The Best Summer Jobs for College Students

College life can get hectic; there’s no doubt about it. Between studying, completing projects, meeting objectives, and more, it can be exhausting. That’s why summer break is such a relief for busy students. Summer break is a great time to relax and also make some money. So, read on to find the best summer jobs for college students!

According to a study by NSA, about half of college students used storage short-term during the summer. That means students are moving out of their dorms and apartments in the summer. Since they aren’t stuck on campus for the summer, many students choose to be productive during this time. If you’re not paying rent, why not get an internship or a part-time job in your hometown to save up? Don’t let your current address tie you down!

Best Summer Jobs for College Students

Summer also allows you to get a job and earn some money to pay for your education. And even if your parents are paying, or you’re on a scholarship, extra spending cash is nice to have. That’s especially true if you like new clothes, going out with friends and enjoying yourself occasionally.

To that end, getting a summer job is vital. To help, below we’ve compiled a list of the best summer jobs for college students! If getting a great summer job and making some spending money is your goal, read on, college student!

Outdoor Summer Jobs for College Students

Camp Counselor

OK, while camp counselor might not seem like an exciting job, hear us out because it actually is fantastic. First, you get to spend your days outdoors doing fun camp stuff! For example, there are exciting activities like archery, tennis and swimming. Not to mention that there’s also crafting, kayaking, and volleyball. If it’s a fun summer activity outdoors, you’re sure to enjoy it as a camp counselor! (Your friends? They’ll be stuck indoors, missing all the fun and sun!)

In addition, if you’re studying to go into a field where you’ll work with children, being a camp counselor is a fantastic choice. You’ll get real-world experience in the joys and stresses the job entails. That’s no small thing, as any experience dealing with kids can help you make better decisions later in your career. This can be great hands-on experience for students interested in medical fields, teaching, and more!

Then there are leadership skills, which are very valuable in today’s business world. As a camp counselor, you’ll be thrust into a position where leadership isn’t just required; it’s expected. Picking up leadership skills makes being a camp counselor invaluable.

Lastly, there’s the benefit of unplugging. Too often today, especially as a student, we rely on devices and stare blankly at screens. As a camp counselor, you’ll be unplugged from all that tech, talk, and hype. Even better, you’ll be outdoors enjoying nature with fun people and laughter all around! What could be better?! (PS – here’s some quick camping advice so you look like a pro!)

Parks and Recreation

For college students who love to be outdoors, the summer is the perfect time to stay outside all day. With no more homework and studying, you can find a summer job that allows you to be outside all day. The perfect solution is to work for your local parks and recreation department or another outdoor agency. For example, you can work for the parks department maintaining the local parks and outdoor areas.

In addition, you can also use the summer as an opportunity to travel and spend your summer somewhere new. College students can apply for jobs as outdoor travel or adventure guides and explore somewhere new. For example, you can work as a kayak tour guide in Alaska or a zipline instructor in the Carolinas. Wherever you heart takes you, find a job that will take you there! Spending the summer exploring the gorgeous outdoors sounds absolutely perfect to us!

Summer Jobs for College Students: 6 Places to Work

Take On an Internship in Your Future Industry

They say that experience is a “catch-22” type of situation. The reason is you can’t get a job without experience, but you can’t get experience if you don’t have a job. That can make it frustratingly tricky after you graduate, to say the least. That’s why one of the best summer jobs for college students is a career internship. For example, college students can apply for internships in all types of fields including medicine, business, marketing, graphic design, and more! This is a great way to build contacts in the field you want to enter and gain valuable experience.

For example, getting an internship with CNN in Atlanta would be perfect if you’re going into journalism and news media. (Or any local TV station in your hometown, of course.) Below are several exciting and rewarding internships where you’ll get a valuable experience:

Summer Jobs for College Students: Tutoring

One of the best summer jobs for college students has to be tutoring, especially if you’re an expert. What kind of expert? It doesn’t matter, as long as someone needs help in that subject! Math, chemistry, biology, and calculus are perfect, as is mastery of a foreign language.

Frankly, though, if you’re an expert at anything, you can teach it today online. Playing the guitar, for example, or knitting sweaters, playing Blackjack or collecting Lego for profit. The beauty is that you can tutor online, right from home! No commute, no traffic, and, even better, no boss to tell you what to do! You can set your schedule, accept (or reject) your clients, and set your rates, too! (Make them competitive, though, or you won’t have many clients!)

Summer Jobs for College Students: Volunteer

OK, as far as summer jobs for college students go, volunteering is not the most lucrative. However, volunteering during your summers is a great way to spend your college summers building community and giving back. Summer volunteer work can take all different types of forms including for nonprofits, at schools, or working with refugees. No matter what interests you, there are always different ways to give back and volunteer.

In addition, many organizations sponsor trips during the summer months. They include churches, senior living establishments, nonprofits, and more. All of these organizations also need volunteers and, if that’s you, you’ll go wherever they go! If that happens to be South America, France, or Japan, you get to experience those countries on their dime! You won’t come back with money, but instead, memories and experiences that will stay with you for a lifetime!

Summer Jobs for College Students: Lifeguard

If getting sun, meeting people, and being outside is your idea of a great summer, being a lifeguard is perfect! Yes, you need to be an excellent swimmer and pass a CPR class. (Or more, depending on where you lifeguard.) Once you’re in, though, the days are more or less stress-free. You’ll be soaking up the rays, meeting interesting (and attractive) people, and enjoying summer from your lofty perch! If that’s not one of the best jobs for college students, nothing is!

Summer Jobs for College Students: Pet Sitter & Walker

If a fun, stress-free job that only requires a few hours a day is your choice, pet sitting is nearly perfect. You’ll get to take care of all sorts of furry, feathery creatures and enjoy playing with them. Better still, you’ll get to go outside and enjoy the summer weather. Exercise? The pets you sit with will get some, and so will you! The pay might not be outstanding, but being a pet sitter can be very rewarding if you love animals. You can find opportunities to pet-sit in your neighborhood or on apps like Wag and Rover! Make your own schedule and get some exercise while you work with this job!

Get Out There and Get Employed!

We hope you found a summer job that fits your needs, wants, and likes best! There are many more out there for a dynamic young person, no doubt. You could even come to work for Storage Solutions, the self-storage experts. We have storage facilities around the United States, where we help folks with their storage needs. You might need storage, too, if you’re moving back and forth to college. Either way, if you have questions, chat with us online anytime. Until then, we wish you a summer filled with fun, great experiences, and a few bucks in your pocket!