Summer break is just around the corner, and getting a summer job is a great way to make the most of the season. You can use your free time to learn new skills and make money, which, if you are a student, you will need to pay for school.
If you’re looking for a summer job that allows you to work from anywhere, online side hustles are the way to go! Imagine making money while lounging on the beach or exploring new cities. With remote jobs like affiliate marketing and social media management, you can do just that.
However, there are also tried-and-true summer jobs that are perfect for networking and testing out companies that you might want to work for in the future. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best summer jobs that pay well and are sure to keep you entertained.
Your future self will thank you for making the most of your summer break.
1. Landscaper and Gardener
Landscaping is a good way for almost any young person or outdoor fan to make money during the summer. Your job is to keep the outside of someone’s home or office looking nice by mowing lawns, watering plants, and trimming trees.
Depending on the client, you might have to put in decks, walkways, and lighting systems to make the area look better if this is something you know how to do.
According to Indeed, landscapers make $18 an hour on average but can make up to $25.
2. Camp Counselor
This classic summer job is easy to do if you like kids and pays well. A camp counselor’s main job is to ensure campers have fun in a safe and healthy environment. Planning and running camp activities and programs like talent shows and making keychains would be up to you.
Some camps run on weekdays, while others require overnight work for a few weeks at a time. The good thing about this job is that it’s easy to find work during the summer when most people go camping.
Expect to make $16-$24 per hour.
3. Swimming Teacher
Swim instructors teach kids and adults how to swim, and their jobs are in demand in the summer. If you’re an experienced swimmer, this could be the perfect way to spend your summer.
You don’t have to work for an agency or get hired by a business. By giving private swimming lessons, you can find clients on your own and set your own schedule.
You can make $26 an hour or as much as $52 an hour.
4. Proofreader
If you have an eye for detail and are good at finding mistakes in writing, you could make money by proofreading and editing other people’s articles, essays, stories, and almost any other type of writing.
Your earnings as a proofreader depend on how much work you do and whether you are paid by word or by the hour. For example, the average hourly wage is $22.50, or you can make 3-4 cents per word (about $13-18 per page).
5. Babysitter
If you want to make more than average money this summer, consider babysitting. As a babysitter, your job is to take care of kids when their parents aren’t home or available. You may also need to help the child with chores and make sure they have fun in a safe place.
The pay varies depending on the age and number of children, additional duties, and schedule. The average is about $22 an hour.
6. Petsitter or Dog Walker
Instead of taking care of children, take care of pets. While the pet’s owner is away, you would feed it, make sure it gets enough exercise, keep it company, and clean up after it.
Dog walking is a good summer job that doesn’t require experience to do it well – you just need to like dogs and being outside. You can find these gigs on your own or use apps like Rover or Wag.
If you have steady work, enough happy clients, and do the job well, you can earn $15-25 an hour. Offering pet daycare or boarding them overnight can increase this rate, and walking multiple dogs at once will earn you a lot more.
7. Customer Service
Customer service roles are available in virtually every industry, so you have lots of choices about where you’d like to work—from retail and hospitality to healthcare, finance, and technology. Plus, according to the remote job experts at Flexjobs, it’s the entry-level remote job with the most vacancies in 2024, so getting hired shouldn’t be an issue.
If you are good at talking to customers and helping them solve problems, it can be a rewarding way to spend your summer.
This job pays an average of $18.50 per hour, with $33 on the high end of the pay scale.
8. Virtual Assistant
Many small business owners are looking for virtual assistants to help them with simple tasks like answering emails, managing schedules, and making appointments. One benefit of this job is that it’s remote. No more needing to leave the comfort of your home and ride the bus every day to get to work, as long as you have a good laptop and reliable access to the internet.
As a virtual assistant, you can make anywhere from $15 to $40 per hour.
9. Golf Course Attendant or Caddy
Serious golfers will give big tips to attendants and caddies that provide exceptional service and help them improve their game. A caddy who can offer expert advice on the course, read the greens accurately, and provide moral support throughout the game can earn a significant tip from a satisfied golfer.
