Best Books For College Students

After a long day of school, college students may not want to spend leisure time reading. A survey by the National Endowment of the Arts found that about half of adults read a book for pleasure in 2017. But personal reading can help college students and recent graduates deepen their knowledge and broaden their horizons. Reading outside of class also prepares undergraduate students to transition into the workforce.

Our list of the best books for college students includes fiction and nonfiction. These books explore topics including getting a job, building sustainable habits, and improving financial literacy.

Books for College Students

The best books for college students can help readers gain knowledge and find new passions. The following book recommendations can help learners build healthy habits and develop financial literacy.

Starting a New Chapter

• Evensong  by Gail Godwin
  This novel explores tragedy, love, and family. Evensong chronicles the events of an American town, which shape its inhabitants. Gail Godwin delves into the complexities that define humanity.
• How Will You Measure Your Life?  by Dr. Clayton M. Christensen
  A professor at Harvard Business School, Clayton M. Christensen applies management theory to people's lives. This book helps readers examine their lives to build happier careers and stronger relationships.

Creating Good Habits

• How to Win Friends and Influence People  by Dale Carnegie
  This comprehensive guide to connecting with people and overcoming challenges has helped millions of readers reach their goals.
• The Power of Habit  by Charles Duhigg
  What does science say about making habits or changing destructive habits? Charles Duhigg creates a narrative drawn from scientific research. This book explains human nature and encourages readers to transform their lives.

Developing Fiscal Responsibility

• The Minimalist Budget  by Simeon Lindstrom
  Many college students have never made a budget. Simeon Lindstrom helps readers build sustainable spending habits, avoid debt, and apply financial principles.
• I Want More Pizza: Real World Money Skills for High School, College, and Beyond  by Steve Burkholder
  This guide to financial literacy explores core topics including saving, spending, setting goals, and investing. Burkholder offers advice on student loans and credit cards for college students.

Healthy Living

• How to Cook Without a Book  by Pam Anderson
  In this classic cookbook, Pam Anderson teaches easy techniques to create delicious meals. Designed for busy cooks, the book helps readers cook without recipes.
• The 5-Ingredient College Cookbook  by Pamela Ellgen
  College students often lack time, money, and fancy kitchen tools. This simple cookbook helps college students make fresh and healthy meals on a budget, using only five main ingredients.

Discovering Your Passion

• Can I Be Me? Living Authentically in Person on Purpose  by Cheryl Lacey Donovan
  Living authentically is a process, according to Cheryl Lacey Donovan. Her book guides readers on an introspective journey to self-awareness and self-confidence. She encourages readers to build a happy life.
• The Entrepreneur Mind  by Kevin D. Johnson
  In this book, Kevin D. Johnson explains how to think like an entrepreneur. Distilling knowledge from case studies and successful entrepreneurs, Johnson offers vital business lessons.

Getting a Job

• The Obstacle is the Way  by Ryan Holiday
  Obstacles are opportunities, according to Ryan Holiday. In this book, Holiday explains how to meet challenges with perseverance. Readers learn to turn obstacles into opportunities. Drawing on ancient Greek philosophy, the book encourages a growth mindset.
• Never Eat Alone  by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz
  What's the secret to success? It's connecting with people. Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz explain how building relationships helps people succeed in business and their personal lives.

Discovering Your Passion

• Can I Be Me? Living Authentically in Person on Purpose  by Cheryl Lacey Donovan
  Living authentically is a process, according to Cheryl Lacey Donovan. Her book guides readers on an introspective journey to self-awareness and self-confidence. She encourages readers to build a happy life.
• The Entrepreneur Mind  by Kevin D. Johnson
  In this book, Kevin D. Johnson explains how to think like an entrepreneur. Distilling knowledge from case studies and successful entrepreneurs, Johnson offers vital business lessons.

Getting a Job

• The Obstacle is the Way  by Ryan Holiday
  Obstacles are opportunities, according to Ryan Holiday. In this book, Holiday explains how to meet challenges with perseverance. Readers learn to turn obstacles into opportunities. Drawing on ancient Greek philosophy, the book encourages a growth mindset.
• Never Eat Alone  by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz
  What's the secret to success? It's connecting with people. Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz explain how building relationships helps people succeed in business and their personal lives.

Becoming Well-Rounded

• Compounding Your Confidence  by Jill Johnson
  This book helps readers develop confidence and broaden their opportunities. Management consultant Jill Johnson encourages readers to leverage their skills in and out of the classroom.
• Just Mercy  by Bryan Stevenson
  Lawyer Bryan Stevenson founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a group devoted to defending vulnerable individuals. His book explores the case of Walter McMillian, who was sentenced to death, and Stevenson's efforts to secure justice.

