15 Best Winter Break Jobs For College Students
Looking for ways to make some extra cash over the holidays? Here are 15 of the best winter break jobs for college students.
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While breaks from school are necessary after weeks of working on college courses, they are also a great opportunity to make some extra money.
Winter break jobs for college students can provide extra spending money that will make your college years more enjoyable.
Whether you’re paying for your tuition all on your own or you just need some extra money for food delivery, winter break jobs are a perfect way to fill up your bank account before the Spring semester.
Should You Work During Winter Break In College?
After a hard semester of classes, you may be wary of taking on more work over winter break.
Here are some reasons you should pick up a winter break job:
- It Gets You Out Of The House
- You’ll Have More Spending Money For The School Year
- Seasonal Jobs Are Typically Pretty Flexible
- Your Friends Probably Will Have Jobs Too
The Best Winter Break Jobs For College Students
1. Seasonal Retail Work
There are always department stores looking for workers around the holidays, making them great winter break jobs.
Employers expect college students to take these positions, so they often know that students will only be available for a few weeks before returning to school.
As far as wages, the median wage for a retail salesperson is $14 per hour. If you’re willing to pick up a lot of shifts, then you can still earn a respectable amount of cash during your weeks off for winter break.
2. Nannying
Around winter break, parents are especially busy with work, shopping, and preparing for holiday gatherings.
This creates a demand for nannies, which college students will happily fill. If you are open to childcare, nannying is a great gig for your winter break.
Nannying jobs cover a wide range of wages, depending on the family you’re nannying for. The national average is $19 per hour, with higher-paying gigs being more than double that amount.
So if you want to make more money as a nanny, look for clients that are willing to compensate you for your time.
3. Pet Sitting
As far as seasonal jobs for college students, you can always depend on pet sitting to be an option.
Whether they’re going to another city close by or another state, families tend to leave for vacation for winter break. This means that they need someone to watch their pets while they’re gone.
That’s where college students come in. Pet sitting jobs are flexible and not a huge time commitment, depending on what family you’re working with.
That means that college students can easily come in during their winter break and watch pets for a few days or a couple of weeks.
With a wage range of $15 per hour, this job pays an average amount for a seasonal job. Again, this depends on the people you’re working for. You may get lucky and earn closer to $30 per hour.
4. Food Delivery
If your top priority in a winter break job is flexibility, food delivery might be the perfect fit for you.
You can earn around $20 an hour depending on the food delivery service and who you’re delivering to. On top of the wage the delivery service pays you, you also have the potential to get significant tips.
But if you don’t want to drive around a lot during your winter break job, this might not be the job for you.
5. Gift Wrapper
Love wrapping presents for the holiday? Can’t get enough of wrapping paper and ribbon?
If so, you should look into being a gift wrapper during winter break. College students can find these seasonal jobs at department stores and local businesses.
On average, a gift wrapper makes $16 per hour, which is a couple dollars above typical pay for a seasonal job.
College students who have an affinity for gift wrapping or want to work in something creative will enjoy this winter break job.
6. Ski Instructor
As far as winter break jobs go, being a ski instructor is definitely a cooler option. You’ll need experience with skiing, and you need to be near snow.
If you enjoy teaching and skiing, this is the perfect winter break job for you.
Depending on the ski resort or private company you’re working for, you can make minimum wage or significantly more than that.
On average, you’ll be making $17 per hour. That’s not too shabby for a seasonal position.
7. Server
Working in the food service industry takes a lot of people skills. Any college student that likes talking to people and is willing to work in a fast-paced environment would be a good fit for a server position.
While their mean hourly wage is around $14 per hour, servers are known for receiving significant tips. Earning that extra cash will come in handy during the semester.
8. Snow Removal
Winter break jobs are unique in that they sometimes involve snow. For example, being a snow shoveler is a job you won’t find any other time of year.
Snow shovelers make $15 per hour on average, not including tips.
College students that don’t mind the cold and can handle a shovel should consider working with snow removal.
9. Ride Sharing Driver
Everyone uses ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft these days. It’s easily accessible through phone apps, and drivers are always in demand.
On top of making $18 per hour on average, college students who work as ride sharing drivers will earn tips with their satisfied customers.
This seasonal job is also very flexible. College students can pick their own hours to work, which is great for when they want to spend time with family and friends.
10. Tutor
Good at math? Majoring in biology? Whatever classes you’re taking in college, this knowledge is transferable to tutoring.
College students that are home for winter break can use their time off school to give back to others.
Tutors, on average, make $19 per hour. However, this number is subject to change based on who you’re tutoring for.
Tutoring has the potential to earn a lot of money over the course of a few weeks while students are home for break.
11. Reselling Clothing
Reselling clothing is very popular these days and even more so around the holidays, when people are attending more events.
College students with a passion for fashion would be a great fit for reselling clothing.
If you like thrift shopping, you can easily buy cheap pieces and sell them for a profit online or at a consignment shop. It’s a lot of work but it can definitely pay off!
12. Furniture Flipping
Furniture flipping is a great seasonal job for college students with a creative side. While the money isn’t as reliable as other jobs, the potential payoff is much higher.
For example, a student could buy a table for $15 at a thrift store and “flip it” with new paint, making it worth $100. That’s an easy $85 profit.
If you’re good with DIY projects and scouting out furniture, this is a great seasonal job for you.
13. Valet Attendant
Being a valet involves running around, driving, and collecting tips. If that sounds fun to you, you might be the perfect valet attendant this winter break. You’ll get to stay active and receive tips from happy customers.
Aside from tips, you’ll be earning an average of $14 per hour as a valet attendant. While that’s an average seasonal job wage, you’ll get an above-average work experience.
14. Bartender
While bartenders earn $14 per hour on average, many earn much more through tips. College students that like to mix or serve drinks should look for winter break jobs at their local bars and restaurants.
Depending on the establishment, college students could have a steady stream of customers, which means more tips.
Being a bartender is a great winter break gig for college students who like the pressure of a fast-paced work environment, enjoy talking to people, and are willing to work at night.
15. Warehouse Associate
If you enjoy dependable hours and manual labor, being a warehouse associate is probably the winter break job for you.
With everyone buying and shipping packages around the holidays, warehouse associates are always in demand during that time of year.
The average wage for a warehouse associate is $14 per hour, which is usually what can be expected for a seasonal job.
However, depending on the company, you could receive a sign on bonus that’s either a few hundred dollars to a thousand. Be on the lookout for warehouse jobs near you.
Final Thoughts On Seasonal Jobs For College Students
Seasonal jobs for college students are a great opportunity to save up some money for the upcoming semester.
Whether it’s a retail job or working as a ski instructor, having a seasonal job as a college student is an excellent chance to get extra cash and not stress as much over the semester.
That being said, winter break jobs cover a broad range of interests and fields. College students should pick the job that best suits their interests.
By the end of winter break, they’ll have more money and some experience to put on their resumes.
