What's the Best Way to Make Money Online for a Student 2020?

Student Jobs Available Today! If you’re a college student and looking for a part-time or freelance job to earn extra money while studying, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, “What’s the Best Way to Make Money Online for a Student 2020?“, I’m going to share your 14 different ways of doing something else for money. It may be selling products or providing services based on your knowledge, skills, or passions.

What’s the Best Way to Make Money Online for a Student in 2020?

Top 14 Ways to Make Money Online for Students

Get Paid to Take Surveys
Earn Money Typing Online
Become a Translator or Interpreter
Become a Freelance Proofreader
Do Freelance Data Entry
Become a Game Tester
Become a Content Writer
Do Voice-Over Online
Make Money from Affiliate Marketing
Make Money from Fiverr
Sell Photos Online
Sell Stuff on eBay
Create Mobile Apps
Start Drop Shipping Business

Let’s start in detail for each opportunity.

1. Get Paid to Take Surveys – It’s Quick & Easy!

One of the easiest ways to make money online is by taking surveys. There are many different kinds of online paid surveys. You can earn money in your spare time by taking polls, answering questionnaires, or sharing what you think about the company’s products or services.

You also can make money for other activities, such as playing games online, searching the web, and watching videos, for example. To complete the survey activities, you can take around 10-15 minutes and can earn a $5 dollars or more.

The Best Paid Surveys Online Websites

Below is a list of top 10 paid survey websites.

Survey Junkie
Toluna
InboxDollars
OnePoll
Swagbucks
Branded Surveys
LIfePoints
Vindale Research
i-Say (IPSOS)
InboxPounds

Visite those websites, read more service details, average payout, payment method, terms, and conditions, apply for the one that you enjoy, and start making money.

2. Earn Money Typing Online – Just Basic Skills!

Typing online from home or school is another easy way to make some extra money in your free time without investments. Type is the most basic skill anyone can learn.

There are lots of different ways to make money typing online, such as data entry, transcription (typing spoke audio recording), typing text from an image, typing captcha entries, medical transcription (require training), and replying to email and chats. You can earn, for example, $2 per page, or $25 per hour.

Top Websites for Online Typing Jobs

You can find typing jobs from a big list of websites, including:

Fiverr
Elance
Freelancer
Clickworker
2Captcha
Capital Typing
TranscribeMe
Upwork
Quicktate
Rev

If you are a fast typist and have a good knowledge of English, you can make money after school or weekend from these websites. This can be one of your part-time or freelance works.

3. Become a Translator or Interpreter – Speak Your Language!

If you speak more than one language, you can work anywhere and earn money with your language skills. This also is one of the high-paying freelance jobs in the market.

There are different translation services types, covering technical translation, financial or economic translation, legal translation, juridical translation, literary translation, birth certificate translation, or school record translation,

The Best Translation Websites

You can find a freelance translator or interpreter job from these websites.

Gengo
Translators Cafe
Translators Town
People Per Hour
Smartling
Unlabel
ProZ
Upwork
Guru
Fiverr
Freelancer

This can be one of your freelance interpreter jobs. But, if you plan to succeed in translation or plan to be a full-time translator in the future, it’ll be great if you’ve got a translator certification. You should learn more about how to become a professional translator or a sign language interpreter.

4. Become a Freelance Proofreader – The Expert Editor!

Proofreader could be one of the flexible and easy freelance jobs for college students, making extra money at home after school. What you need to do are reading the document, correcting grammatical errors, removing spelling mistakes,

This job is required not only your good reading and writing skills but also English and grammar skills. Some freelancers make anywhere more than $25 per hour.

Top Websites for Online Proofreading Jobs

In the digital market, there are a number of websites opening jobs for part-time or freelance proofreading career. Here are some of these.

