30 Best Jobs for 18 Year Old College Students

Published on June 8, 2021 at 8:24 am by Fatima Farooq in Lists, News

In this article we will take a look at the 30 best jobs for 18 year old college students. You can skip our detailed analysis of these student-friendly occupations, and go directly to the 5 Best Jobs for 18 Year Old College Students.

Your typical college student will always be on the lookout for the best job for them: something that pays well and seems fulfilling and easy to manage with their academic duties. Last year from April to July, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reportedly stated that the number of employed youth of 16 to 24 years of age increased by 4.4 million to 17.5 million. The unemployment rate for youth in July 2020 stood at 18.5%, down from 26.9% in April. Furthermore, just last month, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics released a report on the employment situation in the US, which revealed that by May 2021, the unemployment rate of teenagers in the country had fallen by 9.6%.

However, remember that we are looking at the labor market in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. While April to July of last year showcased a marked improvement in youth employability, employment had fallen sharply in March and the beginning of April before the improvement came about. Despite this said improvement in the later months, the share of the population aged 16 to 24 years old in July was much lower than it had been in February.

Yet, the situation is getting better. The job market seems to be improving, as witnessed by the 2021 statistics published by the US Bureau of Labor statistics report mentioned above. For anyone in the labor market, the only way to succeed is to acquire a certain level of highly marketable skills and learn to utilize them for profit. Student workers are typically struggling the most with getting employment. Of course, not every student can get a job in companies like Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) or Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL). However, one shouldn’t limit themselves to Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) or Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) in the first place. There are many places a college student can work. Baristas at Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX), cashiers at Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT), and tutors for your local neighborhood kids are mostly average college students working and earning pretty well without having a job at either Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) or Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL)

The world is not how it used to be before the coronavirus pandemic broke out. If there’s anything the virus has taught us, it’s that the virtual world is now the new normal; it is today’s reality for any college student looking to earn while studying, having a good grip over the online job market and the virtual sphere will become their saving grace. COVID-19 has already introduced social distancing and work-from-home policies across the world. However, even in the absence of that, online jobs have always been convenient and popular, especially for students.

In light of all the above, and the instance that you are a college student who happened to stumble across this webpage while job-hunting, we have compiled a list of the 30 best jobs for 18 year old college students. The list has been compiled based on data from PayScale and GlassDoor, and the jobs mentioned have been ranked based on their hourly rate.

Photo by Adam Winger on Unsplash

With this context and industry outlook in mind, let’s start our list of the 30 best jobs for 18 year old college students.

Best Jobs for 18 Year Old College Students

30. Bartender

Hourly Rate/Salary: $7.69

Sure the actual pay isn’t a lot, but if you include tips, you’ll realize that working as a bartender will earn you quite a nice sum of money. The position doesn’t require a lot of experience either, and as a college student, what would be better than working in a club or a bar where you can also relax alongside working?

29. Busser

Hourly Rate/Salary: $8.33

If you know how to clean tables, you’re in. Working as a busser is one of the easiest jobs to get and work, and so it’s included on our list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students. This position is perfect for those who don’t like working under pressure or having too many responsibilities.

28. Movie Theatre Usher

Hourly Rate/Salary: $8.35

This job is pretty simple and has some good perks attached to it. Most cinemas let their employees watch movies for free, or if not for free, they definitely offer discounts on the tickets. It’s also a pretty low-maintenance job that gets you enough money, so it’s one of the best jobs for 18 year old college students.

27. Cashier

Hourly Rate/Salary: $9.06

One of the more typical part-time jobs for college students, the cashier is ranked 27th on the list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students because of how easy it is to secure and perform and the minimum workload. Next time you’re at your local Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) franchise, maybe considering applying for a job there. Even if you don’t go straight for a job at Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT), you can find any solid cashier position at most stores. It pays well enough to be considered a good way to earn on the side.

26. Camp Counselor

Hourly Rate/Salary: $9.09

Ranked 26th on the list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students, working as a camp counselor is the perfect choice for those who prefer being outdoors and working with children. All you need is to know camping and survival skills.

25. Social Media Assistant

Hourly Rate/Salary: $10+

For a generation that grew up with the internet and social media, this job won’t seem like work at all. If you’re looking for a job requiring minimum experience and effort, becoming a social media assistant should top your list. In this position, you would help manage a company’s social media platforms, like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Your job is to engage with their online audience and address any concerns. This job is ranked 25th on the list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students. Almost every company, including the big ones like Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX), Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL), have social media outlets and customer service teams operating them.

24. General Office Clerk

Hourly Rate/Salary: $10.70

Now, this position doesn’t seem all that exciting or fun, but it’s certainly one of the best options for students looking to earn. Ranked 24th on the best jobs for 18 year old college students, working as a general office clerk is sure to give you more insight into what office life is all about and teach you some useful skills for the future.

23. Tax Preparer

Hourly Rate/Salary: $10.70

Ranked 23rd on the list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students, working as a tax preparer can be slightly daunting but incredibly helpful if you want to go into business upon graduation. The work involves supporting accountants while they keep an eye on their clients’ finances, and so it involves having good organizational skills and a handle over excel spreadsheets.

22. Bank Teller

Hourly Rate/Salary: $10.80

If you’ve ever seen a post on social media where your average college student is ranting about not having any idea about finances and taxes and how to get around them, then this job will be sure to be useful for you. Working as a bank teller is ranked 22nd on our list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students and is extremely helpful for learning how to handle your finances, and so can serve as a fruitful learning experience for any student.

