How to Make Your First $500 Freelancing as a College Student (Without Crying, Hopefully)

Let me guess… you’ve realized working a campus job for $9/hour while folding T-shirts at the bookstore might not be the millionaire move you hoped it would be. 

I get you, babe. 

It’s draining, it’s annoying, and you have to deal with people, ugh!

So you decided to check out freelancing instead. Hey, it’s not a six-figure career right off the bat… but, at least you can do it from the safety of your dorm room or your fave cafe and you never have to slap on a forced smile because management says you have to. 

Welcome to freelancing. 

Where you set your own hours, avoid awkward “Do you need help finding anything?” small talk, and—plot twist—can actually make real money from your dorm bed.

Let’s talk about how to snag your first $500, step by step, without selling your soul or becoming that one crypto guy.

Step 1: Figure Out What You Can Sell (Hint: You Don’t Need to Be a Tech Genius)

First of all, you are talented. 

And don’t give me the “But I’m just a student” energy. 

You’ve written 12 essays in one week, survived group projects, and know how to fix the Wi-Fi like a tech god (at least your mum thinks so). You’ve got skills.

Here’s what you can monetize:

You don’t need a degree to start. You need proof that you can do the thing and a little digital charm. I’m not going to pretend it’s easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy. Picking a career/freelance niche doesn’t come easily to everyone. 

You may be great at a host of things, or feel like you kind of suck at what it is that you would really like to do. 

Here’s a more detailed strategy for picking your niche:

• List out LITERALLY everything you’ve ever done. Whether you did well at it or not doesn’t matter. 

1. Face painting at a random carnival.
2. Scrapbooking
3. Arranging all the dramas you’ve ever watched in a spreadsheet: from swoonworthy to bombastic side eye.
4. Booking flights for your dad’s work trips.

• Next, call your friends and family and ask them to tell you what they think you’re good at. Add whatever they say to the list. (Don’t have friends? It’s okay. Skip this step.)

• Upload that list to ChatGPT with a prompt like this: 

“Here’s a list of random tasks I’ve done over a period of time. I’m looking to get into freelancing, but I’m struggling to pick a niche. Please thoroughly scan this list and come up with some freelancing niches that you think I could excel at based on the skills or knowledge required to complete the tasks on the list. 

Also, suggest courses or free certifications I could get to boost my chances of getting hired in any of the freelance niches I would be qualified for. Finally, give me a step-by-step six-month roadmap to becoming a thriving freelancer in each niche.”

*The six-month part is optional. I think it’s a good addition if you really want to take freelancing seriously. It puts you on a timeline so you know what you need to do and when.*

• Run through ChatGPT’s answer. You’ll find some suggestions that require too much work for you. Some will be just… not your cup of tea. Keep crossing off the list until you have at least three solid options that you think you can try.

• Go to Google and type in average salary/minimum salary for freelance niche. For example: “average salary for virtual assistants” or “minimum salary for graphic designer”. 

• The goal of this whole exercise is to make money. So obviously, choose whichever niche will make you the most money from your final three options.

Step 2: Pick Your Playground (aka Freelance Platforms)

Not all platforms are created equal. Let me break down your options like your chill RA who lowkey freelances, too.

Upwork

• Good for: Writing, design, admin, marketing
  
• Pro: Tons of legit jobs
  
• Con: Competitive AF. You’ll be fighting for attention like it’s a Black Friday sale.
  

Fiverr

• Good for: Quick gigs—design, voiceovers, anything you can package
  
• Pro: You set the offerings
  
• Con: Lower pay for your work. Feels like a fast-food menu. “Logo in 24 hours for $10!”
  

Check out my Fiverr Vs Upwork comparison to find out which one is better for you.

