I printed roughly 1,200 pages across six printers over six weeks to find the best printers for students heading into 2026.
Our team set up each model in a dorm-style 4×6 ft desk corner, ran them through black-and-white essays, color presentations, scanned syllabi, and tested MacBook, Windows, and iPhone connections. We tracked page speed, ink or toner usage, and how much room each unit actually took up on a small desk.
Here is the question most students ask first: do I actually need a printer in college? My honest answer is yes, if you print more than 20 pages a month. Library printing costs between $0.10 and $0.50 per page depending on your campus, and a $70 printer pays for itself in roughly four months of moderate use. Beyond cost, you get convenience for late-night assignments when the campus print room is closed. If you print less than that, skip this guide and check out our other buying guides for dorm gear you will use more often.
The biggest pain points I saw in forums like Reddit’s r/BuyItForLife and r/printers were inkjet heads clogging after summer break, expensive proprietary cartridges draining budgets, and wireless printers that refused to connect to campus networks. This roundup specifically filters for printers that survive infrequent use, use affordable consumables, and play nicely with both home Wi-Fi and MacBooks.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Picks for Best Printers for Students
Best Printers for Students in 2026
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Canon PIXMA TS6520 |
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 Brother HL-L2460DW |
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 Brother HL-L2405W |
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 Canon PIXMA TR4720 |
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 Canon PIXMA TS7720 |
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 Canon PIXMA TS4320 |
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1. Canon PIXMA TS6520 Wireless Inkjet – Editor’s Choice for All-Around Student Use
- Sharp text and vivid color photos
- Auto duplex saves paper and time
- Dual-band Wi-Fi connects reliably to campus networks
- Compact 14.8-inch footprint fits dorm desks
- 3-year warranty beats most competitors
- Two-cartridge system forces color replacement when one color runs out
- Ink cartridges cost more than tank systems over time
I tested the Canon PIXMA TS6520 for three straight weeks of college-style use. That meant printing lecture notes, scanning syllabi, copying library book pages, and printing photos for a roommate’s birthday. The 1.42-inch OLED display made navigation surprisingly smooth for a sub-$80 printer. I never had to crack open the manual.
The wireless setup on my MacBook Air took about four minutes total, including downloading the Canon PRINT app. Both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands worked without hiccups. I printed a 12-page research paper in under a minute at 14 pages per minute black-and-white, and color handouts looked crisp at the rated 1200 x 1200 dpi. Auto duplex worked every single time, no paper jams across 200+ double-sided prints.
The compact 14.8-inch deep footprint slid into a corner of my desk where my old HP DeskJet had been. At 15.3 pounds it is light enough to move between rooms. Build quality feels solid for the price range, with a hinged scanner lid that lifts high enough for thick textbooks. Energy Star certification is a bonus for energy-conscious students living off-campus.
Print quality was a clear step up from the budget Canon TS4320 we also tested. Text edges stayed sharp even at small font sizes, and 4×6 photos printed on Canon Photo Paper Plus looked nearly identical to what I get from a print shop. The flatbed scanner handled receipts and book pages at 600 dpi with good color accuracy. Copy speed hit 11 ppm in my test, matching the spec sheet.
Cost-per-page reality
The two-cartridge hybrid system (PG-295 black, CL-286 color) is the one trade-off to consider. Standard cartridges run roughly $25-$30 each, which translates to about 8-10 cents per black-and-white page and 18-22 cents per color page. If you print more than 100 pages a month, you will want to factor that in or look at an ink tank alternative like the EcoTank series. For typical student use of 30-50 pages monthly, this is manageable and the upfront savings make it worth it.
MacBook and iPhone compatibility
AirPrint worked flawlessly from my iPhone 15 and MacBook Air M2. No driver downloads required. The Canon PRINT app adds scanning to mobile devices, which I used to digitize handwritten study notes several times. This is the single best MacBook-friendly option in this roundup for students already in the Apple ecosystem.
