The best headphones for students make for ideal audio interactions, in privacy, during class, and beyond.
Headphones can allow individual students to each interact with their devices, in class, without distracting others or losing concentration. These are also ideal for language learning, watching coding guidance, following quiz questions, taking instructions, listening to music, and more.
Lots of listening options are out there, and based on needs, you can spend as little or as much as you want. Features such as active noise cancelling, built-in microphones, and wireless connectivity are all worth considering.
Comfort can also be important if these are to be worn for long periods of time. For that reason, and cleanliness, it's usually best to go with over-the-ear or on-the-ear options for use in class by multiple students.
So, all that considered, here are the best headphones for students.
1. Sony WH-1000XM4: Best headphones for students overall
Students need look no further than the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones as these do it all. These are one of the best pairs of headphones for active noise cancellation, making these ideal for noisy environments in which focus is important. But these also offer an impressive 30-hour battery life so only one or two charges are necessary to get through the school week.
Crucially, these are very comfortable with a soft memory foam cushioning that is gentle on the ears while also remaining breathable to avoid overheating. The five microphones in these headphones will isolate your voice from any background noise, delivering it with the utmost clarity – ideal for recording audio.
These are expensive but can be used beyond the classroom with features such as DSEE Extreme upscaling for top quality sound. It even has a sensor that automatically pauses music when you remove these and plays again when you put these back on. The 360 Reality Audio feature that lets you listen to music as if you are in a concert hall also adds to the value.
Want to save a buck? Go for the previous generation Sony WH-1000XM3, which are available for a little less with little noticeable difference.
2. Plantronics BackBeat Go 810: Best affordable wireless headphones for students
The Plantronics BackBeat Go 810 headphones are a superb option for students who don't want to blow their budget but still want some top features and decent quality. The result is comfortable over-ear headphones that also look great and offer active noise cancellation.
The sound quality is excellent with a balance and warmth that you'd expect from a far more expensive headset. Tech from the company's more high-end kit is crammed in to get that warm sound and consistent wireless connection that make these headphones a pleasure to use. Or, more to the point, make you forget you're using headphones – leaving more focus on learning.
The microphone is built-in and clearly picks up a voice for interactive experiences. Combined with the noise cancelation quality, it makes for an insulated, clear, and focused learning experience that can go on all day thanks to the comfort of those ear pads.
3. 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphone: Best value in-ear for students
The 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphone takes value for money to another level with a super affordable yet highly capable setup that's ideal for students. The in-ear nature of these make them unobtrusive and allows you to appear as if you're not wearing headphones while in class.
But it's the audio quality that makes this jump out at the price point. Grammy award-winning sound engineer Luca Bernard has tuned these to take full advantage of those triple drivers. The ergonomic tips make these comfortable while also passively keeping out background noise.
The remote feels a little plastic, but at this price something has to give and since students likely won't use the remote much anyway during classes, this is a super setup.
4. Lypertek Tevi: Best truly wireless earbuds for students
The Lypertek Tevi earbuds let students go totally wireless for ultimate comfort and freedom of movement during lessons and beyond. These do this while also remaining relatively affordable when you consider how much tech is crammed into these little buds.
Sound quality is decent and even surpasses that of some big-name rival brands that charge far more. Battery life is useful at 10 hours, with a case that extends that to a total of 70 hours – more than enough for a week of classes and beyond. Then it's a high-speed USB-C charge to get back quickly to full power.
The built-in microphone makes these a do-it-all solution for class and day-to-day life. But the IPX7 waterproofing also make these great sports earbuds, adding even greater value.
5. Apple AirPods Pro: Best for Apple fan students
The Apple AirPods Pro are very expensive, and there's no getting away from that with an Apple product. Yet these manage to justify that price. These are designed to work seamlessly with Apple devices and also offer some truly impressive noise cancelling.
Not only is outside noise removed for the listener but also any excess audio is removed for the microphones, so students can hear and be heard clearly. The silicone earbuds allow the user to find the ideal fit, making these viable workout buddies too.
Get five hours on a charge but pop these back in their carry for a total longevity of 24 hours, making this ideal for learning without worry about charging.
6. Sony WH-CH510: Best value on-ear headphones for students
The Sony WH-CH510 on-ear headphones are a great student option as these straddle the line of affordability and quality. These are wireless and offer Sony-level superior sound quality, and feature a light plastic build to keep the price, and weight, low.
Despite the comfy lightweight build, these manage a whopping 35 hours on a single charge before a quick recharge via USB-C. Of course, these won't offer active noise cancelling for that price but the cushioning does a good job of drowning out most background noise anyway. These are on ear, not over ear, so these headphones may not be as comfy as others.
It has a built-in microphone for interactivity. The only downside is a lack of 3.5mm jack, so you can only use these wirelessly, and charging before any class will be essential.
7. EarFun Air Pro 2: Best budget friendly wireless ANC earbuds
The EarFun Air Pro 2 earbuds are totally wireless, surprisingly affordable, and offer great active noise cancelling, battery life, and audio performance. These water-resistant earbuds have built-in microphones to pick up your voice but also to pick-up and actively remove background noise. As such, you can hear and be heard clearly, no matter the background noise.
These are super comfortable with varying rubber tips to fit most ears. These have a decent seven-hour battery, however, the carrying case recharge is good for a massive 34 hours. Bluetooth connectivity makes these easy to connect to multiple devices, and tap controls allow you to vary volume easily. A stunning set of buds for the price.
