Part-Time Jobs in the USA for International Students (2026): F-1 Work Rules, Hours, Wages and CPT/OPT
Part-time jobs in the USA for Indian students 2026: 20 hours a week on campus, no off-campus work in year one, CPT and OPT rules, $7.25–$18.40 minimum wages.
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USA part time jobs plan
Free checklist for Indian students
On an F-1 visa you can work on campus up to 20 hours a week while classes are in session and full time during official breaks, starting up to 30 days before your first term. Off-campus work is not permitted in your first academic year and afterwards must be authorised as Curricular Practical Training, Optional Practical Training or severe-economic-hardship employment. Pay follows state minimum wages, which on 1 July 2026 ranged from $7.25 in Texas to $18.40 in Washington DC, and F-1 students are exempt from the 7.65% Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes for their first five calendar years.
Can international students work in the USA on an F-1 visa?
Yes, but the rules are narrower than in the UK, Australia or Canada. F-1 status allows on-campus employment as of right: any job paid by the university or by a company operating on campus and serving students (the library, dining hall, bookshop, labs, IT help desk, residence halls, campus cafés), plus work at an off-campus location that is educationally affiliated with your school. You must be in active F-1 status, you may apply for on-campus work up to 30 days before classes start, and you may not work more than 20 hours a week when school is in session. In official vacations, including summer, you can work full time.
Off-campus employment is the restricted part. USCIS states plainly that F-1 students may not work off campus during the first academic year. After that, every off-campus job must relate to your field of study and be authorised in advance by your designated school official (DSO) and, for most categories, by USCIS: Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for internships and co-ops that are part of the curriculum, Optional Practical Training (OPT) before or after graduation, the 24-month STEM OPT extension, and, rarely, off-campus work approved on the basis of severe economic hardship. A cash job at a petrol station or restaurant is unauthorised employment, and unauthorised employment terminates F-1 status.
Set expectations accordingly. A campus job offsets part of your living costs in a mid-cost university town and gives you US work history and a Social Security number; it does not cover tuition. Purdue University estimates housing and food at $16,734 for 2026-27 (≈ ₹16.0 lakh), more than the $11,776 a term-time job at the Washington DC minimum wage earns. The part of "working while studying" that changes your finances is CPT and OPT in your field, where salaries are professional rather than hourly.
What are the F-1 work rules? Hours, permissions and limits at a glance
| Type of work | Who authorises | Hours allowed | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| On-campus employment | School (DSO confirms eligibility); no USCIS filing | ≤ 20 hours/week in session; full time in breaks | From 30 days before classes start, for the whole programme | None |
| Curricular Practical Training (CPT) | DSO in SEVIS; must be integral to the curriculum and related to the major | Part time ≤ 20 hours/week; full time > 20 hours/week | After one full academic year (earlier for graduate programmes that require it) | None; but 12 months of full-time CPT eliminates OPT eligibility |
| Pre-completion OPT | DSO recommendation + USCIS Form I-765 | ≤ 20 hours/week in session; full time in breaks | After one full academic year; deducted from the 12-month OPT total | $470 online / $520 paper (≈ ₹45,000 / ₹49,800) |
| Post-completion OPT | DSO recommendation + USCIS Form I-765 | At least 20 hours/week or full time | 12 months after the programme end date; apply 90 days before to 60 days after | $470 online / $520 paper |
| STEM OPT extension | DSO + USCIS I-765; E-Verify employer; Form I-983 | Full time (at least 20 hours/week) | +24 months after post-completion OPT | $470 online / $520 paper |
| Severe economic hardship employment | DSO recommendation + USCIS I-765 within 30 days; EAD required before starting | Part time in session | After one full academic year, for unforeseen hardship (e.g. sponsor loss, currency collapse) | $470 online / $520 paper |
| F-2 dependant | Not permitted | None | Never | — |
Sources: Study in the States working, CPT and dependants pages; USCIS students and employment and OPT pages; USCIS fee schedule G-1055 (edition 09/09/26), all read 26 Sep 2026. $1 = ₹95.8.
How much do part-time jobs in the USA pay international students in 2026?
