your college side hustle project. And finally, you have the opportunity to network with other entrepreneurs who might be able to help you take your business to the next level.

What Is a Side Hustle?

A side hustle is a way to make extra money on the side, typically by doing something you already enjoy or are good at. There are many benefits to having a side hustle, such as gaining extra income, developing new skills, working your own schedule, and networking with like-minded people.

Side hustles can take many different forms. Here are a few examples:

• Freelance work: Writing, design, web development, creating a peer-to-peer app, painting houses, etc.
• Consulting: Business or legal advice, marketing help, etc.
• Crafts: Making and selling jewelry, pottery, paintings, lost golf balls, etc.
• Online sales: Ebay, Amazon, Etsy, etc.

Because there are so many options for side hustles, it’s important to choose one that best suits your skills and interests.

Why Start a Side Hustle in College

As I mentioned earlier, there are several reasons why college is a great place to start a side hustle. Here are some of the biggest benefits.

Lots of Potential Clients & Customers

One of the best things about being in college is a large number of potential customers or clients you have access to. College students are a desirable demographic for many businesses, so there are plenty of opportunities to market your side hustle. No matter what your side hustle is, there are likely college students who would be interested in buying from you.

In addition, you can target your fellow college students for your side hustle or even local Facebook groups. For example, if you’re a graphic designer, you could offer free or discounted services to your fellow students through school Facebook groups. This is a great way to get your start in the freelance world and build up a portfolio of work. The same goes for any other type of college side hustle that you might be interested in pursuing.

Fewer Commitments

Another great thing about starting a side hustle in college is that you have more free time to work on it. You don’t have the same commitments as you do when you start working full-time. This means you can spend more time on your side hustle and make more progress.

For example, college students aren’t usually married with children, trying to change diapers and take kids to school in the morning. This leaves more time in the day for a side hustle, even if it is just an hour a day.

You also have more flexibility when it comes to your schedule. If you need to take a day off from your side hustle to study for an online course exam, you can easily do that without having to worry about losing money.

Networking Opportunities

College is a great place to network with other entrepreneurs. This can be extremely beneficial for your side hustle, as you can get advice and feedback from people who have been successful in business. You can also meet people who might be able to help you take your side hustle to the next level.

For example, if you’re starting an online business, you could meet other entrepreneurs who are also starting online businesses on the college campus. You could share tips and advice and even work together with other college students on projects. Using the college or university pool of students is a great way to get started in the world of online entrepreneurship even on a busy college schedule.

Not only will you be able to network with other students, but you’ll have access to professors who understand and know about business and entrepreneurship. They can help you navigate the waters and give you invaluable advice no matter what you choose to focus on about your college side hustle.

Minimal Financial Risk

One of the best things about starting a side hustle in college is that you don’t have to risk a lot of money. In most cases, you can start your side hustle with little to no money down.

For example, if you want to start a blog, you can do so for free using platforms like WordPress. You can also start a freelance business by offering your services to get started.

This means you can try out different side hustles without having to invest a lot of money. If you decide that a particular side hustle isn’t for you, you can easily move on to something else without losing any money.

Work Your Own Hours

One of the best things about having a side hustle is that you can work your own hours. This gives you more control over your time and allows you to juggle your side hustle with your other commitments.

For example, if you have a day job, you can work on your side hustle in the evening or on weekends. This gives you more flexibility and allows you to work at your own pace.

You can also take a break from your side hustle if you need to, without having to worry about losing any money. This is a great way to recharge and come back with fresh ideas.

Make Extra Cash

Finally, one of the main benefits of having a side hustle is that it can help you make extra cash. This can be extremely helpful, especially when you’re in college and trying to save money.

For example, if you start a blog, you can sell advertising space or use affiliate marketing to make extra cash. You could also offer services like tutoring for elementary school kids at local community centers, design work in your spare time for the local middle school, or writing services as a freelance writer working out of your dorm room or helping out at local high schools.

