While attending school, working can provide income, valuable work experience, and important connections to one’s network. Getting a job on campus can help you balance school and work because these positions typically offer more adaptable work schedules, include supervisors and coworkers who are aware of your priorities for studying and exams, and are closer to home if you live in a dorm or apartment on campus. In this article, we look at some of the best jobs on campus and offer some advice on how to get one.
Working on campus is a great way to meet new people, is flexible, and convenient. Explore career options, build your resume, and develop skills that are career-ready as you gain experience. Student employment positions are on-campus, paid positions intended for current UW students.
On-campus student employment roles are limited to a maximum of 19.5 hours per week during the academic year per UW policy, with the option to work additional hours during breaks. Find out more about the official UW policy regarding student employment. There are numerous departments, schools, colleges, and buildings on campus where students can find work.
During the semester, are you thinking about working on campus? As a student worker, did you know that there are remote jobs as well? Working on campus is a great way to make money while you’re in school and learn professional skills that will help you find work in the future.
According to a national survey of HR directors, 89% believed that college work experience was just as important as grades when hiring students! If you’re interested in this, read on for more information about campus employment.
20 best campus jobs for students
While the following salaries represent the national average for each position, your school, the office you work for, the hours you work, and previous experience may all affect your pay rate and benefits. Some positions might even be eligible for work-study, a federal student employment program in which you work at a campus job in exchange for paying your tuition and fees each semester. Instead of a regular salary, you might get a scholarship or stipend for other positions.
Here are the top 20 jobs on campus that you can apply for:
1. Usher
National Average Salary: $9.87 per hour
For a variety of live performances, including theater, sports, and concerts, an usher welcomes and directs attendees to their seats. These college workers might be ushers at a stadium or gymnasium that hosts student sporting events, concerts, and comedy shows, or at a campus theater that hosts live performances like plays, concerts, and plays. After events, ushers may also be responsible for cleaning the theater or stadium and getting the stadium ready for them.
2. Student ambassador
National Average Salary: $10.84 per hour
At various events, a student ambassador represents their school or organization to prospective students, campus staff, and visitors. They might also be in charge of planning, executing, and managing events. They might also be in charge of recruiting peers and representing students in meetings with university administration and staff. This student worker usually works for a club or organization, the admissions office, or the alumni relations department.
3. Barista
National Average Salary: $11.53 per hour
A professional in foodservice and customer service who makes juice, coffee, and tea drinks for customers is known as a barista. They run the cash register, prepare drinks and food, take orders from customers, recommend products, and clean the prep and dining areas. These student employees might work in a cafe, restaurant, or coffee shop on campus that serves other students, campus staff, and visitors.
4. Lifeguard
National Average Salary: $11.82 per hour
A lifeguard keeps an eye on guests in the swimming pool areas to make sure swimmers follow the rules for things like running, diving, and jumping. They are prepared and trained to save any guest who might be in danger. This includes performing CPR, preventing drowning, and providing first aid for minor injuries. A lifeguard may also teach swimming lessons and teach water safety in some roles. These student workers typically work in the gym or swimming pool of a school.
5. Resident assistant
National Average Salary: $12.03 per hour
A student worker who lives in a dormitory and oversees a group of on-campus students is known as a resident assistant. They enforce school and dorm rules, organize fun events for their group, offer students emotional support and advice on how to succeed in college. These student workers typically have completed their first year of college and have lived on campus for at least one semester.
6. Teaching assistant
National Average Salary: $12.06 per hour
A teaching assistant assists lecturers and professors with lesson preparation, equipment setup, and student attendance monitoring. The student teaching assistant is prepared to answer questions from students in class, lead breakout sessions with small groups, and grade homework, papers, exams, and projects because many teaching assistant positions require the student to perform exceptionally well in the subject the lecturer or professor teaches.
7. Research assistant
National Average Salary: $12.25 per hour
A student research assistant assists a professor or doctoral fellow with their research project by organizing documents and reports, proofreading study drafts, collecting and analyzing samples, cataloging samples, and assisting in any other way that is required. In most cases, these student workers need to be knowledgeable about the field or subject the professor or fellow is researching in order to provide support that is both relevant and effective.
8. Social media assistant or intern
National Average Salary: $12.52 per hour
A social media assistant or social media intern may be in charge of writing social media copy, planning and executing social media campaigns, reviewing analytics, interacting with online audiences, and moderating comments in a college or university setting. On campus, you can work as a social media assistant or intern for a variety of departments, including admissions, student sports teams, academic colleges and departments, student organizations, alumni relations, and student entertainment and events.
9. IT assistant
National Average Salary: $27,539 per year
At the university, computer networks or digital technology may be installed, updated, troubles hooted, and maintained by an IT assistant. They might respond to IT tickets from all over the campus, fixing laptops, tablets, and smartphones. These student workers can put what they’ve learned in their computer engineering, programming, and information systems classes to use in a real-world setting under the direction of more senior IT professionals like IT help desk associates and IT specialists.
