Auburn University ranks No. 1 for happiest students in the nation

Auburn University, located in the “Loveliest Village on the Plains,” is also home to the happiest students in the nation, according to The Princeton Review’s 2025 rankings released this week.

Auburn ranked No. 1 nationally in the “happiest students” category as part of The Princeton Review’s annual “Best 390 Colleges” rankings list. Criteria for the rankings was based on data from surveys of 168,000 students at the 390 schools featured in the review. The student survey included 89 questions, asking students about their life at their university, their fellow students and themselves.

“At Auburn, we are firmly committed to an exceptional student experience. We want our campus to be a place where all students can thrive, and this ranking affirms that we are on the right track,” said Bobby Woodard, Auburn’s senior vice president for student affairs. “The student experience goes beyond academics. Our students benefit tremendously from opportunities to make meaningful connections, hone leadership skills and grow personally and professionally.”

Princeton Review also ranked Auburn second nationally for “Best Athletic Facilities,” fourth in the category of “Town-Gown Relations Are Great,” sixth for “Friendliest Students” and eighth for “Best Quality of Life.”

The top ranking for happiest students comes as no surprise to Jack Hilton, Auburn’s Student Government Association president.

“My time at Auburn has been incredible,” he said. “Students get a first-class education, much of which comes from taking advantage of the endless opportunities to get involved. Auburn takes student feedback seriously, and it creates a campus that truly feels like home.”

Auburn senior Sara Lipe, a public relations major, agrees.

"As a senior at Auburn University, I have had the privilege of experiencing firsthand why Auburn has been recognized as having the happiest students,” she said. “There's a saying often heard on campus: ‘If you love Auburn, Auburn will love you back.’ I believe that Auburn is recognized for having the happiest students because you don't just find a school but a community that breathes life into those words, creating an environment where every individual can feel seen, valued and deeply connected.”

Auburn student Jackson Russell said she finds a new reason to smile on Auburn’s campus daily.

"There’s no doubt in my mind that Auburn University has the happiest students,” she said. “Looking back on freshman year, I fell in love with Auburn because everywhere I turned, I was surrounded by smiling faces and a guiding hand. As I start my senior year, I look back on ample happy memories with friends that I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t chosen Auburn."

Garrett Ashley said it all comes down to a feeling of home and two words known well on the Plains: Auburn Family. 

“From the moment I first stepped on campus when I was touring colleges, I could feel the joy and the spirit and pride that lives within every Auburn student! Whether that's at a football game, walking around campus or even in class, you can tell that everyone is truly proud to be a part of the Auburn Family, and I think our combined passion and love for this school makes us love it even more! Auburn just feels like home, and it feels like family. I couldn't imagine a happier place to be!" 

In addition to the Princeton Review rankings, the 2024 U.S. News and World Report rankings listed Auburn as the No. 1 university in Alabama and among the top 50 public universities in the nation. An annual list by Money noted Auburn as among the Best Colleges in America, and a 2024 Niche.com ranking named Auburn in the top 25 of colleges with the best student life in America. The Higher Education Research and Development Survey has listed Auburn among the nation’s top 11% of research institutions. 

And the demand for an Auburn degree has never been higher. Auburn’s total enrollment increased 2.6% over last year, with a record percentage of in-state students beginning the fall 2024 semester. Pre-census semester data — which will be confirmed officially on the Sept. 9 census date — revealed the land-grant institution’s full-time undergraduate enrollment is 24,953, with Alabama residents constituting a record 62% of full-time enrolled undergraduates. That is a 4% increase of in-state students over 2023 and the largest percentage of Alabama residents enrolled in the university’s nearly 170-year history.