Upwork
Freelancer
Fiverr
Domainite
Lionbridge
Polished Paper
Craigslist
Proofreading Services
Wordvice
Guru
Gramlee
Scribe Writing
LinkedIn
EditFast
Writer’s Relief
SmartBrief
FlexJobs
Edit911
OneSpace

If you visit those sites, you’ll find that lots of proofreader jobs available on the websites. You should read more details, conditions, job description, requirements, earnings, and apply for the high-paying freelance proofreader jobs, or apply for jobs that match with your skills.

5. Do Freelance Data Entry

There is no doubt that freelance data entry is one of the great “Work-Anywhere” jobs for students who want to make easy money from home or on their own schedule without investment. It just requires a computer, an internet connection, and general software, such as Word or Excel to work.

With these skills: good typing, good concentration, good communication, and basic knowledge of computer and software, the student can earn $35 per hour or up to $1,000 dollars a month. The income depends on the type of job, time spent, and skills.

Types of Data Entry Jobs for Students

Type Captcha images
Copy & Paste text material
Fill up survey forms
Type text into an Excel or Word
Convert image to text
Write contents
Write product information
Do proofreading or copywriting
Do medical transcription
Process emails

Top Job Websites for Freelance Data Entry Jobs

You can apply for data entry jobs or offer your services on these websites.

LinkedIn
Indeed
Fiverr
Glassdoor
Upwork
Naukri
Freelancer
Careerbuilder
JobsDB

In addition, there are websites that offer entry-level data entry jobs, such as:

FlexJobs
Smart Crowd
Smart Locating
Microworkers
Xerox
Scribie
SigTrack
TDEC
Clockwork
Capital Typing

As you can see there are many choices for the data entry job. I recommend you should start with FlexJobs, one of the best websites for work from home and flexible jobs. It’s time to get started right now!

6. Become a Game Tester – Let’s Have Fun @ Work!

(Image Source: Blizzard.com)

Do you like gaming? Why not turn your love of video games into a part-time job. If searching on the Internet, you’ll find that there are many video game tester job openings for students in the market. You can work from home at your own schedule. It’s one of the dream freelance jobs for many students.

Based on the Grand View Research, the global video game market size was valued at US $167 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 12.9% from 2021 to 2027.

Be a game tester, you get paid for testing out new video games, or mobile games before released. You also have to provide reviews and feedback for each product you try out. You can earn from $50 to $150 per hour for this fun and profitable job. The more games you play, the more you get paid.

It’ll be great if you are studying a diploma or degree course in game design, creative media, digital production, computing, or programming.

Skills Needed to Become a Game Tester

Knowledge of computer and mobile games
Understanding of software testing and programming
Good communication skills
Good exploration and troubleshooting skills
Good analytic thinking skills

Where to Find Video Game Testing Jobs

There are dozens of websites offering jobs for video game testing. Below are some of there sites.

Rockstar
Nintendo
Blizzard
User Testing
Software Testing Help
iGame Lab
Beta Family
Game Testers
TesterWork

If you have a passion for games and a good knowledge of testing techniques, becoming a successful video game tester is not difficult for you. Waking up every morning and doing something you totally love. Have Fun!

7. Become a Content Writer – Work Anywhere!

Writing content for blogs or websites is one of the best ways to give you the opportunity to make money online from home. If you’re a college student, studying a short course, certificate, or degree program in content wiring, this will be helpful for you.

There are a lot of ways by which you can earn extra income by writing articles. You can get paid to write articles for magazines or journals, become a best-selling author, or build your own blog and sell self-publish your ebooks or promote other company’s products and services.

Learn FREE how to promote other products with affiliate marketing.

In this industry, there is a wide range of topics for content writers, including business, technology, health, sport, entertainment (film and music), environment & social issues, lifestyle and personal development, education, and more.

Skills to Become a Successful Content Writer

To be a successful article writer, you need to have the following skills.