10. Library assistant
National Average Salary: $13.79 per hour
A library assistant assists librarians in cataloging books, periodicals, research publications, and other resources, as well as in providing students and faculty with resources. This student worker may, in certain capacities, work at the circulation desk, retrieving returned materials and checking out books and other resources for customers.
11. Student production assistant
National Average Salary: $13.94 per hour
An on-campus event, such as a student performance, dance, concert, or other live performance, is set up, managed, and cleaned up in this student position. Operating sound and lighting equipment typically necessitates technical and lighting experience for these positions. This position can be utilized by admissions, alumni relations, the office of student engagement services, student organizations, or other departments.
12. Catering server
National Average Salary: $14.24 per hour
Setting up catering, keeping the food fresh, serving guests portions, taking drink and meal orders, bringing food to tables, and bussing tables are all responsibilities of this foodservice position. A catering server position can be filled at any of the university’s events or even in the dining halls. They typically work for the foodservice vendor.
13. Administrative assistant
National Average Salary: $15.56 per hour
An administrative assistant manages the front desk at a college or university, greeting visitors, responding to emails and phone calls, filing paperwork, and carrying out other office administrative support tasks. Senior administrative support staff or office staff and faculty frequently oversee these student employees’ work. There are a lot of options for this student worker position in a college or university because there are so many offices and departments.
14. Mailroom clerk
National Average Salary: $15.63 per hour
A mailroom clerk sorts mail that comes in and out of an office, building, or dorm. This student worker might be in charge of delivering mail and packages to various faculty and staff members on campus, keeping an eye on student package pickups, and collecting mail from various offices and departments in some roles. Dorms, admissions, academic colleges or departments, and administration are some of the most common places to find this campus job.
15. Tour guide
National Average Salary: $17.19 per hour
A campus tour guide takes prospective students and their families on a tour of the campus, explaining each building and location, sharing their perspective on campus life, and responding to questions about opportunities, activities, and programs. These student employees assist the admissions department in emphasizing the school’s best features from a student’s perspective, which helps prospective students familiarize themselves with the institution and get excited about going there.
16. Graduate assistant
National Average Salary: $35,882 per year
A student worker pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree is referred to as a graduate assistant. Their responsibilities can vary depending on the office or department they work in on campus. Some graduate assistants assist professors in teaching classes, conducting research, managing special programs and events, supporting the office, or performing a role specific to their department.
17. Security escort
National Average Salary: $18.96 per hour
In order to foster a secure environment, a student security escort collaborates with the college’s police department to provide additional campus location surveillance and transport students to and from various locations. Additionally, these student workers might be able to assist campus police officers in enforcing safety regulations like proper bicycle etiquette and jaywalking.
18. Fitness instructor
National Average Salary: $22.43 per hour
A fitness instructor may instruct classes in one or more types of guided exercise at the campus gym and fitness center of a college or university. They might instruct yoga, Pilates, cycling, boxing, or Zumba, depending on the student worker’s experience, training, and relevant certification.
19. Tutor
National Average Salary: $24.45 per hour
A student worker who works one-on-one or in small groups with other students to help them understand difficult math, science, or writing concepts is known as a peer tutor. This student worker may choose to work independently or in the tutoring center, academic success office, or library of the school.
20. Editor
National Average Salary: $26.29 per hour
A student editor is responsible for leading a group of staff writers, pitching story ideas, conducting research and interviews, and proofreading articles for the campus newspaper or magazine. In addition, they might plan the layout of the paper or magazine before it is published, organize it, and coordinate printing and delivery.
Tips for finding and getting a campus job
The following are some important steps to take when looking for, applying for, and interviewing for campus jobs:
- Find jobs that develop career-relevant skills
- Check your school’s job board
- Ask fellow students how they got their jobs
- Ask your professors about assistantship opportunities
- Create a professional resume and cover letter
- Keep your grades up
1. Find jobs that develop career-relevant skills
Think about how the job can help you practice soft, hard, or transferable skills that can be used in your future career when choosing jobs.
2. Check your school’s job board
Most likely, your college or university has a career services center that hosts an online job board for posting internships, full-time jobs, and campus and off-campus roles.
3. Ask fellow students how they got their jobs
Discuss how to apply, what to expect at the interview, and where they heard about the position with your friends, classmates, and neighbors in your dorm.
4. Ask your professors about assistantship opportunities
Talk to your professors about possible roles as teaching assistants, research assistants, or other support staff members for their work.
5. Create a professional resume and cover letter
Be sure to write a formal resume that includes your education, extracurricular activities, student organizations, and professional and volunteer experience, just like you would for any other job. In your cover letter, briefly explain how your current education and previous work experience can help you succeed in the position.
6. Keep your grades up
Be sure to work hard in school to maintain your grade point average while applying for roles and after you have been hired, as some positions may be contingent on your grades.
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