Business Ideas for Students: Simple Ways to Earn Money

Student entrepreneurship continues to grow rapidly with today's global economy, e-commerce capabilities, and smart devices. Students can gain valuable skills that complement their academic learning by starting a small business. Many options work well as flexible side gigs around study schedules. The opportunities become even more attractive when you look at specific industries. Private tutors can earn $25 to $80 per hour based on their subject, experience, and location. The podcast industry's value reached $18.52 billion in 2022.

Students can choose from simple business ideas to earn extra cash between classes or explore online ventures that could grow into something bigger. We've gathered practical ways to generate income while building valuable entrepreneurial experience. These opportunities need minimal startup costs but offer great earning potential and flexibility - from traditional services like tutoring to digital ventures in health ecommerce.

Key Takeaways

• Start with strengths: match classes/skills to offers (tutoring, VA, design, editing).
• Fast cash, low risk: tutoring ($25–$75/hr), pet care, babysitting—fit around lectures.
• Digital wins: sell templates, study guides, or micro-courses; create once, earn repeatedly.
• Build an audience: niche content + affiliate links = compounding traffic and revenue.
• Operate lean: dropshipping/print-on-demand to test ideas without holding inventory.
• Portfolio > promises: ship 3 sample projects and a simple one-page site this week.
• Timeboxing: 5 hours/week—2 for delivery, 2 for marketing, 1 for improvement.
• Next 30 days: pick one idea, set a $300 goal, land 3 paying clients, then iterate.

Simple business ideas students can start today

Want to make money between classes? Here are five simple business ideas that students can start with little investment but good returns.

Tutoring and academic help

Tutoring is the easiest business a student can start. Private tutors make between $25 and $75 per hour based on their subject expertise. Students love having tutors - 98% say they're happy their schools provide tutoring services.

Starting is easy - just pick subjects you're good at, set up a profile on tutoring platforms, or put up ads on campus. You can teach both in-person and online to reach more students. The best part? You'll strengthen your own knowledge while helping others do better in their studies.

Freelance writing and editing

Students who write well can make good money as freelance writers. You'll find many options - from blog posts and magazine articles to social media content and business landing pages.

You can start by looking for writing jobs on Problogger, Indeed, or All Freelance Writing. Your college writing gigs can help build a strong portfolio that's useful even after graduation. Try different types of writing to see what you like best.

Selling handmade or upcycled goods

Artists and creative students can turn their talents into profit. Handmade items like jewelry, candles, knitted goods, and custom stationery sell well. This lets you be creative and make money at the same time.

Etsy makes it easy to sell handmade items without a physical store. Make sure to price your items right by adding up material costs, work time, and checking what similar items cost. This business helps you grow both artistic and business skills.

Pet sitting and dog walking

Animal lovers should check out the pet care industry, which will grow to $5.10 trillion by 2030. Pet owners treat their animals like family - 97% of US pet owners feel this way. This means there's always work available.

Pet sitters make $45 to $75 per night, while dog walkers earn $15 to $30 per walk. You can start with less than $500. The best part is that you can work around your class schedule.

Babysitting and child care

Babysitting is a tried-and-true way for students to earn money. You can make $10 to $28 per hour, depending on where you live, your experience, and how many kids you watch. Flexible hours work well with class schedules.

Care.com and Sittercity help connect babysitters with families. Getting CPR or first aid certified can help you stand out. Babysitting gives you both money and valuable experience in handling responsibility and managing time.

These business ideas need little money to start, but can give you a good income and experience. Just pick something that matches your skills, interests, and class schedule.

Online business ideas that fit a student's schedule

Students can make money online while studying. These digital ventures fit perfectly with academic life because students can work at any time - early mornings, between classes, or late nights, unlike traditional fixed-hour jobs.

Affiliate marketing and content creation

The affiliate marketing industry continues to grow, and marketers plan to increase their influencer budgets in 2026. You can earn commissions by recommending products through your unique tracking links. Each purchase through your link earns you a percentage of the sale.

You just need a laptop and an internet connection to start. Product promotion works well on your existing social media accounts, blogs, or YouTube channels. You can pick products that match your interests, which makes the promotion feel genuine. Tools like PrettyLinks help turn long affiliate URLs into clean, clickable links that look better and get more clicks.