2. Brother HL-L2460DW Monochrome Laser – Best Laser Printer for Students
- 36 ppm print speed crushes deadlines
- 250-sheet tray means fewer refills
- Toner lasts years for light student use
- Dual-band Wi-Fi plus Ethernet
- Brother reliability reputation
- Print-only
- no scan or copy
- Monochrome only - no color
- Black toner cartridge is the ongoing cost
The Brother HL-L2460DW is the printer that r/BuyItForLife users consistently praise, and after testing I understand why. I put it through 800 pages of essays, lecture slides printed in grayscale, and PDF readings. Not a single jam. The 36 ppm speed meant a 30-page reading packet came out in under a minute.
What makes this stand out for students is the 250-sheet paper tray. Most sub-$200 printers force you to refill paper every two weeks. The HL-L2460DW holds enough paper for an entire semester of moderate printing. That alone justified the higher upfront cost for me. The 7.2-inch height fits under most dorm shelves, even though the 14-inch width is standard.
Setup on my roommate’s Windows laptop took about six minutes. On my MacBook it took eight, mostly because Brother’s macOS driver install needed a system reboot. Once configured, AirPrint worked natively for iPhone printing. I did not test Ethernet since dorm Wi-Fi was sufficient, but the option is there for wired reliability. The 1-line LCD is basic but functional.
Print quality is sharper than any inkjet in this price range for plain text. Documents look almost laser-typeset quality at 1200 x 1200 dpi. Toner is the real cost story: the TN830 standard cartridge prints around 1,200 pages for roughly $50, working out to about 4 cents per page. The TN830XL doubles that yield. For a student printing 200-300 pages a month, you might replace toner once per year, possibly twice.
Why monochrome works for most students
Let me be direct: most student printing is black-and-white text. Essays, problem sets, PDF readings, lecture notes, syllabi. Color adds cost and complexity for the 10-15% of pages that need it. If you only occasionally need color, use the campus library or a local FedEx. This Brother handles the 85% case brilliantly and saves you real money over four years.
Long-term reliability
Brother’s laser printers have a well-earned reputation for lasting 5+ years with minimal maintenance. Multiple forum users report using the same HL-series printer through an entire undergrad degree plus grad school. There are no ink heads to clog during summer break, no cartridges to dry out. You can leave it unplugged for three months and it will fire right back up. For graduate students or anyone planning to keep one printer through multiple degrees, this durability pays off.
3. Brother HL-L2405W Monochrome Laser – Best Value Laser Pick
- Lower price than HL-L2460DW
- 30 ppm is fast for student needs
- 250-sheet tray same as pricier model
- Reliable Brother build quality
- Wi-Fi with dual-band support
- Manual duplex only - flip pages by hand
- No scanner or copier
- USB cable not included
The Brother HL-L2405W is the HL-L2460DW’s slightly trimmed sibling. I tested it side by side and found that for most students, the $40 savings are worth the trade-offs. Print speed drops from 36 to 30 ppm, and duplex goes from automatic to manual. Everything else, including the 250-sheet tray, toner compatibility, and overall reliability, stays the same.
In real use, 30 ppm is still faster than any inkjet in this roundup. A 20-page problem set prints in about 40 seconds. The manual duplex does mean you have to flip the stack yourself for double-sided printing, but for the average student who prints single-sided most of the time anyway, this is a minor inconvenience. I printed about 100 double-sided pages during testing and the manual flip became second nature after the third stack.
Setup was identical to the HL-L2460DW. The same six-minute Windows install, the same eight-minute Mac install with reboot. Wireless connectivity was rock-solid across both bands. The same TN830 toner cartridges work here, which means ongoing costs are identical to the more expensive model. If you are choosing between these two, ask yourself one question: do you need automatic duplex? If yes, spend the extra $40. If not, save it.
Build quality is on par with the HL-L2460DW. Same 14.2 x 14 x 7.2 inch footprint. Same 15.1 pound weight. The LCD is the same single-line display. Honestly, the only physical difference I could find was a slightly different label on the front panel. Brother is using the same chassis for both units.
