10 In-Demand Part-time Jobs for Indian Students in USA
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10 In-Demand Part-time Jobs for Indian Students in USA

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Aishwarya
Aishwarya Bhatnagar
Study Abroad Expert
Updated on Oct 16, 2025 17:15 IST
Part-Time Jobs in USA: Part-time jobs are considered important by Indian students once they go abroad to study. Not only do part-time jobs help reduce financial costs, but also provide you with work experience along with social interaction. In a sense, part-time jobs give you a complete experience of the student culture and life. According to the student visa guidelines, you are allowed to work only 20 hours a week and only on campus. 
part time jobs in usa

Students can work up to 20 hours a week when classes are in session and up to 40 hours a week full-time while classes are not going on if studying on a US student visa. It is not that difficult to find popular jobs in popular job sectors of the US on-campus at American universities. In addition, these jobs are customized to adhere to all the visa guidelines.

Table of contents
  • What are Part-Time Jobs in USA?
  • Top 10 Highest Paying Part-time Jobs in US for Indians
  • Part Time Jobs in USA for International Students - Job Description
  • How to Find Part-Time Jobs in USA?
  • Online Part-time jobs in USA for Indians
  • Other Popular Part Time Jobs in USA for International Students

What are Part-Time Jobs in USA?

Part-time jobs in the USA are not full-time jobs; these are odd jobs that students can take up while studying across US universities. Part-time jobs are permitted for international students in the USA, with a maximum of around 20 hours a week. Students can earn around USD 20 - USD 40 an hour; thus, they can support their additional peronal expenses with this money. There is a wide range of part-time jobs available in USA for students. Part-time jobs in the USA can be found through university portals or job posting websites. Students must be enrolled for a full-time course to pursue a part-time job in USA. 

Check out some of the most popular part-time jobs in the USA, along with the highest-paying part-time jobs in the USA, in the following sections. 

Top 10 Highest Paying Part-time Jobs in US for Indians

Here are the 10 most popular and also highest paying on-campus, part-time jobs in USA for students that they can take up at American universities:

Top Part-Time Jobs in USA for International Students Average Hourly Salary
Teaching Assistant USD 18.75
Tour Guide USD 31
Academic Department Assistant USD 30.53
Campus Tech Support USD 48.56
Production Assistant USD 25.08
Research Study Assistant USD 31.73
Barista USD 18.75
Catering Assistant USD 14,88
Sales Part-Time USD 25
University Book Store Assistant USD 24.04

These are a few part time jobs in USA for students that are paid highly. There may be other options, applicants must search for the best possible option based on their research and networking. 

Part Time Jobs in USA for International Students - Job Description

Based on the part time jobs in USA for students above, here is what these job roles exactly expect their employees to do. 

1. Teaching Assistant

You can apply for these posts if you are devoted to academics because this is one of the most popular part time jobs in USA for students. There are two types of profiles - "teaching fellows" are usually graduate students, whereas, "teaching assistants" could be graduates too but have less formal responsibilities such as handing out and collecting assignments. There are almost no formal openings for this post, so you must network well with your professors for this post.

2. Tour Guide

Campus tours are a popular campus activity in the US among prospective students, applicants, and their parents. Since the American campuses are huge and have many important historic architecture, guided and paid tours are just a way to get to know the campus better. You can take up this job in the second, third or fourth year when acquainted with your campus. In this job, you will directly report to your college's Admissions Department. This job requires you to be outgoing and friendly to give group and personal tours and talk to potential students about all the college offers.

3. Academic Department Assistant

This part time job in USA for students is primarily a clerical job where you must sort and file paperwork. Ask your Head of Department about the opportunities that are available. Departments generally give priority to students within the field. If you work within your department, it is a good chance to make connections and network with professors, along with understanding the functioning of your department.

4. Campus Tech Support

Check with your computer support department for assistant job openings. If you are computer savvy or majoring in a technical field, look for a job at your college's computer centre. All US universities offer tech support to libraries, classrooms, and laboratories, which has become an important job position. Moreover, you will be required to work only in case of emergencies, so during the downtime, you can focus on your academics.

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5. Production Assistant

American universities are known for their importance on extra-curricular activities like dances, concerts, comedy shows, and plays. All these events require a lot of backstages and technical work. So, if you're interested in cultural performances, this is a great job that pays well and allows you to watch performances at no cost while you work.

6. Research Study Assistant

The Research Assistant collects information, conducts research, and assists professors with a particular subject. Also another popularly opted part time jobs in USA for students. They also collaborate with other researchers who require research assistants for their projects. This job is particularly relevant and useful for those wishing to pursue a PhD or enter academia later.







7. Barista

Most college students live off coffee, considering sleep a luxury. With so many exciting things happening in their lives, coffee is the most in-demand drink on campuses. If you love coffee yourself, work as a barista, and you will learn a lot about coffee, espresso, tea, and other drinks. You will be given employee discounts that will save a lot of money on coffee cravings.

8. Catering Assistant and Food Runner

Catering assistants can work in university cafeterias and restaurants. These jobs are well suited for students pursuing hospitality courses as they can get hands-on experience in catering. However, this does not mean other students cannot opt for this job. Who wants to miss the smell of freshly baked cookies?

9. Sales

Sales jobs are among the best part-time jobs in the USA for foreigners since they allow international students to interact with others. Not only does it help them make some extra money, but it also allows them to integrate into the new society. Students can work as sales assistants at the campus grocery store, bookstores, clothing stores, etc.