Dropshipping and print-on-demand

Dropshipping lets you sell products without dealing with inventory or shipping. Statista shows that the fashion segment's revenue will reach USD 759,466 million, and online sales will make up 24% by 2023. Starting costs stay low - you mainly pay for website creation through platforms like Shopify.

Print-on-demand services work great for creative students who want to sell custom-designed items. Platforms like Printful or Redbubble handle printing and shipping after customers place orders. This setup lets you test different designs and markets without financial risk.

Selling digital products like templates or planners

Digital products are great starter options for student entrepreneurs. They cost little to make and teach valuable marketing skills. Popular items include:

• Study guides and academic templates
• Digital planners and journals
• Social media template collections
• E-books and mini-courses

Students already familiar with Canva can create sellable products easily. Etsy, Gumroad, or Sellfy make selling these items simple. Best part? You create once and sell many times, earning passive income while studying.

Virtual assistant services

Virtual assistance fits perfectly around class schedules. You can offer:

Social media management, content creation, administrative support, graphic design, and event assistance. Rates range from $15-50 per hour based on your expertise. This work needs no special equipment and pays right away.

Students gain valuable work experience for their post-graduation resumes. You choose your workload and can adjust it during busy exam periods or breaks.

Creating and selling online courses

Students who excel at specific subjects or skills can package their knowledge into online courses. The e-learning market will reach USD 614.87 billion by 2029, creating plenty of room for student teachers.

Test your course idea with a free mini-course or pre-sell it before spending too much time. Platforms like Thinkific, Teachable, and Gumroad make course creation easy, even without technical skills. Successful student course creators keep their content practical, short, and student-friendly.

Creative and service-based ideas for extra income

Creative students can turn their talents into money-making ventures. Students have many specialized services they can offer beyond regular jobs that pay well and give them great experience.

Photography and videography services

Camera skills can become a great source of income as high-quality visual content grows in popularity. Photography goes beyond just taking pictures - it tells stories and helps express yourself. Students who own decent cameras or even smartphones with good cameras can shoot events, personal branding sessions, or product photos.

Start by taking photos at campus events or your friends' projects to create your portfolio. Once you're ready, you can set your professional rates:

Event photography: $175-250 per hour with post-production work at $75-100 per hour

Professional portrait sessions: $100-150 per person, based on the client

Extra charge for offsite locations: Usually $100

This work helps you develop technical skills and creativity that you can use in many careers.

Event planning and campus activities

Campus events need good planning, but few students know how to coordinate them well. This creates a perfect opening for students who are good at staying organized.

You could start by helping plan small campus gatherings without charge. Later, as your experience grows, you can start charging for your services. This business helps you learn project management and builds valuable connections throughout your university.

Resume and CV review services

Every student needs a resume at some point, but writing a good one isn't easy. Since employers usually spend just 15 seconds looking at each resume, students who write well can help others stand out.

You can help other students showcase their classwork, leadership roles, and volunteer work in a way that catches attention. Writing resumes and cover letters also sharpens your communication skills - something you'll need in any career.

Designing study guides and revision tools

Making and selling study guides is another great way to earn money. You can create focused learning materials that help other students understand tough subjects better.

Your guides should have clear headings, helpful diagrams, and easy-to-read charts. Adding practice questions keeps students engaged. You can sell both digital and printed versions, making sure digital ones work on all devices. Social media and SEO can help you reach more students.

How Bask Health supports student entrepreneurs

Access to telehealth business tools

Bask Health provides a complete software system that works for entrepreneurs at every level—students included. Our platform delivers enterprise-scale features that remain available to everyday users. The drag-and-drop builder lets you create custom telehealth questionnaires that match specific treatment needs. This process works just like setting up an online store.

Our tools go beyond simple features and include:

• White-label telehealth solutions that let you brand the platform as your own
• Patient management interfaces that combine smoothly with analytics and payment reporting
• Integrated pharmacy networks delivering medications nationwide

These resources enable students to build professional telehealth businesses without huge startup costs or technical knowledge.

Learning how to start a telehealth business

Most students lack industry experience, yet starting a telehealth business needs specialized knowledge. Our well-laid-out approach helps entrepreneurs launch within weeks instead of months. Our platform's track record shows over $178 million in healthcare transactions. This proves we know how to support growing businesses effectively.

