The starving college student is more than just a stereotype; many students have little time for work and must rely on student loans and whatever they can earn from part-time, minimum wage employment while they’re in school. However, the summer months may free you up to take on more work and potentially look for more lucrative employment opportunities. Here are just a few summer jobs that could help you net some extra cash for college.

  1. Food Service

Whether you’re a barista, a bartender, a waiter, or you work for a catering service; this is one of the best industries around when it comes to employing college students, for several reasons.

First, most food service places will hire employees with no experience, which is fairly typical for young adults in college. Second, many food service positions offer flexible hours. This might not matter during the summer months when you’re out of class, but if you plan to keep your job when you go back to school, having the flexibility to get shifts that work with your school schedule is a bonus. Finally, many food service jobs, while offering only minimum wage, allow for tipping, which means you could earn some extra cash.

All in all, there are few industries more complimentary to the college lifestyle than food service.

  1. On-campus Jobs

If you’re planning to take summer courses anyway, why not make life easy by keeping your summer job on campus, as well? There might not be as much interest in positions like campus tutors, but you could probably still snag a job at the library, the cafeteria, the bookstore, or other campus locations that remain open throughout the year.

  1. Receptionist

This entry-level position generally requires little or no previous experience, which makes it ideal for many college students. Unfortunately, most offices in need of a receptionist are open during standard, daytime business hours, which could interfere with a schedule of classes.

During the summer, however, you won’t have the same restraints, and once you’ve been trained, a business may be willing to work out a morning or afternoon schedule that allows you to continue working even when school starts up again in the fall.

  1. Nanny

If you babysit when school is in session as a way to earn extra cash, it’s no stretch to think about nannying during the summer months when you’ll have nothing but time on your hands.

With kids out of school, plenty of parents are seeking daytime care for their children and you may even be able to work out some kind of arrangement with families you already sit for on evenings or weekends during the school year. If you don’t have such opportunities, you may apply with any number of nanny agencies that operate in your area or nationally to pair you with a suitable family in search of your services.

  1. Paid Internship

An ideal situation would be to get a paid internship for the summer in the field you’d like to enter upon graduation. This could not only give you valuable insight into your intended career, but you’ll also make connections in the process. In addition, you might end up with a job offer following graduation, or even ongoing employment while you’re still in school.

Whether you’re enrolled in a Case Western Online program or you’re taking classes on campus, take the time to find out about paid summer internship opportunities offered through your college or available in your area.