Books for Recent Graduates

After reading the best books for college students, recent graduates can consider the following books. The list below highlights book recommendations to help recent graduates transition to the workforce.

Starting a New Chapter

• Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation  by Parker Palmer
  College graduates can find success by listening to their inner teacher. Parker Palmer blends stories from his life and others to provide insights on finding your pathway and your vocation.
• Now What?! Conversations about College, Graduation, and the Next Step  by Ari King
  Ari King interviewed more than 60 recent college graduates to write this guide to navigating post-college years. King also spoke with established professionals to learn how students transition from school into the workforce.

Creating Good Habits

• The Defining Decade  by Dr. Meg Jay
  Meg Jay calls the twenties the defining decade. Jay encourages readers to make the most of these years, rather than letting them slip by. The book blends science with personal stories to help recent graduates make effective use of their time.
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People  by Stephen R. Covey
  Stephen R. Covey introduces principle-centered strategies for solving problems. The book offers a pathway for prioritizing fairness, integrity, and dignity in readers' professional and personal lives.

Developing Fiscal Responsibility

• You are a Badass at Making Money  by Jen Sincero
  This funny and practical book helps readers understand their beliefs about money. Filled with bite-sized tips, the book explains life-changing concepts to help readers break bad habits.
• The Top 10 Distinctions Between Millionaires and the Middle Class  by Keith Cameron Smith
  Entrepreneur Keith Cameron Smith shows readers how to think like a millionaire. Readers learn how to move up the economic ladder by thinking strategically and taking calculated risks.

Healthy Living

• The Intuitive Eating Workbook  by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch
  The Intuitive Eating Workbook encourages readers to listen to their natural hunger cues, rather than trying fad diets. The workbook explains how to recognize hunger signs and details ten principles of intuitive eating.
• Martha Stewart's Cooking School  by Martha Stewart
  This book helps home cooks of all levels advance their cooking skills. Martha Stewart offers advice, tips, and strategies. Readers receive a culinary master class.

Discovering Your Passion

• 12 Rules for Life  by Jordan Peterson
  Psychologist Jordan Peterson offers 12 practical rules for life. This book reviews concepts from ancient traditions and modern scientific research. Peterson encourages readers to transform their minds.
• The Happiness of Pursuit  by Chris Guillebeau
  Social entrepreneur Chris Guillebeau explains how committing to a project helps people find purpose in their work and lives. The ambitious approach encourages readers to prioritize fulfillment through pursuit.

Getting a Job

• The 10X Rule  by Grant Cardone
  Grant Cardone introduces readers to a philosophy on success. By tackling risk aversion, readers learn how to advance their careers, solve problems, and reach their goals.
• Lean In for Graduates  by Sheryl Sandberg
  Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg offers advice for graduates in this edition of Lean In. The book features six new chapters with expert advice on finding a first job, writing a resume, and negotiating a salary.

Becoming Well-Rounded

• You Learn by Living  by Eleanor Roosevelt
  First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt offers her thoughts on living a meaningful life with civic pride in this book. A personal and timeless work, this book delivers valuable insights for recent graduates.
• Man's Search for Meaning  by Viktor Frankl
  Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl wrote this book after surviving Nazi concentration camps in the 1940s. Man's Search for Meaning offers lessons for survival, including finding meaning in suffering.

Tips for Making the Most Out of Your College Reads

College students can build habits that help them keep reading after graduation. Instead of limiting reading to textbooks and class assignments, read widely outside of school. The following tips can help students make the most of their reading experience.

• Join a Book Club
  Colleges often host multiple book clubs on campus. Joining a book club can help learners stay in touch with college friends after graduation. Participants of in-person and virtual book clubs benefit from in-depth conversations. Students can also start a book club focused on a particular theme, such as personal finance or bestselling fiction.
• Explore Social Platforms for Readers
  Readers can connect on various social platforms. Websites such as Goodreads help readers find their next book and share reviews. Other active platforms for readers include Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Users offer book recommendations and advice for students and recent graduates.
• Plan Your Next Book in Advance
  Planning can support ongoing reading habits. Choosing a book in advance ensures readers do not finish a book without beginning another. Readers can set an annual goal, select a book for each month, or participate in book clubs.
• Arrange a Book Swap
  Purchasing books can be expensive, but college students can choose affordable ways to fuel their reading habits. Learners can arrange a book swap with friends. They can check out books from free public libraries or their campus library. Readers may also consider book subscriptions.

Genevieve Carlton

Genevieve Carlton holds a Ph.D. in history from Northwestern University and earned tenure as a history professor at the University of Louisville. An award-winning historian and writer, Genevieve has published multiple scholarly articles and a book with the University of Chicago Press. She currently works as a freelance writer and consultant.