Most campus jobs pay at or a little above the state minimum wage; research and teaching assistantships pay more and usually come with a tuition waiver. The Department of Labor table of state minimum wages was updated on 1 July 2026. Earnings assume 20 hours a week for 32 weeks of classes, before any full-time summer work.
| State (city) | Minimum wage (1 Jul 2026) | Term-time earnings, 20 hrs × 32 weeks | Approx. INR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas (Dallas, Austin, Houston), Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh, Philadelphia), federal floor | $7.25 | $4,640 | ₹4.4 lakh |
| Illinois (state rate; Chicago has a higher city minimum) | $15.00 | $9,600 | ₹9.2 lakh |
| Massachusetts (Boston) | $15.00 | $9,600 | ₹9.2 lakh |
| Arizona (state rate; some cities such as Tucson are higher) | $15.15 | $9,696 | ₹9.3 lakh |
| New Jersey | $15.92 | $10,189 | ₹9.8 lakh |
| New York (rest of state, e.g. Buffalo) | $16.00 | $10,240 | ₹9.8 lakh |
| California (state rate; many cities are higher) | $16.90 | $10,816 | ₹10.4 lakh |
| New York City, Long Island, Westchester | $17.00 | $10,880 | ₹10.4 lakh |
| Washington (state rate; Seattle has a higher city minimum) | $17.13 | $10,963 | ₹10.5 lakh |
| District of Columbia | $18.40 | $11,776 | ₹11.3 lakh |
Sources: US Department of Labor state minimum wage table, updated 1 Jul 2026; City of Chicago BACP and Seattle Office of Labor Standards for the city rates, read 26 Sep 2026. Many universities pay campus jobs above the state minimum, and some cities set higher local minimums: Chicago is $17.05 from 1 Jul 2026 (20 hrs × 32 weeks ≈ $10,912, ≈ ₹10.5 lakh) and Seattle is $21.30 for calendar 2026 (≈ $13,632, ≈ ₹13.1 lakh), while cities in California and Arizona such as Tucson also set rates above the state figure. Georgia's state rate is $5.15 but the federal $7.25 applies to almost all employers. $1 = ₹95.8.
How to get a part-time job on campus in the USA: step by step
Arrive and complete check-in with your DSO
You can enter up to 30 days before classes and may apply for on-campus jobs in that window. Your SEVIS record must be active, so finish international student check-in first.
Find openings on the university job board
Universities post student jobs on their own portals: dining, libraries, recreation centres, IT support, tutoring centres, departmental offices, research labs. Graduate students should also ask their department about grader and teaching-assistant hours, which pay more.
Get the offer letter and the DSO's employment letter
A job offer on university letterhead plus a letter from your DSO confirming F-1 status and eligibility are what the Social Security Administration needs to issue you a Social Security number, which you must have to be paid. Apply at a local SSA office after you have been in the US long enough for your arrival record to be visible to them; your international office will tell you the local practice.
Complete payroll paperwork
Fill in Form I-9 (employment eligibility verification) with your passport, I-94 and I-20, and the federal withholding form. Tell payroll that you are a nonresident alien F-1 student so that Social Security and Medicare taxes are not deducted; many universities use a tax-status questionnaire to handle this.
Track your hours across all jobs
The 20-hour limit applies to the total of all on-campus jobs combined, counted per week while school is in session. Two ten-hour jobs are the maximum; a single extra shift over 20 hours is a status violation, even if a supervisor asked for it.
Plan CPT for the summer after year one
Once you have completed a full academic year you become eligible for CPT internships in your field (graduate programmes that require early training can authorise it sooner). Ask your DSO how CPT is coded at your school and keep full-time CPT under 12 months to protect your OPT.
Which part-time jobs do Indian students actually do in the USA?
- Graduate teaching assistant or grader: paid by the department, often 10–20 hours a week, frequently with a partial or full tuition waiver. The best-paid campus work and the most relevant to a CV.
- Research assistant in a professor's lab: paid from grants, can lead to a thesis topic and a recommendation letter; this is how many MS students convert to funded status in year two.
- Dining services, campus cafés and catering: the most plentiful first-semester jobs, usually at or slightly above minimum wage, with flexible shifts around classes.
- Library, IT help desk, computer labs and audio-visual support: quieter work that often allows study during slow hours.
- Residence hall advisor (RA): typically paid in free or discounted housing plus a stipend, which can be worth more than an hourly job in a high-rent city.
- Campus recreation, tutoring centres, admissions tours, departmental administration and event staff: seasonal and term-time roles that build local references.
- CPT internships and co-ops from the second year: full-time summer roles in your field at professional salaries; Northeastern-style co-op programmes build them into the degree and charge no tuition for co-op semesters.
The 20-hour rule is a hard ceiling, not a target
Frequently asked questions
How many hours can international students work in the USA?
