6 Simple Side Hustle Ideas for Computer Science Students

Have some spare time as a computer science student and think of putting your newly-learned skills to good use? Why not start a side hustle, get experience, and make money as a computer science student? With these awesome ideas for a side hustles for computer science students, you can boost your career and get a chance to kickstart a real gig.

Why start a side hustle in college?

College is for learning and having fun. Starting a side project may assist with both, as well as help you grow as a professional, and set you up for success later in life. Also, while earning some extra cash might certainly sound like an  obvious and attractive advantage, there are more reasons to start a side hustle as a computer science student:

• Grow a business – some side hustles that start in college grow to be successful businesses after graduation. While not every project might end up being a profitable startup, you should not disregard a prospect of real potential in your work.
• Gain experience – experience early in your career is even more important that earning some extra money. Starting a side gig is a perfect way to put your newly learned skills to use, take on some real responsibilities, and develop your work ethic.
• Make connections – starting to take on real work means interacting with new people, especially if you are planning to take advantage of your school’s resources and get your classmates involved. Some of these acquaintances will eventually go on to become successful managers and entrepreneurs in tech industry, so meeting new people could be incredibly useful for you in your future career.
• Have fun – you have selected to study computer science yourself, which means this is something you are interested in. Starting a side project with an idea you came up by yourself is going to feel fun and rewarding, which you should cherish among piles of homework that often feels burdensome.

Side hustle ideas for computer science students

1. Join your school’s incubator

Many universities have their own innovation centers, startup incubators, and business accelerators, in which students can kickstart their own project. Such centers usually provide lectures and trainings for young innovators to help them grow their business. You also get to meet other young entrepreneurs and make connections that could prove incredibly valuable in your future. Incubators typically have competitions and fundraising events, which result in the possibility of earning real financial contributions for your project, which could be the catalyst for bringing your idea to fruition. Overall, this is something that has incredible value to you as a college student and could be helpful for your career in many ways. All you need is an idea to pitch and perhaps a couple of interested minds.

2. Build an app

If you have time on your hands and want to spin a side project as a computer science student, building a mobile app could be a good use of your time. A mobile app is something you could develop and test on your own, share with your friends and classmates, or even upload to app store for public use. All you need is an idea, mobile developer skills, and a few extra hours a day to put your head to work. You could make something that could help you in your life as a student (finances app, to-do list, task reminder, scheduler) or something that matches your hobbies/interests (mobile game, dance partner finder, fitness buddy match-maker, movie suggestions app, etc.). If you put enough effort to make the app attractive, useful, and relevant, you could make some money off it by charging for downloads, publishing ads, or offering a premium subscription. Such a project would also look great on your coding portfolio.

3. Content platform/blog

You must be learning a lot of new and helpful educational materials in school, so why not share your knowledge? You could post educational content through blog posts explaining life as a computer science student, educate people on CS concepts, or help others benefit from your internship experiences. A blog is a relatively easy thing so set up and get going. However, it takes a while to publish enough content to get traffic flowing. If you are consistent with your writing and on-point with your strategy, you could start seeing decent results in months. You could even get some real income from your website and become an expert in your chosen niche. Such project could turn out to be a lifelong money-maker and help you diversify your income. Some bloggers successfully make thousands of dollars monthly after just a few years of going online.

4. YouTube channel

In a similar fashion to a blog, you could open a YouTube channel and post videos about your college and career journey. YouTubers makes real money by uploading regular videos in their niche, and you could be one of them. All you need is a decent camera, a microphone, content ideas, and some editing skills. There are many courses that teach young YouTubers how to get their channel going. Getting your content watched is also great for building a personal brand.

5. Join Tasker

This opportunity is for graduate computer science students who already have some real skills behind their belt. Tasker is a task-matching platform, which lets you complete one gig at a time for a real payment. It doesn’t require you to upload a CV or have work experience. You just need to indicate your skills and the number of hours you are able to work on a task in a week. Work on your own terms, at your own pace, and get paid once your task is submitted, reviewed, and accepted.

6. Freelance

If you have already completed a few courses and are confident in your abilities to design a website or an app, you could start putting your skills to work and getting things done for a payment. You could offer your abilities on freelancing websites such as Freelancer, Upwork, and Fiverr and start earning money. Perhaps even more importantly, this could help you put actual work experience on your resume for internships and later for full-time job applications and let you feel more confident in your programming abilities.

What do you need to start a side hustle?

Programming is a unique field, in which the resources needed to start a side hustle for computer science students are very minimal. All you need for a successful start of a spin-off project is an entrepreneurial mind, good organization skills to make time and balance studies, peers with like minds (optional), patience and persistence. You usually won’t need any capital to start a side project, at least in the beginning.

How to approach starting a side hustle?

Starting a side project may feel confusing and overwhelming if you don’t have a plan in place. Use these steps to set yourself up for a successful start:

• Begin by figuring out your schedule and finding how many hours each day you are able to dedicate to your project or job. You should never sacrifice class attendance, homework assignments, or exam preparation in favor of your side project.
• Research the things you may need to start a side hustle, such as a laptop, specific programming stacks or skills, application forms, or equipment. Spend some time to prepare everything you need.
• Set your expectations and a schedule for consistency. It is very likely that at some point you may feel overwhelmed or unmotivated throughout the journey, so it’s important to have a plan in motion for times when things seem stagnant in order to keep going and persevere through occasional boring and time-consuming tasks.
• Optimize for learning and having fun. You are starting your project because you want to, not because you have to. So do your best to keep your project interesting and unburdening. You have plenty of things on your shoulders already.

Other ways to generate income as a college student

If you want to gain work experience, sharpen your soft skills, and earn some money, you don’t necessarily have to build it by yourself from ground up. If you want a little more familiarity, structure, and guaranteed income, you may want to consider taking on one or more of the following:

• On-campus jobs – this is a standard way of earning some money to pay for your education or living expenses as a college student. Provided with few options, you are likely to get a job interacting with other students while earning a regular paycheck.
• Internships – don’t waste your summers. Internships are the best opportunity to get professional programming experience to put on your resume. In most cases, you would also be offered a decent salary for your internship, which you could use to cover your tuition or other expenses.
• Tutoring – got a good grade in some of your courses? Help out others who are struggling with their classes. You could find tutoring jobs through your university or apply to work as a TA for your favorite courses.

There are many ways to gain experience and earn money by putting your programming skills to use, even as a student. We have provided you with several ideas of how to approach a new project with a possibility of having a profitable income. Working on a side hustle is a great way to not only sharpen your coding skills, but also fill your resume with relevant job experience that could help you get your first full-time job after graduation. We recommend getting job experience early on, either in a form of a side hustle, personal project, or internships in order to have a sharp-looking CV by the time you are finishing school. Start thinking of an idea for your next project and get coding! Who knows, maybe your next idea could be your a resounding success!