Social Media Linked to Student Loneliness

More than half of college students nationwide are lonely, according to new research from the University of Cincinnati, and those who use social media the most are particularly likely to feel isolated.

The study found that spending just 16 hours a week—a little more than two hours a day—on social media was linked with higher odds of loneliness.

“I wish I could say I was shocked. I wish I could say that this was a surprising finding, but this was what I was expecting to see,” said Madelyn Hill, now an assistant professor at Ohio University, who led the study while completing her doctoral work in the University of Cincinnati’s School of Human Services in spring 2025. It was based on survey data from nearly 65,000 students ages 18 to 24 across more than 120 colleges nationwide.

Hill noted that the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic may contribute to students’ loneliness as well. “With college students, they really are our COVID kids, so they lost some of those foundational social pieces in their lives,” she said.

Loneliness was measured by asking students how often they felt left out, lacked companionship or felt isolated. Students were also asked how many hours they spent on social media in a typical week.

About 13 percent of students were classified as excessive users—defined as spending at least 16 hours a week on social media—and the more time they spent online, the higher their odds of reporting loneliness.

Students who used social media for 16 to 20 hours a week were 19 percent more likely to say they were lonely than those who didn’t use it at all. Those who spent 21 to 25 hours a week on it were 23 percent more likely, while students who spent 26 to 30 hours a week were 34 percent more likely to report feeling lonely.

The heaviest users—those spending at least 30 hours a week on social media—were 38 percent more likely to report feeling lonely.

Hill noted that the data doesn’t show a direct causal relationship, but the findings point to a clear association.

“A lot of times it becomes a very subjective experience for someone to use social media,” Hill said. “It comes down to individuals needing to assess their social media use. How are you using it? How long are you using it for? Do you find that you’re getting social connections and that your needs are being met?”

“I can’t say right now that if you use social media for two hours you’re definitely going to be lonely, but I think it gives people pause to reassess how social media is fitting into their lives,” she added.

Patterns of loneliness: Hill found that female and Black students were particularly likely to report feeling lonely regardless of social media use. In addition, students who lived at home were lonelier than those who lived on campus.

Hill said female students may experience loneliness differently because of how often and how many of them use social media.

“Research has shown that females do tend to use social media more than male students, and sometimes even the way they use it might differ, so that could change how they feel about it in their social connections,” Hill said.

For Black students, Hill speculates that their higher rates of loneliness could be due to social media platforms allowing them to “engage and connect within networks that they may not have in person or on campus.” In addition, she noted that it could also serve as a way to “escape some of the social stressors” they experience on campus.

For students who live off campus, such as with family, Hill said the physical distance from campus life may contribute to feelings of disconnection.

“When you are living at home, maybe you’re not feeling connected to students and your peers on what’s going on on campus,” Hill said. “So they may use social media as a means to stay up to date with what’s going on, to stay connected with the culture on campus.”

What colleges can do: The study said that institutions should educate students on the effects of social media and encourage them to restrict their use.

“Unfortunately, social media use is an individual-based activity, so it has to be motivated by the individual,” Hill said. “The best we can do is encourage, educate and make sure they’re aware of the time limits they can set on social media.”

Hill said higher education leaders should take a proactive role in leading campaigns on their campuses about the impacts of heavy social media use.

“I don’t think students realize how much they’re using social media, and I don’t think they realize the potential negative impacts,” Hill said. “So increasing educational campaigns and messaging around that is important.”

Ultimately, Hill said, institutions should prioritize in-person student experiences and use social media as a tool to support more of those connections.

“It really is about students assessing their own usage and understanding how they use social media and how that impacts their social needs,” Hill said. “It’s easy to say that spending two or more hours [on social media] makes you lonely, but it really is a subjective experience, and each person needs to assess it for themselves.”

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