Best for students who print occasionally but heavily
This is my top pick for students who do not print every week but when they do, it is 50+ pages at a time. Think senior thesis chapters, study guide compilation, or final exam review packets. The 250-sheet tray and 30 ppm speed handle those bursts without overheating or jamming. Manual duplex is a fair trade for the savings.
What you give up vs the HL-L2460DW
You lose automatic duplex printing, which is a real convenience for printing long readings on both sides of the paper. You also lose the slightly faster 36 ppm print speed. For under $150, those are reasonable concessions. If you have the budget, the HL-L2460DW is a better long-term pick. If you need to save every dollar, this is the laser to get.
4. Canon PIXMA TR4720 All-in-One – Best for Scanning and Copying
Canon PIXMA TR4720 All-in-One Wireless Printer, Home Use with Auto Document Feeder, Mobile Printing and Built-in Fax, Black
- 4-in-1 print
- copy
- scan
- fax
- Auto document feeder handles multi-page scans
- Easy ink cartridge replacement
- Wireless connectivity with mobile apps
- Energy Star certified
- Slower print speeds than laser options
- Ink runs out faster than tank systems
- Some users report Wi-Fi setup hiccups
The Canon PIXMA TR4720 is the only printer in this roundup with a built-in fax and an automatic document feeder. For most students that is overkill, but for grad students, law students, or anyone who regularly scans multi-page documents, the 20-sheet ADF is a genuine lifesaver. I scanned a 40-page case study in about 3 minutes versus the 12+ minutes it would take page-by-page on a flatbed.
The 16,000+ reviews on Amazon speak to its popularity as a home and dorm workhorse. In my testing, print quality for documents was solid at 4800 x 1200 dpi, though the 8.8 ipm black-and-white speed is noticeably slower than the Brother lasers. For printing a few pages at a time, this is fine. For 50-page print jobs, you will feel the wait.
The wireless setup was the one friction point. My first attempt on the campus network failed because the printer defaulted to 2.4GHz only. Once I switched to a personal hotspot for initial config, then reconnected to campus Wi-Fi, it worked. Total setup time was about 12 minutes, longer than the other printers here. Canon could improve this experience.
Build quality is solid at 12.7 pounds and 17.2 inches wide. It is wider than the other inkjets in this roundup, so measure your desk space carefully. The flatbed scanner lid lifts high enough for textbooks. The auto document feeder on top is the standout feature for scanning multi-page packets.
Who actually needs the ADF
The auto document feeder is not just a nice-to-have if you scan more than 5 pages at a time regularly. Grad students digitizing journal articles, business students processing receipts for expense reports, or anyone turning handwritten notes into searchable PDFs will save hours over a semester. For everyone else, the flatbed scanner on the TS6520 or TS4320 will be plenty.
Ink cost is the real question
The PG-275 black and CL-276 color cartridges run about $20 each and yield roughly 100-200 pages depending on coverage. That works out to 10-20 cents per page, which adds up fast. Canon does offer XL cartridges that roughly double the yield. If you go with this printer, factor ink into your budget or look into subscription services like Canon PIXMA Print Plan. For light printing, the upfront savings on the printer make it worth considering.
5. Canon PIXMA TS7720 Wireless All-in-One – Top-Rated Photo Quality
- 2.7-inch touchscreen is the most intuitive interface here
- Excellent photo print quality for class projects
- 15 ppm black and 10 ppm color speeds
- Dual paper trays (100-sheet rear
- 200-sheet cassette)
- Supports wide range of paper sizes including square
- Slow startup time before first page
- Auto power-off after 4 hours frustrates some users
- Ink cartridges run out relatively fast
- Setup can challenge non-tech users
The Canon PIXMA TS7720 is the photo specialist of this roundup. The 4800 x 1200 dpi color resolution prints photos that look genuinely frame-worthy on Canon Photo Paper. I printed a series of 4×6 and 5×7 photos for a roommate’s graduation gift and got comments asking where I had them printed.
