The best headphones for students provide privacy and ideal audio interaction during and after class.
Headphones allow each student to interact with their own device without disturbing others or losing focus during class.
They are also ideal for learning languages, watching coding guides, following quizzes, receiving instructions, listening to music, and more.
There are a variety of listening options available, and you can spend as little or as much as you want, depending on your needs.
Features like active noise cancellation, built-in microphones, and wireless connectivity are all worth considering.
Comfort can also be important when worn for long periods of time. For this reason, as well as cleanliness, it is usually best to choose an over-ear or on-ear option for multiple students to use in class.
List of top 7 best Headphones for Study in 2025
1. Soundcore Life Q20+
The soundcore Life Q20+ is a fantastic option for those who need reliable noise-canceling headphones on a budget.
Powered by 4 microphones and a digital algorithm, the active noise-canceling technology reduces background noise by up to 90%, ensuring a quiet and immersive listening experience.
Featuring Hi-Res audio with custom 40mm dynamic drivers, they deliver precise and clear sound, perfect for keeping you focused during your study sessions.
Plus, the impressive battery life of up to 40 hours in ANC mode makes them ideal for long study marathons.
In terms of design, these over-ear headphones are built with comfort and versatility in mind. They support multipoint connectivity, allowing you to seamlessly switch between devices like your smartphone and laptop.
The memory foam earcups are designed to provide lasting comfort during long sessions.
This combination of features makes the Life Q20+ a versatile and comfortable choice for anyone who needs a good pair of headphones for studying.
2. Sony WH-1000XM4
Students need look no further than the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones. These headphones offer it all.
These headphones are one of the best headphones for active noise cancellation, making them ideal for noisy environments where concentration is key.
However, these headphones also offer an impressive 30-hour battery life, meaning you’ll only need to charge them once or twice to get through the school week.
The best part is that they’re super comfortable with soft memory foam cushioning on your ears, while still remaining breathable to prevent overheating.
The headphones’ five microphones isolate your voice from background noise and deliver the best possible clarity. They’re perfect for audio recording.
They’re expensive, but they’re also great for use outside the classroom, thanks to features like DSEE Extreme upscaling, which delivers top-notch audio quality.
There’s also a sensor that automatically pauses your music when you remove it and resumes it when you put it back on.
The 360 Reality Audio feature, which lets you hear your music as if you were in a concert hall, adds value.
3. Cambridge Audio Melomania P100
These wireless over-ear headphones earned a perfect 5/5 during our testing. That doesn’t happen very often. Sure, you’ll pay a lot for them, but there’s a reason why they’re our top premium pick.
You get a whopping 100 hours of battery life here, which makes them perfect for long study sessions.
With the ANC turned on, that drops to 60 hours, which is ideal for focusing, or you might often choose to turn the ANC off to keep a vague sense of what’s going on around you when studying in a library or other space at school, college or university.
Other features worth mentioning include the handy multipoint connectivity if you’re working across multiple devices, as well as Bluetooth 5.3, aptX Adaptive, and aptX Lossless codec compatibility.
In short, if you’re using the best devices and streaming services, you’ll get lossless 16-bit/44.1kHz resolution here.
The app lets you tweak the settings, and there’s a 7-band equalizer with a bunch of presets, among other things.
In our review, we called the sound of these headphones “endless listening”. You’ll get the most out of these headphones if you listen to Qobuz or Tidal, but we won’t judge streaming services.
They still sound great. Six microphones for top-notch ANC and call quality. The ANC is great and more than enough to block out distractions.
When you’re looking for headphones to study late at night in the library, we know that comfort is key.
These Cambridge Audio headphones will get you there with memory foam, vegan leather for the (removable) earpads, and a headband with a sturdy, well-padded fabric interior.
There are physical controls rather than touch-based controls, which some may find appealing and others may find off-putting.
4. Bose QuietComfort Ultra
Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones take your listening experience to the next level with industry-leading noise cancellation and immersive spatial audio, perfect for creating a distraction-free study environment.
Equipped with Quiet Mode, Aware Mode, and Immersion Mode, they offer customizable noise cancellation options to suit any setting.
CustomTune technology personalizes sound to your unique hearing profile, making every note come alive.
Built to withstand long study sessions with up to 24 hours of battery life, the lightweight design and luxurious materials ensure comfort.
Multipoint Bluetooth connectivity allows seamless switching between devices, making these headphones an essential tool for students managing multiple tasks.
5. 1MORE Triple Driver In-Ear Headphones
The 1MORE Triple Driver In-Ear Headphones offer incredible audio quality for the price, and with a choice of silver or gold accents, they look really sleek.
The built-in remote lets you make subtle adjustments to your music playback without having to take your phone out of your pocket (handy for sneaking music during class or when you don’t want to lose focus).
Music sounds amazing thanks to the triple-layer dynamic drivers.
These are wired headphones, so make sure your phone or MP3 player has a 3.5mm audio port. If not, you may need to buy an adapter as well.
Don’t like wires? Check out our pick of the best wireless earbuds that offer a cable-free option.
6. Sony WH-CH510
The Sony WH-CH510 on-ear headphones are a great student option that straddles the line between cheap and quality.
They’re wireless, deliver the great sound quality that Sony is known for, and their lightweight plastic construction keeps the price and weight down.
Despite their comfortable and lightweight construction, they last a whopping 35 hours on a single charge before needing a quick recharge via USB-C.
Of course, they don’t offer active noise cancellation at this price point, but the cushions do a good job of blocking out most background noise.
Since they’re on-ear rather than over-ear, they might not be as comfortable as other headphones.
They have a built-in microphone for interaction. The only downside is that they lack a 3.5mm jack, so they’re wireless only, and charging them before class is a must.
7. Skullcandy Set USB-C
If you want a super-affordable pair of buds with a wired design and USB-C connection, the Skullcandy Set is the one for you.
We know that some people prefer a reliable wired option or just want a spare pair of buds in case they forget to charge their true wireless Bluetooth pair.
As you might expect from wired buds that cost just $31.99/£29.99, the Set doesn’t offer the best sound.
In our review, we described the audio as lacking depth and being a bit weak compared to more expensive buds.
However, considering how cheap these buds are and how awful and tinny their competitors are, the sound quality is still decent.
We appreciated the design of the buds during our testing, and they’re really comfortable to listen to during long review sessions.
FAQs
Why do people wear headphones when studying?
People wear headphones to study to block out distractions and create an environment where they can focus.
Noise-cancelling headphones, in particular, help to minimize external noise, helping to increase focus and productivity in noisy environments such as libraries or communal living spaces.
Are noise-cancelling headphones good for studying?
Yes, noise-cancelling headphones are great for studying. They help to reduce the surrounding noise so that you can focus more effectively.
Whether you’re in a busy cafe or a noisy dorm, these headphones can create a quieter environment to help you focus better and improve your overall study efficiency.
Conclusion
The best headphones for studying in college should be able to block out external noise active noise-cancelling is best, provide high-quality sound across all frequencies, and be very comfortable on your ears for hours at a time.
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