Best Online Remote Jobs for College Students (With Salaries)

Most college students look for some part-time work during their studies. It can be a great way to secure some relevant work experience while also earning some extra money so you can get ahead of your student loan payments, or even just increase your ‘fun fund’.

But balancing a full course load, assignment deadlines and study sessions with a job can be difficult, no matter how many hours it may take up. Many normal part-time jobs don’t offer the kind of flexibility students need.

One solution that can work for busy college students is to work a remote job. But, what are remote jobs, what kind of skills do you need to get one, and what are the best remote jobs for college students?

Great questions – this article will address everything you need to know about remote jobs, and how you can use one to pay the bills while you study

This job hunting article covers:

  • What is a remote job?
  • What are the benefits of working remotely online as a college or university student?
  • The skills, education, and work experience you may need for working online
  • Best online remote jobs and their salaries for students
  • How to customize a resume to apply for an online job

What Is A Remote Job?

A remote job, or an online job, is a job that is done remotely, instead of in the employer’s office. In other words, remote jobs don’t require you to be physically present in the office, or sometimes even in the city, where your employer is located.

You may have also heard of the terms “virtual worker” or “digital nomad”, which are essentially synonyms for “remote worker”. Virtual workers work entirely online and will never (or, at least, rarely) visit their company’s physical office — if there even is one. Digital nomads are remote workers who travel the globe (i.e. live nomadically) while they work online for one or more companies.

However, unlike “gigs” or “freelancing”, which are usually one-off projects and fall under contract work and/or self-employment, having a remote job still means you are someone’s employee.

The internet allows entire teams of people to work together, no matter where in the world they might be located. Some organizations are only made up of remote workers, while others have some combination of on-location and remote employees.

As technology continues to develop, remote jobs are becoming a more accessible and more popular form of flexible working. According to Gallup’s State of the American Workplace report, 43% of Americans said they spent at least some time working remotely in 2016.

The Benefits of Working Remotely Online 

Having a remote job as a college student allows you to earn money and build your experience in a way that works around your life as a student. It offers a great balance, no matter how many hours you put in at your remote job each month.

Work Where You Want

Don’t worry about taking the bus down to the office or even buying a new professional-looking wardrobe. With a remote job, you can put in a few hours in the library between your afternoon classes, or you can enjoy the full freedom of working from bed in your PJs. If you’re really good at managing your time and staying self-motivated, you can even work when you’re on spring break or home for the holidays.

Work When You Want

Some remote jobs are more flexible than others, but most of the time you can work whenever best suits you. Some remote jobs require you to put in a certain number of hours or days each week, while others will simply ask you to time-manage and make sure you meet your deadlines.

Be sure to read the job description carefully to understand whether you would need to be available during particular hours, to ensure the remote job’s requirements don’t interfere with your class schedule.

Save Money And Time

Not only will a remote job help you earn money, but it can also save you money when compared to a regular, non-remote job. An article from Simple Texting calculated that the average remote worker would save anywhere from $357 to $555 a year on gas by working remotely.

The same article also suggests remote workers save between 198 and 343 hours of commute time each year. That’s a lot of time that can be better spent studying or earning a salary.

Requirements of Working Remotely 

Now that you’re convinced that a remote job is right for you, you’re probably wondering whether you’re cut out for one. But there is more to working remotely than having a good internet connection and a computer. Keep reading for the common skills, education levels, and levels of work experience required of college students who work online remote jobs.

Skills

College students who work online jobs need to be self-motivated, organized and good at time management. Remote employers will expect that you’ll be able to get your work done efficiently, even without your boss or coworkers watching over your shoulder.

Even though remote workers won’t work with their coworkers face-to-face, they also need to show good teamwork and collaboration skills. Working as part of a remote team has its own challenges, and demonstrating that you know how to work as part of a group is key.

Interpersonal communication skills also play a huge role here, as you’re going to have to be able to communicate with the rest of your team in a clear, efficient way to complete projects and tasks.

Finally, because remote jobs are done online, you’re going to need to have a good understanding of how to use online tools like email and social media. You may also want to get used to using common collaboration tools used by remote teams, like Slack, Basecamp, and Teamwork, or brush up on some of your digital skills like blogging or coding.

Education Level

Those with a degree are more likely to work remotely. According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, 46% of workers aged 25+ with an advanced degree worked remotely in 2017, compared to 12% of those aged 25+ with a high school diploma.

However, this doesn’t mean college students can’t work remotely. Like non-remote jobs, the level of education required for a remote job will depend on the nature of the job.

As a college student, employers will expect you to have a high school diploma. Some may also require you to have completed a certain number of years of your degree, or may make a more general statement like “some college experience required”. Be sure to read the job description carefully to see if you meet the requirements.  

