Whether you’re still in school or you’re a college or university student and you want a bit of extra cash in your back pocket for those warm summer nights or your next big trip abroad, we’ve got you covered.
There’s a huge variety of ways you can make some good pocket money over the summer, and we’ve put together a list to help you find the best part-time jobs to make things a little easier for you. And who knows? It might just help you kick-start your career.
So, without further ado, here are the 30 best jobs for teens and students who want to make some extra cash this summer!
30. Barista
Average hourly rate: $12.49
Making and serving coffee is one of the most popular summer jobs for college students. The reason for this is that landing a job in a café doesn’t tend to require previous work experience; training is usually provided once you begin.
All you need to do is go to the job interview and impress the hiring managers with your love for java, eagerness to learn and friendly personality!
29. Mystery shopper
Average hourly rate: $12.50
If you think you’re a bit of a detective and you enjoy shopping, you could sign up as a mystery shopper and go undercover in shops, restaurants, etc to rate a product, service or the establishment in general. These kinds of jobs aren’t frequent, so it’s not something you can rely on to make a steady income.
28. Bartender
Average hourly rate: $12.67
If you’re a bona fide party animal, why not consider taking a job in your local nightlife scene and getting paid to hang out with your usual crowd? As a bartender, you’ll be able to do just that, while making cocktails and serving all sorts of alcoholic beverages to customers. Do note that you’ll usually need to have a bartending license to work this job.
27. Babysitter
Average hourly rate: $13.22
If you love babies and young children, you could watch your neighbors’ kids while they’re at work or when they go out for the evening — and get paid for it. Like hospitality workers, demand for babysitters increases over the summer when working parents need a helping pair of hands while they’re children are off school for the holidays.
26. Landscaper
Average hourly rate: $13.24
If you’re famous for your green fingers, why not set up your own landscaping business? You can trim your neighbors’ lawns and bushes and maintain flowerbeds so they stay vibrant and healthy — and earn a decent paycheck out of it, while also spending some quality time outside in the sun!
25. Festival worker
Average hourly rate: $13.63
This job is perfect for keen festivalgoers who love to party and listen to the most popular artists around. As a festival worker, you’ll get paid to man entry gates and perform general stewarding duties or even work on one of the stools serving food and drinks. Best of all: you won’t have to pay an extortionate amount of money for tickets this year!
24. Amusement park worker
Average hourly rate: $13.63
As an amusement park worker, you’ll be responsible for helping people have the time of their lives. There’s a number of different roles to choose from, too, from ride attendants to customer service representatives and waiting staff. The plus side? You’ll usually get to enjoy all those fun rides for free!
23. Lifeguard
Average hourly rate: $13.64
If you’re a strong swimmer and you fancy catching some rays on the job, this could be perfect gig for you. As a lifeguard, you’ll be responsible for supervising the safety of swimmers in a pool or the sea and acting quickly in emergencies.
22. Movie theater attendant
Average hourly rate: $13.80
There’s no better job than that of a movie theater attendant if you’re quite the movie buff! You’ll get paid to either attend cinema screens (which means that you get to watch the latest flicks for free) or serve popcorn and sell tickets.
21. Pet care worker
Average hourly rate: $13.81
If you love animals, why not consider working as a pet sitter or a dog walker? Not only will you be able to make some pocket money, but you’ll also get to play with cats and dogs for a living! This job is even suitable for those that work from home — you can keep your furry friends company while you get on with your normal duties.
20. Cook
Average hourly rate: $14.00
If you’re a culinary master, you could make your own meals and package them for sale. Or, if you aspire to be the next Gordon Ramsay, you could find a job in a local restaurant to gain some valuable experience.
19. Retail sales assistant
Average hourly rate: $14.03
If you prefer a customer-facing job, this one’s for you. You could enquire about part-time work in your favorite shop as a cashier or stock replenisher, and the good news is that you’ll typically get a staff discount and maybe even free products and a uniform allowance.
18. Camp counselor
Average hourly rate: $14.27
Do you like working with kids and enjoy being out in the wilderness? If so, working as a summer camp counselor could be the ideal job for you. An added bonus is that you’ll be able to develop key leadership, communication and delegation skills that will especially come in handy in your career.
17. Farm worker
Average hourly rate: $14.27
If you live near a farm, and you don’t mind getting dirty, you could approach the owner for a summer job — and they’ll most likely have something for you. As a farm worker, you’ll generally help with the maintenance of animals and crops, as well as cleaning the farm.
16. Cleaner
Average hourly rate: $14.31
Are your friends convinced you’re a compulsive cleaner, and do you have a knack (and even love) for getting grime off surfaces? If so, perhaps you should consider cleaning a few houses on the weekend!