Students can follow clear steps to create their telehealth business. These steps include choosing your niche, obtaining required certifications, selecting HIPAA-compliant platforms, and establishing effective billing processes. Our resources help student entrepreneurs navigate complex healthcare regulations while they focus on delivering quality care.

Learning about the telehealth business model

Student entrepreneurs find unique advantages in the telehealth business model. Our research shows several revenue approaches that work for different startup situations. These include subscription services with monthly or annual fees, pay-per-visit models like traditional healthcare pricing, and steady income through corporate partnerships.

These models, paired with flexible platform options, create significant cost benefits. Entrepreneurs can cut computing costs by 72% through cloud-based solutions. Our analytics tools help students make smart scaling decisions without compromising care quality.

Opportunities in health ecommerce for students

The healthcare commerce field needed substantial resources to enter until recently. Today's digital world offers available entry points for students. Telehealth visits have grown by 933% since early 2020. This signals massive opportunities. Students can find economical telehealth solutions that fit their budgets. Quality healthcare platforms start at just $29 per month per provider.

Telehealth adoption keeps growing. Student entrepreneurs can pioneer this expanding industry, which experts project will reach $225 billion by 2030.

Choosing the right business idea for your goals

Students need to assess several factors to pick the right business venture. Successful entrepreneurs test their ideas really well before they fully commit.

Assessing your skills and interests

A good self-assessment helps you spot business opportunities that last. You should ask yourself: What skills do I already have? Which activities do I truly enjoy? Could my hobbies turn into profitable ventures? What values drive me the most? Research shows that businesses with a clear purpose not only create lasting effects but also keep you motivated through tough times. At Bask Health, we've seen that students who match their business ventures with their passions bounce back better from setbacks.

Understanding time and cost commitments

New entrepreneurs often underestimate what they'll need. Market validation usually takes three times longer than the original estimate. You should ask:

• How many hours per week can you set aside while studying?
• What startup costs fit your budget without affecting your education?
• Will your business need constant attention or give you flexibility during exams?

Using campus resources and networks

Your college campus offers great support for entrepreneurs that many students miss. Libraries and labs are just the start - you can get mentorship from professors who have industry connections. Universities often run business plan competitions with cash prizes for good ideas, and their incubator programs give guidance and sometimes funding.

Testing your idea before going all in

About 42% of startups fail because no one wants their product. You should verify your concept through small tests before making significant investments. Break complex ideas into parts that assess desirability (do customers like this?), feasibility (can you build it?), and viability (will it make enough money?). What customers actually do matters more than what they say.

Conclusion

Student entrepreneurship has grown way beyond typical part-time jobs. This piece explores business ideas that work with your class schedule and help build real-life skills. More students are starting their own ventures now because these opportunities are both accessible and profitable.

Running a business while studying gives you more than just money. Every idea we talked about helps you develop skills like time management, communication, and problem-solving that add to what you learn in class. On top of that, these ventures help you build your professional network and beef up your resume before you graduate.

The business you pick should match your situation perfectly. First, look at options that fit your skills and what you love doing. Then check how much time each one needs compared to your coursework. A good way to start is to test your idea on a small scale before you grow it.

Here at Bask Health, we know telehealth is an exciting field, especially for those interested in healthcare entrepreneurship. Our platform makes it easy to start a telehealth business with student resources and schedules. Thanks to our drag-and-drop tools, white-label solutions, and well-laid-out approach, you can turn ideas into working businesses in weeks instead of months.

Starting a business as a student has its challenges. Despite that, the potential benefits - both money and experience - make it worth your time. You could pick tutoring, digital products, creative services, or telehealth. These ideas are stepping stones to reach your long-term goals.

Keep it simple at first, keep learning, and use your campus resources. This experience might feel overwhelming at times, but each step makes you stronger and more capable. College years give you the perfect chance to test business ideas. The skills you pick up now will help you long after graduation.

References

1. Peek, S. (2025, September 17). 25 best low-cost business ideas. Business News Daily. https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5767-business-ideas-low-cost.html
2. Shopify. (n.d.). How to start a pet sitting business. Shopify. https://www.shopify.com/blog/how-to-start-a-pet-sitting-business (Retrieved December 2, 2025).
3. Pretty Links. (n.d.). Best affiliate marketing programs for college students. Pretty Links. https://prettylinks.com/blog/best-affiliate-marketing-programs-for-college-students/ (Retrieved December 2, 2025).