Up to 20 hours a week on campus while school is in session, counted across all jobs combined, and full time during official breaks such as summer. You may start on-campus work up to 30 days before classes begin. Off-campus work is not allowed in the first academic year and afterwards needs CPT, OPT or hardship authorisation.
Can F-1 students work off campus in the USA?
Not in the first academic year, and afterwards only with authorisation: Curricular Practical Training for internships that are part of your curriculum, Optional Practical Training before or after graduation, the STEM OPT extension, or severe-economic-hardship employment approved by USCIS on Form I-765. All off-campus work must relate to your field of study and be recorded by your DSO in SEVIS before you start.
How much can a student earn from a part-time job in the USA?
At 20 hours a week over a 32-week academic year, a campus job at the 1 July 2026 state minimum wage earns about $4,640 in Texas ($7.25), $9,600 in Illinois or Massachusetts ($15.00), $10,816 in California ($16.90) and $11,776 in Washington DC ($18.40), roughly ₹4.4–11.3 lakh a year. Full-time summer work and assistantships add to this.
What is the minimum wage in the USA for students in 2026?
There is no separate student rate. The federal minimum is $7.25 an hour, and states set their own: on 1 July 2026 California was $16.90, New York City $17.00 and the rest of New York $16.00, Washington state $17.13 (Seattle's city rate is higher), Arizona $15.15, Illinois and Massachusetts $15.00, New Jersey $15.92, and Washington DC $18.40. Texas and Pennsylvania use the federal $7.25.
Do international students pay tax on part-time income in the USA?
Yes, federal and usually state income tax, filed on Form 1040-NR each spring. F-1 students are exempt from Social Security and Medicare (FICA) taxes for their first five calendar years in the US, so 7.65% of gross pay that resident workers lose stays with you. Ask payroll to treat you as a nonresident alien so FICA is not deducted by mistake.
Can I do a part-time job in the USA during my first semester?
On campus, yes: on-campus employment is allowed from the start and you may even apply up to 30 days before classes begin, as long as your SEVIS record is active. Off-campus work, including internships, is not permitted until you have completed one full academic year, except for graduate programmes that require earlier curricular training.
What is CPT and how is it different from OPT?
CPT is Curricular Practical Training: work that is an integral part of your curriculum, such as a required internship or co-op, authorised by your DSO in SEVIS without a USCIS fee. OPT is Optional Practical Training: up to 12 months of work in your field, authorised by USCIS on Form I-765 for $470 online. Twelve months of full-time CPT cancels your OPT eligibility.
Can my spouse work in the USA while I study on an F-1 visa?
No. F-2 dependants may not work under any circumstances and may study only part time at an SEVP-certified school. A spouse who wants to work needs their own status, for example an F-1 with later OPT, or an H-1B sponsored by an employer. Plan the family budget on one income plus your permitted 20 hours of campus work.
Official sources used on this page
- Study in the States — Working in the United States (on-campus rules, 30-day start, hardship employment) — US Department of Homeland Security · checked 26 September 2026
- USCIS — Students and employment (first-year rule, CPT/OPT, hardship) — US Citizenship and Immigration Services · checked 26 September 2026
- Study in the States — F-1 Curricular Practical Training (CPT) — US Department of Homeland Security · checked 26 September 2026
- USCIS — Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 students — US Citizenship and Immigration Services · checked 26 September 2026
- Study in the States — Bringing dependents (F-2 may not work) — US Department of Homeland Security · checked 26 September 2026
- US Department of Labor — State minimum wage laws (updated 1 Jul 2026) — US Department of Labor · checked 26 September 2026
- US Department of Labor — Federal minimum wage — US Department of Labor · checked 26 September 2026
- IRS — Foreign student liability for Social Security and Medicare taxes — Internal Revenue Service · checked 26 September 2026
- IRS — Taxation of nonresident aliens (Form 1040-NR) — Internal Revenue Service · checked 26 September 2026
- USCIS — Fee schedule G-1055 (edition 09/09/26): Form I-765 — US Citizenship and Immigration Services · checked 26 September 2026
- Purdue University Bursar — Undergraduate tuition and fees 2026-27 (housing/food estimate) — Purdue University · checked 26 September 2026
- City of Chicago BACP — Minimum wage information ($17.05 from 1 Jul 2026) — City of Chicago · checked 26 September 2026
- Seattle Office of Labor Standards — Minimum wage ($21.30 in 2026) — City of Seattle · checked 26 September 2026
- Wise — USD to INR mid-market rate — Wise · checked 26 September 2026
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