What you may define as the best jobs for college students will probably depend somewhat on the student. If pay is what you are looking for, then the top paying college jobs will be desired. If money is not paramount then maybe less travel time to a job is what you are looking for. Listed below are
1) Waiting tables – This job tops the list both because of the potential to make money and the flexibility it affords. Waiters and waitresses often make good money in tips, especially if they are outgoing, friendly, and have a good personality. It is also a job where you can work part time and often get the hours you want or need to fit your schedule. Additionally, if you do a good job, that restaurant will usually hire you back later if you decide to quit because good help is hard to find.
2) Freelance work- With the Internet being in almost every home now, the opportunity for freelance work has never been better. if you are a writer or someone who is good with computer graphics, there are all sorts of freelance jobs you can get online. Whatever your online skill is, there is probably someone who is willing to pay you for it. This type of work is also the most convenient there is as you will never have to leave home or your dorm room. This makes online freelance work one of the best jobs for college students!
3) Bank teller - This is something I did in college and it is not a high paying job but it looks good on a resume. The job of being a bank teller requires you to be good with money as well as with people. It is something you can often do part time and it requires little more than to show up on time and do a good job. If you are interested in finance or a job in that field, working as a teller in college is a great idea.
4) Research assistant – Many professors have an assistant or two who help them with various things such as grade papers and even teach a class or two. If you are tops in your class and can get hired on, it will be a very convenient job that might even help you in the future. A solid recommendation from a college professor will help any student get their first job in the real world in that field.
5) Internships – There are both paid and unpaid internships available to college students. Predictably, the unpaid ones are often easier to get but the paid ones are out there for those that qualify. Internships may not necessarily benefit you as much while you are doing them as they will later when can add them to your resume. Employers like to see college graduates that have been active in their chosen field and have had some experience in it. Being able to put an internship on your resume will jump you ahead of many of the candidates that don’t have any work experience.
6) Lab assistant – If you are in any one of the sciences, there may be opportunities right there for you to get a job. You might also be able to get a job as a lab assistant in an off campus environment as well. Becoming a lab assistant in your chosen field of study will also help you learn more and it is something that will stand out on your resume.
7) IT support job -The need for IT help nowadays has gone through the roof and if you are in that field, you may be able to find an on campus job in that area. If you scour you university for this type of job, you may find that there are more opportunities than you think. It will also help you solve problems and give you experience in your field that you can take with you and the pay is decent as well.
8) Care for the elderly - The baby boomer generation is growing older now and there has never before been this kind of need for help for the aged. Our society continues to grow older and many seniors need help with daily care, physical training, basic grooming, and everything else we take for granted every day. There are home health care jobs as well as jobs at retirement home and other such facilities and the need for these jobs keeps growing.
9) Library assistant- One of the best jobs for any college student is working at a library. If you go to a big college, there will be a handful of libraries where you might find work. The great part about an on campus library job is that it will be walking distance to where you live and it may give you lots of time to study. Libraries are quite and during some shifts, they are close to empty. This will give you the opportunity to make money and get some studying in at the same time.
10) Fitness instructor – if you are one of those people that spends a lot of time at the gym and has had some fitness training, you might be able to get a part time job right there. You can take certification tests and teach classes or do personal training and it can often be done around your school schedule. Fitness is extremely popular right now and new gyms are popping up all over. This gives you the opportunity to get paid for something you like to do.