Best Jobs for College Students With No Experience 2026 was originally published on Forage.
If you’re trying to find a job with no experience, you’re not alone. In fact, over 70% of college students work while enrolled, balancing classes with part-time jobs or side work. That’s because the goal has shifted. It’s no longer just about getting a job. It’s about:
- building real job skills
- gaining experience early
- exploring different career paths
The good news? There are more ways to do that than ever before!
Not sure which of these roles might be right for you? Take the quiz to get personalized career matches before exploring the list below.
How Can I Get a Job If I Don’t Have Experience?
This is where most students get stuck. It can feel like you need experience to get a job, but you need a job to get experience. The truth is, experience doesn’t only come from a formal role.
1. Internships are still one of the most common ways to gain experience, even if they’re competitive. They help you build real-world skills and show employers you’re serious about your field.
>>MORE: How to Get an Internship in 2026 (Even With No Experience)
2. A virtual job simulation (like the ones we offer at Forage) is another great way to build practical skills and explore a role without needing prior experience. It shows initiative and helps you stand out on your resume and more than triple your chances of landing a role. That’s because you’ve shown initiative, built relevant skills, and have the right experience to thrive on the job starting on day one.
>>MORE: Not sure what job simulation is right for you? Take our quiz.
3. Transferable skills are the abilities you can carry across roles, like communication, teamwork, and problem solving. Even part-time jobs or school experiences can help you build these. These are the skills you master in one job that you can use in any job. For example, you’ll collaborate and communicate with coworkers no matter the role, so highlight these on your resume to demonstrate you’re a team player.
4. Certifications: Finally, obtaining a relevant certification demonstrates that you’re willing to learn and master new skills. Plus, you’ve already learned the basics, so an employer can feel confident that you have some idea of how to do the job.
What Makes a “Good” Job in 2026
Not all entry-level jobs are worth your time. The best jobs for college students today are:
- flexible around your schedule
- beginner-friendly
- focused on building useful skills
- connected to real opportunities later
And that’s exactly what this list focuses on.
>>MORE: Check out some companies that are hiring now
The 20+ Best Entry-Level Jobs for College Graduates
While searching for the best jobs for college students with no experience, it’s important to note that not all titles are created equal. Some may include the word “assistant,” while others may use “junior,” “grade 1,” “coordinator,” or a different designation.
Here are some of the best jobs for college students and graduates, with many that also have a free job simulation on Forage to help you master the skills you need to get the job done. Each job title includes salary range estimates from Glassdoor for someone with zero to one year of experience.
1. Financial Analyst
Salary range: $81,000 – $128,000
Financial analysts collect and analyze data to create forecasts and predictions for the business, using historical data or conducting a technical stock analysis. They then build models to predict financial performance and support strategic decisions.
Financial Analyst
Help our Finance team manage business KPIs, financial risks, and predict credit card sales
Avg. Time:
5-6 hours
Skills you’ll build:
Fact-Finding, Data Analysis, Communication, Presentation Skills, Banking Regulation, Professional Judgment, Commercial Awareness
2. Data Analyst
Salary range: $63K – $100K
People generate a vast amount of data every day (think: scrolling TikTok, shopping with a credit card). Companies hire data analysts to interpret this data and support strategic, data-driven decisions. As a data analyst, you’ll clean and analyze data, then turn your findings into clear insights that help businesses make better decisions.
Data Analytics
Drive data-driven decisions and customer retention strategies at Lloyds Banking Group through advanced data science and analytics.
Avg. Time:
3-4 hours
Skills you’ll build:
Data Integration, Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Preprocessing, Critical Thinking, Results Communication, Machine Learning, Model Evaluation, Business Communication, Data Visualization
3. Investment Banker
Salary range: $220,000 – $420,000
Investment bankers analyze financial information to help companies buy and sell securities or make decisions on major corporate transactions, such as acquisitions or raising capital.
Investment Banking
Evaluate a prospective acquisition target for your client, Big Box Retail, with Citi’s Investment Banking team
Avg. Time:
5-6 hours
Skills you’ll build:
PowerPoint, Enterprise Valuation, Company Analysis, Excel, Financial Modeling, Forecasting, Valuation Methods, Comparative Analysis, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Information Synthesis
4. Software Engineer
Salary range: $150 – $200K
Software engineers design, build, and maintain applications, websites, and systems that power everyday technology, from mobile apps to large-scale platforms.
Software Engineering
Work on real-world coding tasks, build features, and solve technical problems as part of a software engineering team.
Avg. Time:
5 hours
Skills you’ll build:
Java Programming, Build Tools, Spring Framework, Message Queuing, SQL Database, Spring, REST API
5. UI/UX Designers
Salary range: $78k-144k
UI/UX designers create user-friendly digital experiences by designing how websites and apps look and feel, ensuring they are intuitive, accessible, and easy to navigate.
UX Design Introduction
Enhance user experiences and design innovative digital solutions with Lloyds’ UX Design team
Avg. Time:
1-2 hours
Skills you’ll build:
Research and Analysis, Data Interpretation, Report Writing, Critical Thinking, Attention to Detail, Survey Research, Research Methods, Data Visualization
6. Sales Representative
Salary range: $66K – $115K
Sales representatives work directly with customers to understand their needs, explain products or services, and close deals by building strong relationships and offering the right solutions.
On-Premise Sales
Analyze sales data and handle customer objections to meet your targets as an on-premise sales specialist.
Avg. Time:
1-2 hours
Skills you’ll build:
Data analysis, overcoming objections, strategy, account management
7. Consulting Analyst
Salary range: $79K – $120K
Consulting analysts help businesses solve problems and improve performance by analyzing data, identifying inefficiencies, and recommending strategic solutions across different industries.
