50 Ways To Earn Passive Income as a College Student
Passive income is money you earn outside of a traditional job or contract position. Sources of passive income usually involve little to no continuous work. This can be highly beneficial for college students who may not have time to pursue a traditional full- or part-time job. Passive income can allow college students to earn money without committing significant time and energy away from their studies.
28 ways to earn passive income as a college student
Here are 28 ideas for earning passive income as a college student:
1. House or pet sitting
The duties for house and pet sitting can vary depending on the client for whom you house or pet sit. House sitting usually involves staying at someone's home while they're away to ensure everything within the house remains safe. Pet sitting may involve stopping by a house one to three times a day to check on pets, feed them and complete other pet-related chores.
2. Rent your car or bicycle
If you aren't using your car or bicycle much, consider renting them out. There are online services that can help you turn your car into a short-term rental vehicle or find people to rent your bike. This is a really flexible option for passive income since you can stop or restart it when you please.
3. Stream video games online
Watching people play video games has become a popular form of entertainment for people all over the world. Some video game streamers make enough money to quit their traditional job and stream full time, but you don't need a massive following to make some extra money by streaming. A modest number of followers for regular streams can provide a small but useful passive income.
4. Sell stock photography
If you're interested in photography, putting photos up for sale as stock photos can be an excellent source of passive income. You can sell photos to a company for a one-time price. There are also websites where you can post photos and receive a percentage of money every time someone purchases the rights to use one.
5. Become an influencer
Social media influencers can make passive income in a variety of ways. Multiple social media platforms offer options for monetizing posts, paying you an amount based on engagement. Sponsors pay influencers to promote their brand online, which can be lucrative for an influencer.
6. Advertise with your car
Some companies may hire you to put their advertisement on your car. The amount depends on where you live, the company and how many miles you drive. You may be able to have multiple advertisements on your car at the same time to increase your passive income.
7. Fill out online surveys
Search online for survey sites that pay for each survey taken. Check for sites that offer sign-up bonuses when you register. There are many surveys that you can complete in just a few minutes between other tasks or in your free time.
8. Create an app
If you know how to program, consider creating a simple app, such as a game or habit tracker. You can earn passive income by making it a paid app. It may also be a good idea to add in-app purchases to make more money.
9. Sell items online
There are many websites, including social media platforms, where you can sell items. You can sell used items such as clothes, electronics or books. If you enjoy crafting, you can also sell handmade items.
10. Open a high-yield savings account
This option for passive income is great for people who prefer to avoid risks or who want passive income that requires little work. Consider researching high-yield savings accounts, especially online accounts that often offer higher interest rates. Although it may not be as lucrative as other options, all you have to do is deposit your money.
11. Become a note taker
If you're efficient with taking notes, you can pursue options to receive payment for taking notes for other people. There may be opportunities for this on your campus and is often helpful for students with disabilities. You can also find people who need this service off campus, such as taking notes for elderly clients.
12. Sell your textbooks
At the end of the semester, consider selling your old textbooks. Campus bookstores often pay for old textbooks at a reduced price. If you want to make a little more, consider selling to other students at a lower rate than they might pay for it at the bookstore but higher than the store's buyback rate.
13. Become a video editor
Many online video creators hire other people to edit their videos. You may be able to find postings for these jobs on social media or mentioned in their videos. There are also online content companies that may hire freelance video editors through online job postings.
14. Complete microgigs
There are various websites that pay you for doing microgigs. These are small tasks such as identifying a picture, completing a survey or picking relevant search results. These may only pay a few cents each, but you can usually complete them in seconds, meaning they're easy to complete at any time of day and take little energy.
15. Online user testing
Companies creating new websites often pay people to test it before it goes live. This involves using the website as intended and reporting any issues or bugs. You can find postings for these kinds of jobs online.
16. Sell home-grown produce
If you have space to grow produce and enjoy gardening, you could sell your produce. You could sell to other students who might not have opportunities to grocery shop or might be relying on dining halls. You could also look for a local farmer's market where you might be able to sell at a table.
17. Translate online
If you're fluent in multiple languages, offering translation services online could be an effective source of passive income. There are opportunities for smaller jobs that you can complete quickly or more extensive translation jobs that pay more. Search for websites dedicated to finding translators and sign up to start finding jobs.
18. Become a professional friend
Being a professional friend is a potential passive income source for people with extroverted personalities. You can sign up for an online rent-a-friend service and make a profile that other users can see or choose your own jobs. Being a professional friend includes going with paying customers to events, traveling with them or showing them around an area.
19. Rent your storage space
Finding storage space can be a challenge for many college students, especially if they live in dorms. If you have spare storage space, such as space in a house you're renting, you may be able to rent it out. Consider creating rules for storage access, how long a customer can store something and determine the fees before offering storage space.
20. Participate in sleep studies
If there are organizations or companies in your area conducting sleep research, you may be able to use it as a source of passive income. There may even be sleep study opportunities on campus depending on your college. Most sleep studies pay their volunteers, so you can get paid to sleep.
21. Create an online course
If you have a particular skill, consider creating an online course that specializes in that ability. These could include skills like playing an instrument, a craft or how to use certain software. One option is to post the course online as videos that you can monetize. There are also websites dedicated to online courses where you might be able to post it and charge an access fee.
22. Ride-sharing apps
Being a driver for ride-share apps is a passive income option that could also transition into more active income. You can choose what times you're available to drive, meaning it's a job you can do for a few hours a week or much more frequently. If you enjoy it and live in an area where ride-sharing apps are popular, you might be able to make it a part-time job.
23. Print your designs on merchandise
If you're artistic, consider creating designs you can print on merchandise, such as stickers, T-shirts, posters, mugs and hats. There are multiple websites that allow you to create a shop profile and upload designs that the website sells, prints and ships for you. It's a good idea to conduct some research on which websites offer artists a larger percentage of their sales.
24. Transcribe
If you have excellent typing skills, consider transcribing documents. These jobs can vary in size and payment. There are many opportunities for online transcription jobs, such as transcribing videos or podcasts.
25. Become a virtual assistant
Working as a virtual assistant can offer you a flexible source of passive income. There are many businesses or self-employed freelancers who want to outsource some of their easier administrative tasks to remote workers. Tasks can include responding to emails, research, monitoring their social media and basic organization.
26. Sell plasma
Consider determining whether you're eligible to sell your plasma and whether there are locations near you that take donations. Donations can take 90 minutes to two hours, and you can donate up to twice a week with a break of at least 48 hours between donations. You usually receive your compensation as soon as you've completed the donation process.
27. Create a niche membership website
Another option for monetizing your skills or knowledge is to create a membership website. You can charge a monthly membership fee that people pay to access your content, which can include videos, podcasts and text posts. Before creating the website, consider how much time you're willing to dedicate to it and charge according to the amount of content you intend to provide.
28. Invest in real estate
Although college students often have small budgets, it's possible to start investing. A popular option is to invest in real estate. You can accomplish this through a real estate investment trust (REIT), which allows you to invest in small amounts. You can also research crowdfunded real estate platforms, where you invest in real estate projects.
22 more passive income opportunities for college students
Here are 22 more ways college students can earn passive income:
Make online videos
Food delivery services
Peer-to-peer lending
Create a blog
Start an e-commerce business
Use a cashback credit card
Rent your apartment or house
Create an affiliate website
Narrate audiobooks
Data entry
Rent your parking spot
Copywriting
Sell stock video
Affiliate marketing
Create and monetize a chatbot
Sell your school notes
Use cashback websites
Start a podcast
Make micro-investments
Participate in market research
Volunteer for medical tests
Provide tutoring services
