What Are The Best-Paying Part-Time Jobs For Students?

Part-time jobs can be a great way to earn money at University.

Understandably, university students can get pretty skint sometimes. After all, flying the nest from your home to your student accommodation can be expensive.

Suddenly, you’re responsible for paying for your textbooks, rent and groceries. No fun! And when you’re funds are running dangerously low, sometimes a low-paying part-time job just won’t cut it.

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This can be a stressful thought. So, we’re here to take the pressure off by giving you some great high-paying part-time job suggestions.

What Are the Best-Paying Part-Time University Student Jobs?

Internship

Many companies offer paid internship positions to university students.

While these range in pay, there are some very generous internship wages to be found - if you look!

Not only can you earn some serious cash, but this is perhaps the best part-time job option for any student wanting some real-world experience. You can get hands-on experience in your chosen field, gain practical skills, and do some networking.

Average Earnings: £9 - £15 per hour, with some sectors offering higher rates for specialised roles.

Research Assistant

If you have a good academic record and a knack for research, consider becoming a research assistant. Now, we know what you’re thinking - don’t you spend your whole time at university doing research? Well, yes. But if you’re willing to do some more, you can earn a pretty penny!

Professors and academic departments often hire students to assist with research projects. This part-time job can offer valuable insight into your field of interest. And it can certainly be sure to cover all those takeaways and drinks down the pub!

Average Earnings: £10 - £14 per hour, depending on the field of study and complexity of the research.

Social Media Ambassador

This may come as a shock to you, but social media isn’t just useful for scrolling endlessly through TikTok. Radical! We know. Social media is full of fruitful part-time opportunities for university students.

Social media ambassadors promote brands on their platforms. If you’re willing to get creative and build a platform, this is a very lucrative part-time job option.

Average Earnings: Variable, often based on followers and engagement rates; can range from £50 to £500 per post for highly engaged accounts.

Private Tutor

If you want to see some serious cash flowing in, definitely consider becoming a tutor. Not only can this option work well alongside your university studies, but you can earn up to £30 or £40 an hour. Result!

Plus, you’ll develop your subject knowledge as well as super handy communication skills.

Average Earnings: £15 - £40 per hour, depending on the subject matter and level of education being taught.

Photographer

Are you handy with taking great snaps? Do you own a quality camera? Then why not hire your services as a personal photographer?

Just advertise yourself online by building up a portfolio of your work. Then, you can be hired for your services or simply upload your photos for business to license.

This will help you earn a good wedge of cash while building an impressive creative portfolio.

Average Earnings: Freelance rates vary widely; event photography can range from £100 to £500 per event, while stock photography earnings are highly variable based on sales.

Freelancing

As a university student, you should definitely consider getting a gig freelancing. This can be doing anything from writing to graphic design to web development.

Freelancing is useful when you're at university because you can basically choose your hours. Sounds pretty ideal, right? And, trust us, your bank account will thank you!

Average Earnings: £10 - £30 per hour, depending on the skill set and experience level.

Caterer

Catering companies always pay well, especially for events like weddings and cooperate gatherings. As a university student, this part-time job will fit well alongside your studies and you’ll get a good hourly wage. There’s also a very good chance of generous tips!

You just gotta make sure you’re not prone to being too clumsy! No one will appreciate you spilling wine at some fancy doo!

Average Earnings: £8 - £12 per hour, with the potential for higher earnings at premium events and the possibility of generous tips.

Barista

Coffee shops often look for friendly and efficient part-time job hunters to be baristas. With the rise of specialty coffee, skilled baristas can earn competitive wages plus tips.

Average Earnings: £8.50 - £10 per hour, plus tips.

Personal Trainer

For those who are passionate about fitness and health, working as a personal trainer can be both fulfilling and profitable. You can offer sessions at local gyms, clients' homes, or even online.

Average Earnings: £20 - £40 per hour, depending on location and certification.

Graphic Designer

If you have skills in graphic design, freelancing can provide a variety of projects such as creating logos, marketing materials, and web design.

Average Earnings: £15 - £30 per hour, influenced by your portfolio and the project's scope.

Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistants provide administrative support to businesses or entrepreneurs from remote locations.

Tasks can range from email management, scheduling, to social media management. The perfect part-time job for anyone that wants to work on the go!

Average Earnings: £10 - £15 per hour, depending on the complexity of tasks and your experience.

Freelance Content Writer

If you have a knack for writing, freelance content writing can be lucrative. You can write blog posts, articles, and web content on a flexible schedule.

Average Earnings: £15 - £30 per hour, depending on the complexity of the work and your experience.

Event Coordinator Assistant

Assisting in planning and executing events can offer valuable experience and pay well. This role involves helping with logistics, coordination, and sometimes marketing of events.

Average Earnings: £10 - £15 per hour, depending on experience and the scale of events.

Campus IT Support

Many universities hire students to provide IT support. This can include assisting with software, hardware, and network issues. It’s a great way to gain technical experience.

Average Earnings: £9 - £12 per hour, with potential for higher pay based on technical skills and experience.

Language Translator

If you are fluent in more than one language, working as a freelance translator can be a flexible and well-paying part-time job. Translators are needed for documents, websites, and even live translation jobs.

Average Earnings: £10 - £20 per hour, with rates varying based on language difficulty and specialisation.

Conclusion

University life doesn’t have to be synonymous with being broke all the time. By choosing a part-time job that not only suits your hours but pays well too, you’ll stop yourself from being buried in student debt.

As long as you can balance your work with your studies (and social life of course), there’s no reason you need to stay skint. After all, you want to be able to afford all those student nights out, don’t you?