21. Orderly

Hourly Rate/Salary: $10.80

If you’re a medical student, or even if you’re just interested in the world of medicine, working as an orderly is the right choice for you. This position is ranked 21st on our list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students and is excellent for those seeking more insight into the medical field. This position involves the option of working night shifts, making it perfect for a student who is probably going to be swamped with classes during the day.

20. Zookeeper

Hourly Rate/Salary: $12

Much like working as an animal caretaker, being a zookeeper involves – you guessed it – working with animals. The work is more or less the same, involving feeding, caretaking, and maintaining their places of habitation. The job requires no experience and is considered excellent for those with love for animals, so it is ranked 20th on the list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students.

19. Bookkeeper

Hourly Rate/Salary: $12.70

Ranked 19th on the list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students, working as a bookkeeper is yet another position making use of an individual’s affinity for mathematics. This job involves helping business keep their finances in order, much like a bank teller or a tax preparer.

18. Customer Service Representative

Hourly Rate/Salary: $13

Another popular position for those looking to earn but have no experience, customer service representative role is ranked 18th on the list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students. Depending on where you work, your work may include handling orders, providing assistance, and resolving any issues faced with your company’s customers. CSRs are in great demand in small and big companies like Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX), Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL).

17. Lifeguard

Hourly Rate/Salary: $14

Yet another cliché from the movies, working as a lifeguard is actually pretty convenient and popular for teens looking to earn easy money. It also happens to be a job where you can combine work with pleasure if you’re into swimming and like being near water. Working as a lifeguard is ranked 17th on the list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students. You only need to be a good swimmer, and you’ll be able to earn money while spending time at the pool.

16. Dental Receptionist

Hourly Rate/Salary: $14.10

Those on the lookout for good part-time jobs while they study, working as a dental receptionist should definitely be something they consider. The position is ranked 16th on our list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students and is the ideal job for those who need to make some extra cash alongside their degree.

15. Animal Caretaker

Hourly Rate/Salary: $9 – $15

For animal lovers, this job would be blissful. Ranked 15th on the list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students, the position of an animal caretaker entails helping with animals in various situations. This includes pet stores, shelters, and kennels, among other settings. Major duties would include bathing, feeding, walking, and simply caring for the animals involved.

14. Delivery Person

Hourly Rate/Salary: $7 – $15

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Delivery people are responsible for picking up and delivering all manner of packages, such as mail and food. The mode of transport can be anything ranging from a car or a bike to even on foot. This job is ranked 14th on the list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students. As companies like Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX), Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) move to digital commerce, the demand for delivery persons is soaring in the US.

13. Pet Sitter

Hourly Rate: $15

Working as a pet sitter, while being similar in principle to working as a pet caretaker or a zookeeper, is different in the sense that it involves taking care of pets around you, for maybe a relative or a friend. In that sense, it’s more like babysitting since you’re working not for a shelter, kennel, or zoo, but providing a service on your own to another individual. This position is ranked 13th on the list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students.

12. Data Entry Clerk

Hourly Rate: $16

Working as a data entry clerk requires a degree of experience. Still, for a college student who uses their computer almost daily, the skills needed for the job would already be developed. You would need to be familiar with touch typing, and accuracy to qualify for this position, ranked 12th on our list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students.

11. Restaurant Host

Hourly Rate: $8 – $17

Restaurant hosts help the staff manage their workloads and serving orders, alongside greeting customers and taking care of any needs. Ranked 11th on the list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students, the position of a restaurant host is somewhat popular because of the ease of the work. Even though there is a scarcity of such jobs in the current environment amid the coronavirus crisis, the economic rebound expected in the coming months — as companies like Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX), Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) reopen their physical locations — will increase demand of restaurant hosts.

10. Babysitter

Hourly Rate: $9 – $17

The most typical job you’ll find on this list, working as a babysitter, is ranked 10th on the list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students. Whenever a parent needs to leave their children, they would not want to do so without having a responsible person caring for them. That’s where babysitters come in to care for the children in the parents’ absence. This job typically involves simply spending time with the children, making sure to feed them and put them to bed.

9. Packer

Hourly Rate: $18

Another job that’s not exactly glamorous. However, working as a packer is still something that can earn you a decent amount of cash. The setting for a job like this is typically in a warehouse, where you will most likely be preparing products for packaging and shipment. It doesn’t take too long to get used to this position, and so the job is ranked 9th on our list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students.

8. Sports Coach

Hourly Rate: $19

Now this job might tempt more people. Like working as a lifeguard, working as a sports coach also brings work together with fun. You don’t need experience for this position, to be exact. Rather you need to be well-versed in the sport you will be coaching, even if you’re not the best player yourself.

7. Barista

Hourly Rate: $7 – $19

If you like frequenting the local Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) franchise, you might want to consider working as a barista yourself. The setting will be familiar to almost everyone and easy to adapt to. The position of a barista is ranked 7th on the list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students and includes making various beverages, especially coffee. Instead of a place like Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX), you can always choose to work at another coffee or tea shop or even a store or bar that serves coffee.

6. Driver

Hourly Rate: $10 – $26

This position includes delivery, being a personal driver for individuals, or working for companies providing taxi services like Uber. Working as a driver is ranked 6th on the list of the best jobs for 18 year old college students.

Click to continue reading and see the 5 Best Jobs for 18 Year Old College Students.