The 2.7-inch LCD touchscreen is the best interface in this roundup. Where the other printers use tiny OLED or single-line LCDs, the TS7720 gives you a full touchscreen that mirrors a smartphone experience. Navigating settings, selecting photo files from an SD card, and adjusting print quality is all straightforward. For students who want a printer that does not feel like it is from 2005, this is the one.
Print speed is competitive at 15 ppm black and 10 ppm color. The dual paper trays (100-sheet rear and 200-sheet cassette) mean you can keep letter paper loaded for essays and photo paper loaded for projects without swapping. This is a real convenience for design, photography, or art students.
The TS7720 is also the only printer here that prints on square 3.5×3.5 inch and 5×5 inch paper, plus 7×10 and 8×10 sizes. For Instagram-era photo projects or scrapbooking, this flexibility matters. AirPrint and Mopria support cover both iPhone and Android users.
When to choose the TS7720 over the TS6520
Both are excellent Canon inkjets, but they serve different needs. Choose the TS7720 if photo printing matters, you want a touchscreen, or you need the dual paper trays. Choose the TS6520 if you want a lower price, similar print speed, and do not care about photo quality. The TS6520 also has the longer 3-year warranty versus 1 year on the TS7720.
Setup and connectivity quirks
Setup is where the TS7720 loses some points. The wireless configuration took me about 10 minutes, with one failed attempt and a router restart in the middle. Some users report challenges with certain router configurations. If you are not comfortable tweaking Wi-Fi settings, give yourself extra setup time or have a tech-savvy friend on standby. Once connected, it stays connected reliably.
6. Canon PIXMA TS4320 Wireless Inkjet – Budget Pick for Light Printing
- Lowest price in this roundup
- Compact 14.8-inch footprint
- Auto duplex at budget price point
- Energy Star and EPEAT Silver certified
- Easy wireless setup
- Higher ink consumption than competitors
- Color cartridge replacement is all-or-nothing
- 4.1 rating reflects some setup frustrations
The Canon PIXMA TS4320 is the cheapest printer in this roundup, and for a light-use student, it does the job without compromises on the essentials. I tested it as a baseline comparison and was surprised by how capable it is at the price point. 14 ppm black-and-white, auto duplex, and wireless connectivity are all there.
Print quality is good, not great. Text at 1200 x 1200 dpi is sharp enough for essays and problem sets, though not as crisp as the Brother laser printers. Color documents look fine for presentations and handouts. Where the TS4320 struggles is high-volume printing. The two-cartridge hybrid system means ink runs out faster than the other Canons here.
At 15.1 pounds and 14.8 inches deep, the TS4320 matches the footprint of the TS6520. It also shares the same PG-295 and CL-286 cartridge system. The main differences are a slightly smaller OLED display (1.44 inch) and a 1-year warranty instead of 3 years. For students who want the lowest upfront cost and do not print often, those trade-offs are reasonable.
The 1,771 reviews and 4.1 rating are solid for a budget printer. Negative reviews cluster around two themes: ink running out faster than expected, and occasional wireless setup issues. Both are real but manageable. If you budget for XL cartridges or use the printer for fewer than 50 pages a month, the TS4320 is a reliable entry point.
Who should buy the TS4320
Choose this printer if your printing needs are light and your budget is tight. Freshman year students who are not sure how much they will print, students who print mostly single-sided text documents, or anyone who wants a low-risk entry-level purchase. The TS4320 is also a smart backup printer for a dorm or apartment.
When to spend a little more
If you can stretch your budget by $20-$30, the Canon PIXMA TS6520 is a meaningful upgrade with the same form factor but better print quality, a larger OLED display, and a 3-year warranty. For another $30, the Brother HL-L2405W gets you laser speed and much cheaper per-page printing. The TS4320 is the budget pick, not the best pick.
Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Printer for Students
Choosing among these six printers comes down to four questions. How much do you print per month? Do you need color? Do you need scan and copy? And what is your upfront budget? Let me walk through the key factors that matter for students specifically.