Good research skills
Always being unique
Understanding of SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Good communication skills (Captivating readers)
Good language skills (Spelling, Grammer, and Word Usage)
Making Calls-to-Action (CTA)
Know the benefits of social media

8. Do Voice-Over Online – Be a Virtual Actor!

One of the most popular and exciting jobs for students is doing voice-over for videos or become a voice actor. If you have a good voice, you can make extra money from home or anywhere. Many companies hire for voice over actors online in ads, videos, movies, cartoons, or animation business.

In addition, there are many genres that require voice actors, such as TV programs, video games, documentaries, audiobooks, eLearning courses, and podcasts.

How much can you make money with the voice over job?

Based on the Voices.com, if you provide voice over for commercials, you can expect to earn money between $100 for a local radio commercial, up to $10,000 for a national TV commercial.

If you create voice-over for cartoons or animation, the industry rates generally range from $100 for a short, 15-second animation, up to $10,000 for the starring role in an animated short.

Where to Find the Voice Over Jobs?

Below is a list of websites that have job openings for voice over jobs from home or anywhere.

Filmless
Voices.com
Voice Bunny
Snap Recordings
Voice123
The Voice REalm
Voice Crafts
Bodalgo
Fiverr
Upwork
Freelancer
FlexJobs

Learn how to start your voice acting career from voiceover training or listen to the professional voice actors.

9. Make Money from Affiliate Marketing – Promote & Earn Money!

Affiliate marketing is one of the quick and easy ways to start your online business without your own products or services. You just refer buyers or recommend other company’s products, when someone buys those products, you’ll earn a commission.

Affiliate Business Processes

With an affiliate business, you don’t need to hold stocks, deliver products, or provide customer support. You’ll be earning money when are shopping, traveling, or even sleeping.

How to Start Your Affiliate Marketing Business

Below are steps of how to build and run affiliate marting online business.

Choose a niche with a combination of your passions, your experiences, and sufficient market size).
Find and apply for profitable affiliate products or services.
Build a website or blog.
Create quality content (article contents, how-to, or product reviews) with your affiliate links (accurate, informative, and useful).
Drive targeted traffic to your website. (forum or blog comments, guest blogging, social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram – or other free & paid methods)

Types of Products or Services Should be Promoted

Tangible Products, such as kitchen equipment, gardening equipment, office accessories, phone accessories, home automation, gym equipment, pet-grooming, fashing, and baby care.
Digital Products, such as eBooks, How-To Videos, and Photos.
Technology Services, such as WordPress Themes, Domain Names, and Web Hosting Services.
Courses Online, such as degree programs, certificates, specializations.

High-Paying Affiliate Programs

Wealthy Affiliate
Bluehost
Hostinger
Cloudways
WP Engine

Check out my article, Top Ten Affiliate Marketing Programs – 2020 Updates.

Top Affiliate Networks

Amazon Associates
eBay Partner Network
ClickBank
ShareASale
CJ Affiliate

Check out my article, Top 10 Best Affiliate Marketing Networks for Beginners.

As you learn about affiliate marketing, you can start an online business with low investment. However, to succeed in the affiliate marketing business, you must have in-depth knowledge of these major topics, covering affiliate marketing programs, affiliate marketing networks, affiliate links, cookie time, PPC (Pay-per-Click), PPS (Pay-per-Sale), and the affiliate commission. Be focus!

==> Join FREE Affiliate Marketing Training <==

10. Make Money from Fiverr – A Million Jobs Here!

Fiverr is a digital work marketplace for freelancers to offer services to customers worldwide. For a student, there are many ways you can generate an extra income with dedicating 1-2 hours a day on Fiverr.com. Learn how to make money with Fiverr.

You may know that Fiverr is a platform of the jobs for $5 dollars. But today, some of Fiverr’s users can charge $100 or more for a single “gig”.

Top Digital Products on Fiverr

There are many categories of different skills on the Fiverr website. You are able to view all and have to go to the area in which you have good skills in it. Below are popular services on Fiverr.