There are several ways to make extra cash with a college side hustle (and increasing your college budget), so you can find one that best suits your needs. What’s more, is that you don’t have to stick to just one side hustle. If you have multiple skills, you can start multiple side hustles and make even more money than just a few hundred dollars.

How a College Student Can Find the Right Side Hustle

Now that you know some of the benefits of having a side hustle in college, it’s time to find the right one for you. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

Start With Your Interests

The best way to find a college side hustle that you’ll enjoy is to start with your interests. This way, you’ll be more likely to stick with it in the long run.

If you’re interested in writing, you could start a blog or write for other blogs. You could also provide writing help to other students. If you’re interested in design, you could start a graphic design business or offer your services to others.

The key is to find something that you’re interested in and that you can see yourself sticking with. This will make it easier to commit to your side hustle and to see success.

The reason this works so well is that you’re already studying something you’re likely interested in. Use that to your advantage to make some supplemental income on the side.

Here are some side hustles that you might be interested in:

• blogging
• social media management
• hauling things with a utility trailer
• online marketing
• virtual assistant
• data entry
• web design
• playing video games
• writing and editing

Start With What You Know

Another great way to find a lucrative side hustle is to start with what you know. This can be a great way to get started quickly and without a lot of hassle.

If you’re already good at something, you can start offering your services to others. For example, if you’re a good writer, you could start writing articles for other people or offer tutoring services. If you’re good at math, you could start tutoring students online or in person.

The key is to find something that you’re good at and that other people are willing to pay for. This will help you make more money with your side hustle and ensure that you continue to make money over time.

Here are some side hustles related to things you might know:

• tutor
• data entry
• edit college admissions essays
• freelance writer
• transcriptionist
• teach music lessons
• local tour guide
• offering classes in investing in Bitcoin

Think About What You Need

Another thing to keep in mind when finding a side hustle is what you need it to do for you. Do you need extra money? Do you want more flexibility in your schedule? Or do you just want something to help keep you busy?

Keep these things in mind when looking for a side hustle. For example, if you need extra money, you may want to start a side hustle that pays well. If you want more flexibility, you may want to start a lucrative side hustle that you can do from home on your own schedule, like completing online surveys for spending money and living expenses.

If you’re not sure what you need, take some time to think about it. This will help you find the right side hustle ideas for you.

Do Your Research

Once you know what you’re interested in and what you need, it’s time to do some research to learn more about how your side hustle ideas work.

The best way to do this is to read online reviews and visit websites (like SidehustleSchoolhouse.com) that offer information on different side hustles to do in your spare time. This will give you a good idea of what to expect and how much work is involved to make enough money (or to at least beat the average hourly wage).

It’s also a good idea to talk to people who have already started a side hustle in your area of interest. This can give you valuable insights into what to expect and how to get started. For example, talk to freelance writers if you’re interested in writing.

Some side hustles that might work well for a college schedule where you’re at include:

• painting curbs
• advertising on your car
• dog walking
• pet sitting
• security guard or local security jobs

Start Small and Grow From There

Finally, when starting with your side hustle, start small and grow from there. This will help ensure that your side hustle is successful and that you don’t bite off more than you can chew on your way to six or seven figures.

When starting, choose a side hustle that is easy to do and doesn’t require a lot of time to make good money. This will help you get started without feeling overwhelmed.

As you get more comfortable with your side hustle, you can add more tasks or hours in between college classes. But start small and grow from there so that you don’t overwhelm yourself with your side job.

Tips to Keep Your Side Hustle Going Strong

Once you get your side hustle started, there are a few things you can do to keep it going strong. Here are a few tips:

Get Organized

When you have a side job, it’s important to stay organized. This will help ensure that you don’t miss any deadlines or appointments and that you stay on top of your work.

The best way to do this is to create a schedule and stick to it. Include everything from when you’ll work on your side hustle to when you’ll take breaks. This will help ensure that you stay on track.