Work Experience

As a college student, you may not necessarily have a lot of work experience to put on your resume; but, you can still apply for remote jobs. Here are some tips on how to apply for remote jobs, depending on your level of work experience:

  • If you have any previous remote work experience, be sure to list that first on your application and mention it in your cover letter.
  • Look for remote jobs that are in the same or a similar field to your previous work experience. For example, if you spent a summer doing admin work at a local office, consider applying for virtual assistant jobs.
  • If you have no work experience, there are still remote jobs out there for you. Think about past volunteer experience or extracurriculars. For example, if you used to write for your school newspaper, consider applying for content writing jobs.

Best Remote Online Jobs For Students

Please bear in mind that the salary ranges presented here are based on full-time work. As a college student, your salary will likely be pro-rated depending on the hours you actually work.

Best Remote Student Jobs: Entry-Level Or Limited Experience Required

Virtual Call Center Agent ($2,542 – $4,708/month)

Many call centers will allow you to work from home. As a remote call center agent, you may have to answer customer inquiries and provide advice, or you might be asked to conduct market research.

Common hiring requirements: great communication and time-management skills, previous customer service experience a plus

Average salary: $4,062/month

Online English Teacher ($2,458 – $3,917/month)

Teach English online to people all around the world, from fellow students to business people. Some companies allow you to teach one-on-one, while others have small to large class sizes.

Common hiring requirements: proficient use of the English language (native or bilingual), English language teaching certificates (TEFL/TESOL/CELTA)

Average salary: $3,737/month

Online Tutor ($2,667 – $4,417/month)

Do you really excel in one or more of your college classes? Consider tutoring other students online in one-on-one or group class sessions.

Common hiring requirements: strong academic skills, good time-management, excellent interpersonal communication

Average salary: $3,672/month

Remote Teaching Assistant ($1,875 – $3,333/month)

If your college offers online courses, consider becoming a remote teaching assistant. You’ll help fellow students get through their classes and understand their tests and assignments via email and other online communication tools.

Common hiring requirements: strong academic skills, good time-management, excellent interpersonal communication

Average salary: $3,146/month

Virtual Data Entry ($2,083 – $4,333/month)

Remote data entry jobs require you to take the client’s data in raw form (like survey responses) and entering them into a spreadsheet or other usable form. The client will usually show you how they want data to be entered.

Common hiring requirements: strong writing and typing skills, organized and self-motivated, some research experience is a plus

Average salary: $4,458/month

Transcriber ($2,917 – $7,667/month)

Remote transcribers (or transcriptionists) help their clients transcribe audio and video recordings so they can turn them into additional written content.

Common hiring requirements: transcription test score (for speed and accuracy), good time management skills

Average salary: $6,044/month

Website or App Tester ($2,708 – $7,833/month)

Some web and app developers will hire user testers to use what they’ve created and look for mistakes, bugs, and other issues. You’ll report those issues to your client and give feedback.

Common hiring requirements: good time management, eye for detail, previous web development or UX experience a plus

Average salary: $5,669/month

Best Remote Student Jobs: Intermediate Experience Required

Remote Content Writer ($2,292 – $4,875/month)

Content writers help organizations write blog posts, articles and other content for their audience. As a content writer, you can write about anything from investment funds to the hottest travel destinations.

Common hiring requirements: strong writing and research skills, proficient use of the English language (native or bilingual), previous writing experience, passion for the subject matter

Average salary: $3,996/month

Virtual Editor ($2,625 – $5,375/month)

Many companies need help proofreading or editing the content their writers come up with. Virtual editors edit content based on the employer’s requirements.

Common hiring requirements:  strong writing and research skills, proficient use of the English language (native or bilingual), eye for detail

Average salary: $4,567/month

Remote Social Media Coordinator ($2,583 – $3,875/month)

Remote social media coordinators may be responsible for creating social media content (like photos, videos, and captions), engaging with other accounts and coming up with strategies to grow accounts.

Common hiring requirements: excellent knowledge of social media tools, understanding of social media analytics and KPIs, strong writing skills  

Average salary: $3,478/month

Virtual Assistant ($2,667 – $7,875/month)

Virtual assistants, like normal assistants, provide administrative services like scheduling meetings and phone calls, creating and editing documents, sending invoices and handling paperwork. However, virtual assistants do all this remotely via their computer.

Common hiring requirements: strong organization and time-management skills, excellent communication skills, ability to multitask and meet deadlines

Average salary: $5,382/month

Web Developer ($4,292 – $7,417/month)

Web developers work behind-the-scenes to make beautiful web designs a reality. Previous work experience is usually required, so you’ll want to have a portfolio of work ready to go. Bear in mind this doesn’t have to be paid experience, and free websites you created for yourself or friends can be useful.

