College Jobs to Avoid Student Loan Debt
February 26, 2019Last Updated on December 31, 2021
It’s not practical to go to college and not have a job. With a number of non-traditional students commuting or even raising a family during school years, being employed is a must. Plus, even having a part-time job not related to your desired field can still prove that you have the skills it takes to manage your time, work as part of a team, and be reliable. Never underestimate the importance of these types of skills on your resume!
With most students taking out student loans or aid, finding a college job can mean that you can reduce your student loans for college and pay some tuition or expenses with your current income. That said, there are some jobs for college students that are better than others. Here’s our take on what are the top jobs for college students and why.
Nanny
Nannying is a serious skill that not everyone has. If you’re great with kids and can find a gig to match your availability, being a nanny means you’ll get paid well to spend your time helping a family raise cool kids into stellar adults. No longer the $3/hour that you got paid to watch neighborhood kids back in the day, the average nanny rate is $12–$13/hour. You could even get paid more if you have additional skills like foreign languages or child development knowledge. Nanny jobs can be a really great asset to students studying to be teachers. Nannying could be a great introduction to what you’ll be studying in school.
Office Admin
Working in an office is usually not very glamorous, but there’s a reason why so many college students look for basic administrative work. Office environments can be nuanced and require you to learn certain types of etiquette on top of professional dress and demeanor. By working part-time in an office around your school schedule, you’ll learn things like phone skills, how to operate standard office equipment, basic computer skills (that you might already have, but it’s still nice to reinforce), and you’ll make connections with other professionals who can give you a reference later. Depending on the type of office you’re working in you may have the ability to gain some additional career skills. If your regular tasks are completed it’s likely you’ll get to learn some additional skills that could come in extra useful in the long run.
Hospitality or Community Outreach
Anything in outreach or hospitality that exposes you to lots of people in your community is a great opportunity for a college student. Being the happy face of an organization means that you will build great people skills like patience and customer service. In addition, it’ll give you a chance to get to know other people or places you encounter. Did we mention networking? Do your best to network with as many people as possible. You never know when the relationships you’ve made will come in useful across your career and study journey.
Health Unit Clerk
Helping out in a medical facility or institution is a top job for college students because you can usually land a good rate of pay during hours that fall outside when your classes are. Whether it’s nights, weekends, or after-hours, being an orderly requires you to use empathy and care for people who need help caring for themselves. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re passionate about helping people and want the simplicity of wearing scrubs every day while making about $12/hour, this might be your best bet. Of course, being a health unit clerk is a great first step for anyone looking to further their career in social work or the medical field.
Bank Teller
Some people actually joke that you should not become a bank teller in college because working at a bank can become so comfortable that you won’t want to leave! With opportunities for advancement, solid pay (about $12/hour), regular hours, and plenty of holidays off, being a bank teller is a pretty good job for a college student. You need to be detailed and good at math along with having the people skills of someone in reception or customer service.
Tutor
Tutoring is probably one of the best ways to earn money while in school if you have enough experience in one area of study and can help lower-level students navigate their coursework. Tutoring is highly flexible and not limited to business hours, plus you can usually do it at school or at a library or home, and it has a higher hourly rate than many other jobs. Tutors can easily make $20–$40/hour depending on the area of study, helping you make extra cash in less time and strengthening your own study skills while you’re at it.
If you’re looking for ways to reduce your student loans for college, consider one of these top jobs for students so you can pay some of your expenses with your income!