10. University Book Store Assistant 

All universities have a bookstore on campus that sells course books, reference books, works of fiction, and school supplies. It comes with the convenience of being on campus, and you may even get useful employee discounts on books, stationery, or other supplies. You can contact the bookstore manager directly to inquire about job openings.

These are some of the best part-time jobs for students in the USA while studying. Students can also find some of the best part-time jobs based on their interests. These jobs can help applicants recover some part of their cost of living in USA.

How to Find Part-Time Jobs in USA?

Finding part time jobs in US can be time-consuming and challenging. But this can be eased if students look for the jobs through the right channel. Some of the resources to find a part-time job are given below:

  • These can help you by providing crucial information about the upcoming vacancies and the process to apply for them.
  • You can also contact the career services offices at your respective universities to learn about part-time jobs in the U.S.
  • If there are multiple departments at your university, chances are that there will be several temporary jobs available at these departments. So, it is best to go around and enquire about the positions.
  • It is advised to stay updated with your university’s official website or online community to know about job openings. You can also stay connected with the social media websites like Facebook to know about part-time job openings.

Also Read: Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs in USA

Online Part-time jobs in USA for Indians

International students can also do online part-time jobs in the U.S. Some of the online part-time jobs are:

  • Online Tutor
  • Graphic Designer
  • Coder
  • Content Writer
  • Blogger
  • Translator
  • Web Developer
  • Social Media Manager

Other Popular Part Time Jobs in USA for International Students

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the federal minimum or lowest wage for covered non-exempt employees (like managers or IT professionals) is $7.25 per hour. Let us look at the highest-paying part-time jobs for international students in the U.S.

Part-time jobs in USA

Average wage per hour

Campus ambassador

$20

Library assistant

$17.65

Receptionist

$16.37

Research study assistant

$23

Department Assistant

$16.44

Catering assistant or food runner

$16.81

Sales assistant

$21.20

Tutor or peer mentor

$21.31

International students can work on-campus or off-campus based on their choice of job option while studying in the US. There are ample sources to look for part-time jobs in the USA also. 

Q:   What is the average GMAT cutoff for MBA in USA?
A:

The average GMAT cutoff for MBA in USA ranges anywhere between 545 to 755. The applicants can aim for B-schools in USA accordingly. 

Q:   Do universities in the USA have strict SAT cutoffs for admission?
A:

Not all US universities have strict SAT cutoffs for admissions. Colleges will not usually explicitly mention them per se. Rather most of them in their school reports mentioning SAT score range of the admitted students in the previous year. So this can be referred to for reference when applying for admissions in the USA. 

Q:   When can I apply to the Massachusetts master's programs?
A:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers diverse master's programs in areas like Aeronautics and Astronautics, Chemical Engineering, Data, Economics, and Design of Policy, Media Arts and Sciences, and more. Most of the master programme applications opens in September and closes between December and January of every year. Students can check the application deadline for the popular Masters programme below:

Program

Application Opens

Application Deadline

Aeronautics and Astronautics

Sep 1, 2025

Dec 1, 2025

Architecture

Oct 1, 2025

Jan 7, 2026

Chemical Engineering

Sep 15, 2025

Dec 1, 2025

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Sep 15, 2025

Dec 15, 2025

Data, Economics, and Design of Policy

Nov 1, 2025

Jan 15, 2026

Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences

Sep 1, 2025

Dec 15, 2025

Materials Science and Engineering

Sep 1, 2025

Dec 1, 2025

Mechanical Engineering

Sep 15, 2025

Dec 15, 2025

Media Arts and Sciences

Sep 15, 2025

December 15

Nuclear Science and Engineering/Political Science

September 15

Dec 15, 2025

About the Author
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Written by
Aishwarya Bhatnagar
Study Abroad Expert
Aishwarya is a professional Writer currently working as a Study Abroad Expert in the Editorial Team at Shiksha. She has over 5 years of experience and is skilled at creating Online Content with leveraged knowledge i Read Full Bio
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Comments

(67)

O

Omshree

5 months ago

Hello I am omshree I have completed my 12 in PCMB sector but I have droped degree in BBA while I'm studying 3rd semester Can I get any part time jobs In USA

Reply to Omshree

R

Rucy Sa

a year ago

Hi I wanna to know about full time job in medical field and how to reach us from India not by through agencies, can u help

Reply to Rucy Sa

S

Siya Singh

a year ago

Hello, I want to know that after completing B.Tech if I work for 2 years and then apply for masters, will I get the scholarship or financial aid.

Reply to Siya Singh

s

shiva

2 years ago

i completed bachelors in Mechanical Engineering but, after bachelor I taken a course on full stack web development course.. now i want to do ms in IT sector / Computer Science.. Is it possible..

Reply to shiva

A

2 years ago

Hello Shiva! Yes, of course, it's possible to apply for a Master's in the US. This work experience will only add value to your application for Master's in the US. You can get in touch with our counsellors at - https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/apply for admission-related queries. All the very best!

hii i completed bachelors degree zoology in 2020 can I study in abroad USA in mba business analytcs with no experience in jobs

Reply to Rishitha sri kulkarni

P

Piyush Kohli

2 years ago

Hi Rishitha, it is always an advantage to have relevant work experience for applying to an MBA program. However, you can check the eligibility criteria for the universities offering MBA in Business Analytics in USA: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/usa/mba-in-business-analytics-colleges-ds