Create Goals

Another thing you can do to keep your side job going strong is to create goals. This will help keep you motivated and working hard.

Your goals can be anything from making a certain amount of money in a month to getting a certain number of clients. Whatever works best for you, make sure to set some goals.

Stay Focused

Finally, another thing you can do to keep your side hustle going strong is to stay focused. This means setting time aside each day to work on your side hustle and not letting other things get in the way.

This can be tough, but it’s important to stay focused if you want your side hustle to be successful.

Q&A Students With Successful Side Hustles

In order to get some more tips on how to start and maintain a successful side hustle while in college, we interviewed some students who have been successful with theirs. Here’s what they had to say.

Kevin – Writing Tutor Side Hustle

Kevin was a freshman in college when he started his side hustle. He had always been good at writing and loved helping people, so he decided to start tutoring other students in writing. It turned out to be a great decision. He quickly gained a reputation as one of the best tutors on campus and started making a decent income from it. In fact, by the time he graduated, Kevin had made more money from his side hustle than he ever would have working a regular job in the university’s admissions office, for example. He credits his success to his willingness to put in the hard work and dedication needed to be a successful tutor.

“When I was in college, I started a side hustle tutoring high school students in writing. It was a great way to make some extra money, and I enjoyed helping other students improve their skills.

One of my favorite memories from that time was working with a student who had been struggling with writing assignments for years. She came to me feeling discouraged and unsure of her ability. But after a few sessions together, she began to see progress. In the end, she not only completed her assignment, but she also got an A on it!

It was really rewarding to see her confidence grow as she learned new techniques and strategies. And it was great to know that I had helped make that possible. If you’re looking for a way to help others and make some extra money, tutoring at even your own college is a great option.”

Savanna – Tour Guide Side Hustle

Savanna was a college student, and like many students, she was looking for ways to make some extra money. She had plenty of skills and talents, but she didn’t want to take on another job that would be time-consuming and stressful. So she started a side hustle as a local tour guide.

She created a website and marketed herself locally using her own pickup truck. She soon had a few regular clients who would pay good money to learn more about her city. Savanna enjoyed giving tours and getting to know her clients. She was able to make some extra money while doing something she loved.

Best of all, the experience helped her develop important business skills that would come in handy later in life. She learned how to market herself, how to deal with clients, and how to run a business.

Mia – Freelance Graphic Designer Side Hustle

Mia was another college student who was looking for a way to make some extra money. She had always been interested in graphic design and had taken a few classes on the topic. So she decided to start freelancing as a graphic designer in her spare time to chip away at her student loan debt.

Mia created a website and portfolio, and she began contacting local businesses to see if they needed any design work done. She was lucky and quickly landed a few clients. Over time, she gained a reputation for being a talented and reliable designer.

The best part of Mia’s side hustle was that it allowed her to be creative and use her skills in a way that she enjoyed (much better than the odd jobs she was working before). She also got to learn more about the business side of design, which would help her in her career later on.

So there you have it: three students who have been successful with their side hustles in college. If you’re looking for a way to make some extra money, these are some great examples to follow. Just remember to choose side hustles for college that you’re passionate about, and be willing to put in the hard work and dedication needed to be successful. Good luck!​

Final Thoughts

When it comes to making money while in college, there are a lot of different options to choose from. But one of the best (and most popular) options is starting a side hustle.

Side hustles for college students can be anything from tutor students in writing to freelance as a graphic designer to give music lessons or teach music online to doing virtual odd jobs in your spare time.

And the great thing about them is that they can be tailored to fit your interests and skills while helping build your college income out of your dorm room (and should hopefully put more money in your bank account than your average cleaning job listed on the college or university’s website). Even a few hundred dollars is great to have.

So if, as a college student, you’re looking for a way to make some extra money, a side hustle is a great option. Just be sure to choose one that you’re passionate about and willing to put in the hard work and dedication needed to be successful.

FAQ – How to Side Hustle in College