Smile and Learn: The Top US Universities with the Happiest Students Revealed – Guess Which Alma Mater of a Tech Giant Takes the Crown
Auburn University Tops List of American Colleges with the Happiest Students
A happy college life plays a crucial role in determining whether students can complete their studies successfully. According to a recent Gallup survey, emotional stress is one of the top reasons why students consider dropping out. Studying at a happy university can stimulate students’ enthusiasm for learning and is more likely to reduce students’ negative emotions.
The Princeton Review recently released the list of the happiest American colleges, ranking universities based on how much the students surveyed agreed with the statement “I am happy at school.” The results showed that Auburn University in Alabama topped the list and was named the American university with the happiest students. Public information shows that Apple CEO Tim Cook received a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering from the university in 1982.
The Top 10 Colleges with the Happiest Students
- Auburn University: Auburn, Alabama
- Kansas State University: Manhattan, Kansas
- Taylor University: Upland, Indiana
- University of Dallas: Irving, Texas
- Thomas Aquinas College: Santa Paula, California
- Texas Christian University: Fort Worth, Texas
- Washington State University: Pullman, Washington
- Marist College: Poughkeepsie, New York
- Emory University: Atlanta, Georgia
- Angelo State University: San Angelo, Texas
Auburn University is ranked in the top 50 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The university maintains a high level of research activity and high standards of teaching excellence, offering bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in various fields. The school enrolled 31,764 students in 2022.
Carolina Williams, a 25-year-old who chose Auburn over Yale in 2017, shared her positive experience at the university. “I made some amazing friends there. I got involved with some amazing organizations that provided me with amazing experiences,” Williams said. “You can actually go up to a professor and ask, ‘What are you researching? Can I help you?’ And the answer is: yes.”
Many Auburn students, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, have been successful after college. According to Payscale, Auburn graduates earn a median annual salary of $69,700 in their first five years of work, while alumni with more than 10 years of experience earn a median annual salary of $126,100.
Kansas State University, ranked second, has more than 150 years of tradition and achievement, offering over 250 undergraduate majors and courses on three campuses, as well as a variety of global online courses. The university has comprehensive agricultural and research facilities.
One student praised the university’s leadership opportunities and excellent communication about resources available to students. The school “pays a lot of attention to showing students what they are paying for and listens to student feedback on fees/service prices.”