Boston University Jobs 2025-2026: On-Campus Work, Student Employment & Career Resources

On-campus jobs pay $15-17/hour (Massachusetts minimum wage is $15/hr as of 2025). The most popular positions are dining hall workers, library desk attendants, research assistants, IT help desk, and Resident Assistants (RAs get free housing -- worth ~$13,000/year).

All BU jobs are posted on Handshake (bu.joinhandshake.com) -- the university's official job and internship platform. The Center for Career Development (CCD) at 100 Bay State Road provides resume reviews, mock interviews, career coaching, and hosts two major career fairs per year.

Key constraint: International students on F-1 visas can only work on campus (max 20 hours/week during the semester). Off-campus employment requires CPT or OPT authorization through the International Students & Scholars Office (ISSO).

On-campus jobs are the easiest to land and the most flexible around your class schedule. BU employs thousands of students across campus every semester.

How to find them: All on-campus positions are posted on Handshake (bu.joinhandshake.com). Log in with your BU credentials, filter by "On-Campus" jobs, and apply directly. New positions are posted throughout the semester, but the biggest wave comes in August-September.

Popular on-campus jobs and typical pay:

Hours: Most on-campus jobs cap at 15-20 hours/week during the semester. Some offer more hours during breaks and summer.

The reality: On-campus jobs won't make you rich, but they're unbeatable for convenience. Your boss understands you're a student. You can walk to work. And shifts are built around class schedules. The trade-off is that pay is lower than many off-campus options.

Work-study confuses a lot of students. Here's the straightforward version:

What it is: Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a financial aid program that subsidizes your wages for on-campus or eligible off-campus jobs. The federal government pays a portion of your salary, making it cheaper for BU departments to hire you.

How to get it:

1. File the FAFSA and indicate interest in work-study
2. BU's Financial Aid office determines your eligibility based on financial need
3. If awarded, work-study appears in your financial aid package (typically $2,500-$3,500/year)
4. You still need to find and apply for a job -- the award doesn't guarantee employment

• Work-study earnings are not deducted from your financial aid the way other income might be
• You earn the same hourly rate as non-work-study students in the same role
• You can only earn up to your work-study award amount per academic year
• Work-study positions are prioritized for work-study students, giving you an advantage in the application pool
• You get a regular paycheck (bi-weekly) -- it's not applied to your tuition bill

Being a Resident Assistant (RA) is arguably the most valuable student job at BU because of one benefit: free housing.

RA compensation:

• Free single room in the residence hall you're assigned to (worth ~$12,790-$22,770/year depending on the building)
• Stipend for meal plan assistance
• Training and professional development (extensive pre-semester training)

• Serve as a resource and mentor for 20-40 residents on your floor
• Plan community-building events and programs
• Enforce university policies and respond to incidents
• Be on-call for duty rotations (usually 1-2 nights per week)
• Handle roommate conflicts, wellness checks, and emergency situations

• Applications open in late fall for the following academic year
• Requires at least sophomore standing and a 2.5+ GPA
• Multi-round selection process: application, group interview, individual interview
• Competitive: typically 400+ applicants for ~80-100 positions

BU's $579.5 million research enterprise means there are hundreds of lab positions available for undergrads.

How to find research positions:

• Handshake: Some labs post paid positions here
• BU UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program): Connects students with faculty mentors. Apply through the CAS Dean's Office.
• Direct outreach: Email professors whose research interests you. Read their recent papers, write a thoughtful email explaining your interest, and ask if they have openings. This works more often than students expect.
• Department websites: Many labs list openings on their department pages

• Paid research assistant ($15-18/hr): Lab work, data collection, literature reviews
• UROP fellowship (stipend-based): Semester or summer research with a faculty mentor
• Independent study (course credit): Work in a lab for academic credit instead of pay
• Summer research programs (competitive stipends): Full-time research during summer, often with housing support

• Biology, Chemistry, Physics (CAS)
• Biomedical Engineering (ENG)
• Psychology and Brain Sciences (CAS)
• School of Public Health
• Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine (clinical research)

The Center for Career Development (CCD) at 100 Bay State Road is one of BU's most underutilized resources. Everything they offer is free for current students and recent alumni.

What CCD offers:

• Resume and cover letter reviews -- Drop-in hours and appointments available
• Mock interviews -- Practice with a career advisor, get feedback
• Career coaching -- One-on-one advising for career planning, job search strategy
• Handshake management -- Help with your Handshake profile and job search
• Career fairs -- BU hosts major fairs in fall and spring (200+ employers attend)
• Industry-specific advising -- Specialized advisors for business, STEM, arts, healthcare, etc.
• Alumni networking -- BU Connects platform links you with 400,000+ alumni

• Fall Career Fair (September/October): Largest of the year, all industries
• Spring Career Fair (February/March): Smaller, focused on specific sectors
• Questrom Business Career Fair: Separate fair for business students
• STEM Career Fair: Engineering, CS, and sciences focused

Boston's economy is massive, and BU's location gives you access to opportunities most college students can't reach.

High-demand student jobs near BU:

Where to find off-campus jobs:

• Handshake: Includes off-campus and internship postings
• Indeed/LinkedIn: Filter by Boston, part-time
• BU Facebook groups: "BU Jobs" and "BU Marketplace" groups
• Walking around: Many Allston and Kenmore businesses hire with signs in the window

The tutoring hack: If you're strong in math, science, or writing, private tutoring pays $25-50/hour -- far more than any on-campus job. Post on Wyzant or Varsity Tutors, or advertise in local parent Facebook groups.

BU's location in Boston gives you access to one of the densest internship markets in the country.

Top industries for BU interns in Boston:

• Healthcare/Biotech: Mass General, Dana-Farber, Moderna, Biogen, Vertex Pharmaceuticals
• Finance: Fidelity, State Street, Wellington Management, Bain Capital
• Tech: HubSpot, Wayfair, DraftKings, Toast, plus Cambridge startups
• Consulting: Bain, BCG, and dozens of smaller firms
• Media: WGBH (PBS), Boston Globe, local TV stations
• Government/Nonprofit: City of Boston, Massachusetts State House, NGOs

• Finance/consulting: Recruiting starts sophomore fall for summer internships. This is unusually early -- don't miss the window.
• Tech: Applications open fall semester for summer positions
• Everything else: Spring semester for summer internships is typical

• BU School-Year Internship Program: For-credit internships during the semester
• Summer Term Internship Program: Academic credit for summer internships
• Questrom Internship Requirement: Business students must complete an internship to graduate

'I worked at the Mugar Library front desk for two years. It was $15/hour to basically do my homework at a desk and occasionally check IDs. Best job I ever had. If you can get a library job, take it.' - Senior, CAS

'Being an RA in StuVi saved my family $20,000 a year. It's a real job -- I was on call, dealt with roommate drama, and planned events. But the free housing changed my financial situation completely.' - Junior, Questrom

'I got a research assistant position in a neuroscience lab by emailing my professor directly. No posting on Handshake, no formal application -- just a genuine email explaining why I was interested in her research. She hired me within a week.' - Sophomore, CAS

'Private tutoring is the move. I tutor high schoolers in AP Chemistry through Wyzant and make $40/hour. I work 5 hours a week and make more than my friends who work 15 hours in the dining hall.' - Junior, ENG

'Don't sleep on CCD. I went for a resume review sophomore year and the advisor completely restructured it. That revised resume got me my first internship at Fidelity.' - Senior, Questrom