Part-time Jobs in USA for International Students: Job Roles, Minimum Wage and Eligibility

Minimum Wage for Part-time Jobs in USA

USA is divided into 50 states and each state has distinct minimum wage laws. On average, the minimum wage in USA for international students is $15 (₹1,266), depending on factors like location, and job role among others. Here, we have listed the minimum wage for a few popular states in USA.

Also Check: High Paying Jobs in USA

Types of Part-time Jobs in USA

There are mainly 2 types of part-time jobs in USA for international students. On-campus and off-campus. As the name suggests, on-campus jobs are based in your university, while off-campus jobs are based outside the university campus. More descriptions are available below:

On-Campus Part-time Jobs in USA

If you are an F1 student visa holder, you need to abide by the following rules while opting for on-campus part-time jobs in USA for students:

• Maintain valid F-1 status
• work up to 20 hours per week during sessions
• Work full-time on campus during holidays and vacation periods if you intend to register for the next academic semester.
• Employment may not displace (take a job away from) a US resident

Check out some of the popular on-campus part-time jobs with their average hourly wages.

Ways to Find On-Campus Part-time Jobs

You can check out the below-mentioned sources to get an on-campus part-time job

• Career Services Office
• Student Union
• University Notice Board
• Departmental Notice Board
• Networking
• Relevant Social Media Groups

Off-campus Part-time Jobs in USA

For off-campus part-time jobs in USA, an international student must adhere to the following conditions:

• Maintain valid F-1 status.
• Obtain the necessary work authorization in the form of OPT or CPT.
• Provide evidence of severe economic hardship (if required)
• Not to work off-campus if you do not have adequate authorization.

Check out some of the popular off-campus part-time jobs with their average hourly wages.

Ways to Find Off-campus Part-time Jobs

You can find off-campus part-time jobs by visiting the following sources

• Job portals
• Local job listings
• Platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer
• Social media platforms
• Directly Approach Employers
• Networking

Difference Between OTP and CPT

The off-campus part-time jobs in USA can be classified into two categories

• OPT or Optional Practical Training: Temporary employment authorization provided by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for international students on an F-1 visa. It allows you for up to 12 months in a field directly related to your major, during or after completing the academic program. STEM course (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) graduates are eligible for a 24-month extension on top of the initial 12 months, allowing them to work for up to 36 months in total under OPT.

• CPT or Curricular Practical Training: It allows international students to work as part of their academic curriculum through internships or cooperative education programs. CPT is designed to provide work experience directly related to your major and is integrated into the academic program as a course requirement or through academic credit. You must be on an F-1 visa and have completed at least one academic year (two semesters) in the USA before applying for CPT

Read More: OPT VS CPT! Work Authorization Guide for International Students 

You can consider the aforementioned details while looking for part-time jobs in USA for international students. However, there are many more options available, we have just covered the most popular ones. You can also opt for work-from-home remote jobs like data entry operator, content writer, customer support agent and many more.