1. Tour Guide

Average pay: Around $15–$21 per hour, sometimes more in tourist-heavy cities or options that include tips.

Tourism picks up during the summer, creating opportunities for college students to work as tour guides in their local area, nearby cities, historical sites, on food tours, on bike tours, and at outdoor attractions. Students who enjoy meeting new people and speaking in front of groups may enjoy this type of work.

You can often find tour guide jobs through local tourism boards, museums, city tour companies, or websites like Indeed and CoolWorks.

2. Camp Counselor

Average pay: Usually around $15–$18 per hour, though overnight camps sometimes pay by the week and may include housing and meals.

Camp counselor jobs remain one of the most popular summer jobs for college students. Counselors supervise campers, lead activities, organize games, and help create memorable summer experiences for children.

Many camps across the country hire students for sports, outdoor, STEM, and arts programs. Students can search through American Camp Association Jobs or directly on camp websites.

3. Camp Photographer or Videographer

Average pay: Typically around $15–$25 per hour, depending on experience, equipment, and the camp.

Many summer camps hire students to capture photos and videos for social media, websites, and parent updates throughout the summer. This can be a great opportunity for students interested in photography, communications, marketing, or media production.

You can look for openings through summer camp websites, local recreation programs, or platforms like CampChannel and CoolWorks.

4. Festival or Event Staff

Average pay: Usually around $15–$22 per hour, depending on the event and location.

Summer festivals, concerts, fairs, and sporting events across the country need seasonal workers for ticketing, guest services, setup crews, merchandise booths, and event operations. These jobs are often fast-paced and flexible, making them ideal for college students, especially music or sports fans.

You can find opportunities through local event companies, stadiums, concert venues, or job boards like Live Nation Careers and Indeed.

5. Outdoor Adventure Guide

Average pay: Around $16–$25 per hour, with some jobs including housing or tips.

Students who enjoy the outdoors may find summer jobs as rafting guides, zipline attendants, kayak instructors, climbing assistants, or hiking guides. These jobs are especially common in national park areas, mountain towns, and tourist destinations.

Outdoor recreation companies, resorts, and adventure parks frequently post jobs on BackDoor Jobs or CoolWorks, which are popular for seasonal outdoor jobs across the country.

6. Farm or Farmers Market Assistant

Average pay: Usually around $14–$18 per hour, depending on the region and type of work.

Local farms and farmers' markets often hire seasonal workers during the summer to help with harvesting, organizing produce, assisting customers, and setting up booths. This can be a great option for students who want to learn more about farming or agriculture.

Students can look for opportunities through local farmers' markets, community agriculture programs, Facebook community groups, or sites like ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture Jobs or Good Food Jobs.

7. Resort Activity Coordinator

Average pay: Around $15–$22 per hour, sometimes with employee housing or resort perks included.

Hotels and resorts often hire summer staff to organize games, activities, fitness classes, and entertainment for guests. Beach resorts, mountain lodges, and vacation destinations across the U.S. frequently hire college students for these seasonal jobs.

Students can search resort career pages or use seasonal job websites like CoolWorks, Hcareers, and Vail Resorts Careers.

8. Amusement Park Staff

Average pay: Commonly around $14–$19 per hour, depending on the park and position.

Amusement parks hire thousands of seasonal workers every summer for ride operations, games, guest services, admissions, and food stands. These jobs are especially popular among college students because they often offer flexible schedules and social work environments.

Students can apply directly through amusement park career pages such as Six Flags Careers, Cedar Point Careers, or Disney Programs.

9. Lifeguard or Swim Instructor

Average pay: Usually around $13–$22 per hour, with certified instructors sometimes earning more.

Pools, water parks, summer camps, and recreation centers hire lifeguards and swim instructors every summer. These jobs are ideal for students who enjoy staying active and working outdoors.

Students usually need CPR, lifeguard, or water safety instructor certifications. Many local recreation centers and organizations, including the American Red Cross, offer training programs for both.

You can often find opportunities through local pools, YMCA locations, water parks, parks and recreation departments, and summer camps.

10. Park Employee

Average pay: Typically around $14–$21 per hour, depending on the park system and position.

National parks, state parks, and local park departments hire seasonal employees during busy summer months. Students may help with visitor services, campground operations, trail maintenance, recreation programs, or park events.

These jobs are a great fit for students who enjoy nature and outdoor work. You can apply through the National Park Service Jobs, USAJOBS, or the websites of local parks and recreation departments.