Freelancer.com / PeoplePerHour

• Good for: Jack-of-all-trades vibes
  
• Pro: Decent mix of projects
  
• Con: Can be clunky & underpaying unless you filter right
  

Instagram / TikTok / LinkedIn

• Good for: Personal branding, attracting clients
  
• Pro: Free exposure if you post about your work
  
• Con: Takes consistency and effort (but so does a skincare routine and we manage that, right?)
  

Step 3: Create Your Mini Boss Babe Portfolio

You don’t need 50 clients to start freelancing. You just need 3–4 solid samples to show you can walk the talk or talk the walk… whichever.

No clients yet? Fake it:

• Write a mock blog post or caption for a brand you love
  
• Design a logo for your imaginary coffee shop
  
• Edit a video of your dog like it’s a Nike ad

No one is going to ask you if you got paid for the work as long as they see that you did it well.

Free Tools You Can Use:

• Canva (design + mockups)
  
• Notion or Google Docs (organize your work)
  
• Behance or a free Wix/WordPress.com site (for a quick portfolio page)
• Or literally just put your samples in a PDF or Google Drive folder and share it with clients. Start easy.
  

Step 4: The First $500 Roadmap (A.K.A. The Real Stuff)

With the price of eggs these days, $500 might feel like A LOT of money if you have to work for it.

But think of it this way, you don’t have to climb up a large mountain, you can break it down to a bunch of small hills.

Option 1: The “Small Gig Stack”

Instead of looking for one job to pay you $500 at once, look for smaller gigs that will add up. 

• 10 gigs at $50 or 5 gigs at $100 = $500
  

So instead of looking for a Social Media Assistant Job on Upwork, you could sell $50 social media caption packages on Fiverr

Instead of selling a $250 graphic design package on Upwork, you could sell simple $25 logo designs on Fiverr.

Get it?

Option 2: The “Big Win”

You could build up your portfolio with sample jobs and offer free gigs on campus to gain some ground, then go for the big win immediately.

• 1 dope project at $500
  

Try: A $500 full website landing page revamp job on Upwork. Or a $500 brand package design on Freelancer.com.

Don’t think people won’t give you a bigger gig immediately just because you don’t have 15 years of experience. Freelancing is a chill atmosphere. If your portfolio is impressive, clients are willing to work with you.

Option 3: The Hybrid Hustle

There’s no reason to stick to one strategy. Platforms like Upwork allow you to offer multiple projects at once. 

You could also set up accounts on different platforms and offer your services in varying packages across them all!

• 2 gigs @ $150 + 4 gigs @ $50 = $500
  

Try: Logo + brand guide for $150, plus mini tasks like blog posts or editing reels for $50.

Tip: Start with lower prices to build reviews. Once you’ve got receipts, raise your rates. Per-hour jobs are also an option on almost all platforms.

Step 5: Actually Get the Gigs (No Begging Required)

How to stand out:

• Send a personalized message in job proposals (No “Dear Sir/Madam” energy)
  
• Mention their business/brand by name
  
• Include your samples and offer a quick-fix idea
  

“Hey! I noticed your product descriptions could use a little SEO sparkle. I can write a few that actually convert. Check out this sample I made just for you.”

What clients want to hear:

• You understand their goals
• You can deliver fast
• You’re easy to work with
• You’re not gonna ghost them like their ex

Bonus Tips to Slay the Game

• Time-block your side hustle: Don’t sacrifice your GPA for gigs.
  
• Ask for reviews after every job: Social proof sells.
  
• Track your earnings: When you hit that first $100, $250, $500, celebrate it like it’s your birthday.
  
• Post your wins on socials: “Just made my first $200 freelancing as a student!” ← This will bring in more gigs than you think.
  

You Can 100% Do This

Freelancing is the ultimate side hustle for college students. Flexible hours, pajama dress code, and money that doesn’t require you to say “Would you like to sign up for our rewards program?”

You’ve got the skills, the internet, and the I’m broke but ambitious energy. Now all you need is to start.

So go make that first $500. I’ll be here, hyping you up and sending virtual iced lattes.

Wishing you peace and funds,

Dee