15. Hospitality worker
Average hourly rate: $14.57
Employment opportunities in the hospitality industry are endless — you could work in housekeeping, front desk, food and beverage, or as a porter. And demand for hospitality workers is usually much higher in the summer months, so finding a job will be relatively easy. And the tips are usually good, too!
14. Car washer
Average hourly rate: $15.74
If you have an entrepreneurial mindset, you could set up your own car washing business, cleaning the cars of friends and neighbors. All you need are a few supplies and a good work ethic!
13. Campus tour guide
Average hourly rate: $16.56
Do you plan to stay on campus during summer vacation? Then this job could be perfect for you.
Many universities have their own job search portals for students where they list job openings within the institution. As someone who knows the campus inside and out, you’d make a perfect tour guide for prospective students who want to get a feel for the university.
12. Gym receptionist
Average hourly rate: $16.64
Are you a gym rat? Perhaps you could start getting paid for spending time at your local sports club! All you’ll need to do in return is greet visitors, give them a tour around the space, and provide information on the subscriptions offered.
An added bonus is that gyms tend to offer both part-time and full-time opportunities, so you can choose how much of your time you want to dedicate.
11. Golf caddy
Average hourly rate: $17.71
If you love playing golf, you could help carry players’ bags and build their spirits up by offering advice throughout the game. These positions are usually seasonal and on the rise throughout the summer months.
10. Telesales advisor
Average hourly rate: $17.75
If you enjoy talking to people all day, you might want to explore the opportunity of working as a telesales customer service advisor on a part-time basis. Don’t worry: you’ll usually be provided with a script to follow for a variety of different cases.
9. Uber driver
Average hourly rate: $18.05
If you have a new car and a clean driving license, why not tap into the peer-to-peer ridesharing industry and become an Uber driver? It’s easy, and you’ll be able to work when and where you want and at any point throughout the day.
8. Photographer
Average hourly rate: $18.73
Are you an aspiring photographer who loves taking a snap or two? Well, there’s good news for you! You could work at corporate events or weddings to build up your portfolio during the summer months, and also make some vital networking connections in the process.
7. Swimming instructor
Average hourly rate: $18.74
As a swimming instructor, you can help children and even adults improve their strokes by teaching them how to swim. Do note that you’ll generally need a CPR or first aid certification to prove that you’re a trained and licensed swimmer.
6. Admin assistant
Average hourly rate: $19.08
If you’re the organized type, you can work as an admin assistant on a temporary contract. Many temp workers end up earning great experience at big companies like Google, and this can be a huge CV booster.
5. Tutor
Average hourly rate: $21.55
If you’re skilled in math or English, for example, you can become an online or private tutor and provide one-on-one support to children and adults alike. You could even work abroad teaching English as a foreign language if you have the necessary qualifications.
4. Graphic designer
Average hourly rate: $27.88
If you’ve got artistic flair, consider offering up your creativity. With an ocean of companies out there, you’re bound to find a client who desperately needs your eye for art.
Whether it’s to design a poster for an event, craft a logo for a startup or enhance images for social media use, your know-how will certainly not go unnoticed!
3. Social media manager
Average hourly rate: $29.45
Many small brands out there could use an extra pair of hands in their marketing efforts. And, statistically, as a young person, you’ve probably got lots of social media experience under your belt!
If you’ve followed your favorite brands for a while, curate your own content or simply love taking photos and videos, you could easily create an online presence for a local business.
2. Content writer
Average hourly rate: $35.17
Do you have a way with words and conjuring up captivating stories? If so, perhaps you should consider writing blog posts and landing pages for different websites.
And who knows? If you’ve got that “grammar police” spirit and sharp attention to detail, you could even help the editorial team you’re working with do the proofreading and editing.
1. App developer
Average hourly rate: $46.54
If you're skilled at developing apps, why not cash in on your talent and start offering your services to companies? You could even create your own app and make money on iTunes and the Play Store every time someone downloads it.
Final thoughts
There are countless ways you can make some extra money over the summer, but we’ve only rounded up the best of the best to help you get started. Since this might very well be your first job, we’d like to close off the article with some general job seeker tips for you to keep in mind:
- When applying to jobs, tailor your résumé to the job listing. You can do this by incorporating key words or phrases the recruiter has used.
- Send in your application materials as early as possible, and certainly within the specified timeframe. Keep a note of all application deadlines when applying to more than one job.
- Emphasize your academic background and skill set on your résumé if you haven’t got a lot of work experience. You can do this by moving these two sections closer to the top.
- To maximize your chances of finding work, turn to your network. While searching for opportunities online is a great place to start, having someone you know refer you for a position can improve your chances.
Have you worked a summer job before? If so, join the conversation below and let us know what you did and if you enjoyed it!
This article was originally published in 2018. Updated by Electra Michaelidou.