Similarly, attendants who keep the course in excellent condition, provide quick and efficient service and anticipate the golfer’s needs are often rewarded with generous tips, which could be anywhere from $12 to $50. Attendants also make $15-$23 an hour.
10. Freelance Writer
Freelance writers work from home and earn money by writing about fashion, technology, business, money, marketing, or anything else for their clients. If you can write interesting articles, essays, website content, and even social media posts, you can make money as a freelance writer.
Joining a freelance platform like Fiverr or Upwork can make finding jobs easier. These platforms allow you to find high-paying clients to work for easily, and you can grow your clientele from there.
The wage varies and depends on how quickly you can research and write, but the average is $26 an hour. Some jobs will pay a flat rate (such as $100 an article) or pay by the word (starting at 5 cents for beginners and $1.50 for advanced writers).
11. Social Media Manager
If you spend a lot of time on social media and like to talk to people and read content there, you are likely qualified for social media management jobs. As a social media manager, you help a business create interesting content and engage with potential customers on sites like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. This job is usually done online, but office social media jobs also exist.
This job pays between $13 and $34 per hour; if you work for more than one place, you can make a lot more.
12. Construction Workers
Summer is also known as construction season. These seasonal jobs can pay really well, especially for skilled tradespeople, but it’s not always easy work. They often involve physically demanding tasks and working outdoors in varying weather conditions.
However, with roles in labor, carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, and demolition, you can choose which areas you want to apply your skills and expertise to.
Entry-level construction workers make about $25 an hour but can earn up to $36.50, according to ZipRecruiter.
13. Resort Staff
Positions at resorts, hotels, and tourist destinations, such as concierge, front desk attendant, housekeeper, or server, often offer hourly wages (plus tips) that can add up to a substantial income during peak tourist seasons.
Since hotels and resorts operate 24/7, there is a lot of flexibility in the hours you want to work. You could work full-time or part-time, during the day or the night shift.
Your wage will depend on your job title and specific duties, with an average of $15-$17 an hour, but tips can really boost your earnings.
14. Sell On Amazon
Amazon FBA (which stands for Fulfillment By Amazon) gives business-minded people an online store where they can advertise and sell their products, and Amazon is in charge of shipping and packaging the items for the buyers. This means that you can sell physical goods without having to have a store. They will even help you deal with customer service.
Once you know how this business works inside and out, you can continue working on it on the side when you’re back in class.
How much you make depends on how much you sell, so choose an in-demand product and price it strategically. The average income is about $21 an hour.
15. Event Staff
Large events such as music festivals, sporting events, and conventions often hire temporary staff for roles such as setting up, security, ticket sales, concessions, and crowd management. These positions can offer hourly wages or daily rates equal to $19 an hour on average.
The real perk here, though, is that you get to experience the event firsthand and may even get to meet the performers and celebrities. How cool would that be?
Quick Tips to Find a Summer Job
Before you look, think about what kind of job would be best for you. Do you want a job that helps you become more creative and gives you skills to boost your resume? Or do you want a job that won’t keep you too busy so you still have time to hit the beach or hang out by the pool? Once you know what kind of summer job you want, you can start to narrow it down.
If you are a student, swing by your campus career services department for help with your resume or to see who’s advertising vacancies. A lot of summer student jobs start recruiting in the spring, so starting your search early will work to your advantage.
Get an Easy Job
Why stress this summer when you can work an easy job to make money? Something that’s low-stress, fun, and straightforward to do. It’s not too good to be true; you just need to have the right skills and know where to look.
Get a Fun Job
If you are going to spend your summer working, have some fun with it! Whether you’re interested in fashion, food, or something else entirely, there are dozens of fun jobs you could do this summer, and they also pay well.
Amanda Kay, the founder of My Life, I Guess, provides valuable career advice and support for anyone striving to make a living and, more importantly, make a life. Whether it's navigating job searches, learning new skills, overcoming unemployment, or dealing with debt, My Life, I Guess has been a go-to resource for career guidance and financial stability since 2013. Amanda's expertise and relatable approach have been featured in trusted publications such as MSN, Credit.com, Yahoo! Finance, the Ladders and Fairygodboss.