Graphics & Design Services (Logo Design, Game Design, Business Cards & Stationery, Brochure Design, Poster Design, and Illustration).
Digital Marketing Services (Social Media Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Podcast Marketing, Crowdfunding, Web Analytics, and Mobile Marketing).
WordPress Website Services (Website Building, Bug Fixes, SEO, Landing Page, Website Backup, and Cloning and Migration).
Writing & Translation Services (Product Reviews, Blog Posts, Resume Writing, Proofreading & Edition, Technical Writing, Audio/Video Transcription, and Language Translation).
Video & Animation Services (Video Editing, Short Video Ads, Animated GIFs, Logo Animation, and Whiteboard Explainers).
Music & Audio Services (Voice Over, Produces & Composers, Singers & Vocalists, Session Musicians, and Online Music Lessons).

One of the keys success on Fiverr is “SKILL”. There is no limit on the number of services that you can offer on Fiverr. So, build your skills as a professional and go on the Fiverr market today.

11. Sell Photos Online – It’s a Great Bonus!

(Image Source: Adobe Stock)

If you are a passionate photographer, you surely will have a library of images saving on your hard drive or on photo storage online. It’s a good idea to sell these photographs and earn extra money.

Type of the Best Selling Photos

Based on marketing research or information for top photo stock websites, the best selling photo or image types are:

People (Happy Mother and Baby, Happy Senior Couple, Happy Child, Happy Family, Young Woman Smiling, Businessman, Person with a Computer)
Working (Business Meeting, Businessperson Smiling, Working with Laptop, Teamwork, It Specialist, Woman at Desk, Office Computer)
Food (Colorful Food, Healthy Food, Street Food, Chinese Food Noodles, Italian Food Places)
Cities (New York City, Manhattan Views, City Tour on a Bus, UK Tower, London Skyline, Indian Culture Tokyo)
Nature (Sunset, Sunrise, Landscape Scene, Doodle Hills, Mountain Landscape, flowers)
Technology (Wireless Communication, Artificial Intelligence, Intelligent World, Virtual Reality)

Where to Sell Photos Online

Below are some reputable websites that you can make money selling your photos online.

Adobe Stock
Etsy
Shutterstock
123RF
iStock Photo
Dreamstime
Getty Images
Alamy
500px
SmugMug
Can Stock Photo
PhotoShelter
EyeEm

Selling photos or images online can be one of your part-time jobs. But to succeed in this business, you should learn techniques from successful stock photographers. It’s the shortest way to achieve your goal.

12. Sell Stuff on eBay – Everything on the Shelf!

eBay is one of the most-visited online retail marketplaces in the world and it’s the best place to start selling your products online. You can get access to millions of buyers worldwide.

eBay has more than 900 million monthly visits with more than 180 million active buyers in 2020. The eBay’s GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume) in Q4 2019 is $22 million dollars.

Top Selling Items on eBay

There are a variety of categories on eBay. It allows selling almost everything, including collectibles, antiques, electronics, fashions, home & garden, auto parts, sporting goods, toys, and others.

Here is a list of top-selling products on eBay are:

Electronics & Accessories
Fashion and Accessories
Business & Industrial Products
Home & Garden Products
Collectibles and Antiques
Health & Beauty Products
Sporting Goods and Outdoor Items
New and Used Books
Baby Products
Toys & Hobby Products

You can offer both new, used (pre-owned), or refurbished item conditions with “Auction” or “But It Now” buying types. Another important data is more than half of all of eBay’s users are views on a mobile device. So ensure that your product listings on the eBay platform are optimized for mobile devices.

However, selling products on eBay, you have to build the reputation of your store. Both buyers and sellers have the opportunity to offer feedback. Buyers want to buy items from stores with positive feedback (over 97% normally).

eBay also has many business terms and conditions that you must follow, such as response time, shipping time, and return & refund policy. To become a successful eBay seller, you must learn and understand exactly how to sell products on eBay before starting this business.