Common hiring requirements: strong programming skills, coding knowledge (HTML/CSS), previous web development experience

Average salary: $6,146/month

Coding Specialist ($2,917 – $3,750/month)

Coding specialists work within web development and/or app development teams to create code. While you may not be responsible for an entire project, you will help a team bring an idea to life.

Common hiring requirements: excellent knowledge of HTML/CSS, great communication skills, knowledge of UX technology and best-practices

Average salary: $3,674/month

Graphic Designer ($2,792 – $4,250/month)

Students studying graphic design or art can get ahead in their career with part-time online work. You may help a company create logos, marketing materials, and social media graphics, among other things.

Common hiring requirements: previous design experience, portfolio of previous work, great time management and communication skills

Average salary: $3,698/month

Video Editor ($2,625 – $4,417/month)

Help companies (or YouTube stars) edit their raw video footage and create great end products.

Common hiring requirements: previous video editing experience, great time-management

Average salary: $4,034/month

Resume Writer ($2,708 – $4,708/month)

Put your job-seeking skills to use by helping others write or edit their resumes and cover letters. While this is usually more of a gig-based online job, recruitment companies may also hire remote workers to help.

Common hiring requirements: previous resume writing experience, good knowledge of resume writing best-practices, excellent writing skills

Average salary: $3,395/month

Best Remote Student Jobs: More Experience Required (3-5+ Years)

Remote Project Manager ($6,167 – $9,375/month)

Project managers help teams stick to their timeline and/or budget when completing a project, and helps support cross-team communication. This remote job is best for college students at the graduate level, or who already have some work experience.

Common hiring requirements: previous managerial experience, strong organizational and time-management skills, excellent communication skills

Average salary: $7,667/month

Virtual Recruiter ($3,333 – $5,000/month)

Virtual recruiters help companies and recruitment firms scour the internet for great job candidates. You’ll contact these potential new hires and pass on leads to your client(s), as well as post jobs and sometimes conduct interviews.

Common hiring requirements: good knowledge of recruitment best-practices, excellent communication skills, a few years of recruitment experience

Average salary: $6,659/month

Academic Writer ($1,750 – $4,333/month)

Help fellow college students write and edit their academic work, from research papers to essays. While previous work experience may not be necessary, academic writers typically have a degree in the field they are assisting with.

Common hiring requirements: bachelor’s degree or some form of higher education, strong writing and research skills, proficient use of the English language (native or bilingual)

Average salary: $3,864/month

Web Designer ($3,333 – $5,985/month)

Web designers are graphic designers who specialize in websites and often help digital marketing agencies or companies create or improve their website visually.

Common hiring requirements: previous design experience, portfolio of previous work, great time management and communication skills

Average salary: $4,822/month

How To Write A Resume To Apply For A Remote Job

While you’re still going to want to follow general resume writing best-practices when applying for a remote job, you can customize your resume to make yourself more appealing to an employer hiring for a remote position.

Remember that resumes should always be personalized to the individual job and that it’s never a good idea to submit the same generic resume for each remote job application. Online resume builders can help you pull everything together in one place, so you can duplicate and personalize your resume in a fraction of the time.

1. Mention Your Previous Remote Work Experience First

If you’ve already done some remote work, mention this on your cover letter. You may also want to list your remote work experience in a separate section on your resume to really highlight it. Think outside the box – freelance work or any kind of work-from-home activities are all considered remote work experience.

2. Highlight Crucial Skills

We touched on some of these important skills already, but remember that remote employers are going to be looking for particular skills like time management, self-discipline, initiative, organization and problem-solving, along with teamwork, collaboration, and interpersonal communication.

3. Use Important Keywords

Many companies who recruit online use systems called Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that scan applicants’ resumes for important keywords. If those keywords don’t show up, your resume might get rejected automatically. So, be sure to read the job description carefully to try to identify some of these keywords, which usually show up in the required skills section.  

4. Skip Your Address And Add Links Instead

Because you’ll be working remotely, your physical address is less important. Instead, use the space you would normally use for your address to send the recruiter to your website, online portfolio or LinkedIn profile.

5. Show Some Personality

While you always want to let your personality shine through on your resume, when applying for remote jobs it’s even more important that you tell them a little bit about who you are. Your remote employer may never meet you in person, and it will be important for them to get a sense of who you are so they can decide if you’re a good cultural fit for their company.

In your cover letter, consider talking about why you want to work remotely, or your interests outside of work. Remote teams tend to have a greater appreciation for work-life balance (that’s why they offer the flexibility of working remotely), and they want to see that same appreciation in their employees.

Get Started And Apply! 

Now that you have an idea of what remote jobs can work for you (and your college student life) and how to apply for them, it’s time to start searching on reputable job boards for remote online jobs. Start by looking for the job titles listed in this article, or simply type “remote jobs” and see what’s available. New remote jobs are being posted all the time, so consider subscribing to updates so you don’t miss out on the perfect one.