Management Consulting
See what it’s like to work in management consulting in this free course from PwC. Learn how to summarize data, prepare interview questions, and more.
Avg. Time:
4-5 hours
Skills you’ll build:
Excel, strategic communications, financial statement, business terminology, data collection
8. Account Manager
Salary range: $85,000 – $141,000
Account managers act as the main point of contact between a business and its clients, helping track performance, resolve issues, and ensure customers achieve their goals.
Client Services
Build practical client service skills in this free course from Bloomberg. You’ll work with a client to identify the problem and find a solution.
Avg. Time:
3-4 hours
Skills you’ll build:
Root cause analysis, multitasking, conflict resolution, critical thinking, time management
9. Insurance and Risk Analyst
Salary range: $67K – $109K
Insurance and risk analysts assess potential risks for businesses and help determine how to manage or reduce them. This can include evaluating policies, analyzing data, and making recommendations to protect companies financially.
Risk
Understand how Risk Analysts assess key risks for investment portfolios and devise mitigation strategies
Avg. Time:
3-4 hours
Skills you’ll build:
Risk Assessment, Risk Management, Critical Thinking, Financial Literacy, Quantitative Analysis, Decision Making
10. Supply Chain Engineer
Salary range: $93,000 – $145,000
Supply chain engineers work behind the scene to ensure that goods and services are built and delivered efficiently. These professionals work on the entire end-to-end process, from manufacturing and transportation to warehousing.
Explore Supply Chain
Utilize engineering data in order to specify applicability, capacity, and size requirements for a turbofan engine, then determine next steps for turbine blades with defects.
Avg. Time:
3-4 hours
Skills you’ll build:
Interpreting engineering data, accountability, problem-solving
Which Entry-Level Job Should You Have? Quiz
Which of these jobs should you pursue? Moreover, what careers are right for you? Take the quiz! You’ll have to sign up to get your results, but it’s absolutely free. Let’s get started!
Step 1 of 2
50%
Company
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
1. You have a free afternoon. You’re looking forward to…
a. doing a crossword or word puzzle 🧩
b. doing a craft 🎨
c. playing with your dog 🐕
d. hanging out with a friend 🧑🤝🧑
e. playing games on your phone 📱
2. Pick a young adult book.
a. Fahrenheit 451 📚🔥
b. To Kill a Mockingbird 🌳
c. The Giver 🍎
d. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone 🪄
e. The Maze Runner 🏃
3. You’re planning a trip. You choose to go to…
a. Los Angeles 🏖
b. Washington, D.C 🏛
c. Dallas 🤠
d. Seattle 🌧
e. New York City 🏙
4. In social circles, I’m…
a. the caregiver 🤗
b. the gossip 🗣
c. the leader 📢
d. the life of the party 🎉
e. the planner 📋
5. Other people describe me as…
a. innovative 💡
b. passionate ✨
c. cerebral 🧠
d. creative ✏
e. bold ⚡
6. I describe myself as…
a. caring 🫶
b. adventurous 🪂
c. mathematical 📐
d. analytical 🔎
e. artistic 🎨
7. When I’m under pressure, I tend to…
a. run through all the facts I know about the situation 🧾
b. focus on the big picture 🖼
c. think about what’s best for the people around me 👥
d. try to talk it out 🗣
e. focus on problem-solving my way out of the situation 💡
8. Pick a film genre.
a. indie 🌈
b. action 💥
c. comedy 😅
d. sci-fi 🛸
e. documentary 🎥
9. What keeps you up at night?
a. TikTok trends 📲
b. my own thoughts 💭
c. the inevitable collapse of society ⌛
d. the mysteries of the universe 🧐
e. the news 🗞
10. My ideal mode of transportation is a(n)…
a. electric car 🚙
b. camper van 🚌
c. bicycle 🚲
d. motorcycle 🏍
e. high-speed train 🚄
11. My room is…
a. filled with friends 👫🏻
b. essentially a library 📚
c. a gamer’s paradise 🎮
d. super organized 🗂
e. essentially an art museum 👩🎨
12. If you could have any superpower, what would you choose?
a. persuasion 🗣
b. time travel ⌛
c. telepathy 📡
d. shape-shifting 🔄
e. healing ❤️🩹
13. You’re hosting a theme party. What theme do you choose?
a. space galaxy 🪐
b. masquerade ball 🎭
c. dress like a celebrity night 👠
d. fashion of the last century 🛍
e. murder mystery 🕵
14. If you could travel to any place and time in history, where and when would you go?
a. 1960’s U.S. 🇺🇸
b. ancient Greece 🇬🇷
c. Renaissance Italy 🇮🇹
d. the future 🚀
e. 1920’s Paris 🇫🇷
15. Pick a famous figure to have dinner with.
a. Maya Angelou ✍
b. Albert Einstein ⚛
c. Frida Kahlo 🌺
d. Joan of Arc ⚔
e. Mahatma Gandhi 🙏
16. If you were a character in a fantasy novel, what type of magical creature would you be?
a. wizard 🧙♂️
b. angel 👼
c. sprite 🧚🏼♀️
d. witch 🧹
e. siren 🧜🏻♀️
17. What are you looking forward to most about getting your first job?
a. doing something I care about 🙌
b. meeting new people 🙋♂️
c. getting to make things I’m proud of 🏆
d. building something new 🛠
e. redoing my budget 💸
Δ
Find Your Career Fit
The best entry-level jobs for college graduates encompass nearly anything and everything you could want to pursue. But if our list isn’t enough to convince you, consider signing up for a Forage virtual job simulation today. You’ll experience what it’s like to work in these fields and more, while building practical skills that can help you land the job!
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The post Best Jobs for College Students With No Experience 2026 appeared first on Forage.