13. Create Mobile Apps – Make for Millions!

Based on the GSMA Intelligence website, up to June 2020, there are over 5.2 billion unique mobile phone users in the world covering 1,250 mobile operators, 80 operator groups, and 4,600 networks. There are only two major mobile phone operating systems in the world: Android (72%) and iOS (26%). (statcouonter.com)

If you have computer programming, software skills, and mobile technology knowledge, you’ve got the potential to earn lots of money by making mobile applications. It’s one of the highly profitable businesses.

Popular Types of Mobile Apps

Lifestyle Mobile Apps (Get The Flight Out, Swarm, Foursquare City Guide, Divvy, Snapguide)
Social Media Mobile Apps (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat)
Utility Mobile Apps (Yahoo! Weather, Splitwise, Venmo, Reminders, Calculator, Flashlight)
Games / Entertainment Mobile Apps (KartRider Rush+, Sky: Children of the Light, Castlevania, Company of Heroes)
Productivity Mobile Apps (IFTTT, Outlook, SwiftKey, Edison Assistant, Docs, Sheets, Wallet)
Information Mobile Apps (Smart news, Buzzfeed, Reddit, Feedly)

Be an expert on building smartphone applications and launch your mobile apps on iOS or Android platforms today.

14. Start Drop Shipping Business – All Parties Win!

Dropshipping is a way of selling products online with small capital and from anywhere in the world. It could be your full-time income with a part-time job.

With the benefits of doing a drop shipping business, you don’t need to handle the process of procurement, packaging, and product delivery. But it requires other responsibilities, including sales, marketing, advertising, and customer services.

(Image Source: Oberlo.com)

Major challenges related to the dropshipping business are high competition (price-war), supplier errors and services (unavailable product, pricing change, or replace & return policy), and longer shipping time.

Drop Shipping Platforms

Below are dropshipping platforms in the market. Learn more about these.

Shopify
Oberlo
BigCommerce
WooCommerce
Magento
OpenCart
SaleHoo
Wholesale Central
SaleSource
Wholesale 2B

Other Dropshipping Business Models

Dropshipping from Amazon to eBay
Dropshipping from eBay to Amazon
Dropshipping from AliExpress to Amazon
Dropshipping from AliExpress to eBay

Note: If you want to start a dropshipping business with Amazon or eBay, you need to understand the rules or restrictions of both systems. And to succeed in the dropshipping business, you are NOT a drop shipper, but you must be a Sale Person.

Other Online Freelance Jobs for Students

Below are some of the other freelance jobs for students. Learn more about these.

Facebook Ads Business
Become a Lead Generator
Become a Virtual Assistant
Become a YouTuber or Podcaster
SEO Evaluator and Consulting
Social Media Manager
Become a Website and Graphic Designer
Become an Online Tutor
Become an Online English Teacher
Become a Cryptocurrency Trader
Starting a Niche Website

Thanks to the Internet, there are many new jobs and career openings in the market every day. Freelance job websites are one of the best places for searching for a new job. The top sites are Upwork, Fiverr, Guru, Freelance, Simply Hired, Toptal, FlexJobs, and PeoplePerHour. Visiting these websites, you will get more ideas.

What Are You Waiting For?

Now, completing my article, “What’s the Best Way to Make Money Online for a Student in 2020?“, you’ve got lots of opportunities for making money online at home, after school, or on a weekend.

Your jobs may be selling tangible products, selling digital products, or providing services with no or low investment. Choose the best part-time job that meets with your skills and passion. You also can mix and match these jobs if you want.

I hope you enjoyed this article. Please make a plan and stick with it. Now it’s your time to take action!

You may also want to check out my other articles:

If you have any questions about making money online or other digital business, please feel free to leave your message in the comment box below. We will get back to you shortly. And also if you think this post is useful, please share it with your friends or colleagues. Thank you very much.

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