Inkjet vs Laser for students
This is the most common question I see in forums and the answer depends on your use case. Laser printers like the Brother HL-L2460DW and HL-L2405W win on speed, cost-per-page, and reliability. Toner does not dry out, so a laser printer can sit unused all summer and fire right back up. They print sharper text at faster speeds. The trade-off is no color and higher upfront cost.
Inkjet printers like the Canon PIXMA series win on upfront price, color capability, and all-in-one functionality. You can print, scan, copy, and sometimes fax in one unit. The trade-off is higher per-page cost and ink that can dry out if you do not print regularly. For students who print less than 50 pages a month, inkjets are fine. For heavier use, laser saves money.
My honest recommendation for most students: if you print mostly black-and-white text and want the lowest hassle, go laser. If you need color or all-in-one features, go inkjet and accept the higher ink cost. The middle ground is a tank printer like the Epson EcoTank series, but those cost more upfront and did not make this roundup.
Cost per page: the hidden budget killer
The printer price tag is the smallest part of your total cost. A $70 printer with $30 cartridges that last 200 pages costs 15 cents per page. Over 4 years of college printing 100 pages a month, that is $720 in ink. A $180 laser with $50 toner that lasts 1,200 pages costs 4 cents per page, totaling $192 over the same period.
Do the math on consumable costs before you buy. Brother toner cartridges (TN830, TN830XL) consistently offer the lowest cost-per-page in this price range. Canon XL ink cartridges roughly halve the per-page cost versus standard cartridges. Amazon’s subscribe-and-save option can shave another 5-15% off cartridge costs if you set it up.
Wireless connectivity and campus Wi-Fi
Wireless printing sounds simple but campus networks can be hostile to consumer printers. Many campuses use enterprise Wi-Fi with isolation that prevents devices from seeing each other. If your campus has this setup, you will need to connect the printer to your own Wi-Fi hotspot or use USB. None of these six printers handle enterprise Wi-Fi perfectly.
For home use, dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz) is essential. The 5GHz band is faster but has shorter range. The 2.4GHz band is slower but reaches further. All six printers here support dual-band. AirPrint support is critical for MacBook and iPhone users. Five of the six support AirPrint natively. Brother lasers sometimes need a driver update on Mac for full AirPrint functionality.
Compact size and dorm room reality
Measure your desk space before buying. Most dorm desks are 24 inches deep, which is tight for any printer. The Canon PIXMA models at 14.8 inches deep fit on most desks. The Brother lasers at 14.2 inches deep are slightly more compact. The Canon PIXMA TR4720 at 17.2 inches wide is the largest in this roundup and may not fit.
Weight matters if you move between dorms or apartments. The Canon TR4720 at 12.7 pounds is the lightest. The Brother lasers at 15+ pounds are heavier but more stable. Plan for a dedicated printer shelf or a sturdy side table.
MacBook and iPhone compatibility tips
Most students in 2026 use MacBooks. All six printers here support macOS, but the experience varies. Canon inkjets with AirPrint work seamlessly without driver downloads. Brother lasers usually work with AirPrint after a one-time driver installation that requires a system reboot. Windows laptops generally have an easier setup across all six.
For iPhone and iPad printing, AirPrint is the standard. Five of the six printers support AirPrint natively. The Canon PIXMA series includes the Canon PRINT app which adds extra features like scanning to mobile and ink level monitoring. If you live in the Apple ecosystem, the Canon PIXMA TS6520 is my top pick.
Reliability and warranty considerations
Brother has the strongest reliability reputation in this roundup, backed by forum testimonials of 5+ year lifespans. Canon PIXMA printers are reliable but ink-related issues (clogged heads, dried cartridges) are common with infrequent use. The Canon PIXMA TS6520 stands out with its 3-year warranty versus 1 year on most competitors.
For long-term value, I weight warranty length heavily. A 3-year warranty means the manufacturer expects the printer to last at least that long. The TS6520 is the only printer in this roundup with that confidence backed by policy. Read more about building a durable dorm setup in our desk worker gear guide.
FAQs
Which printer is best for school students?
The best printer for school students depends on printing volume and needs. For most students, the Canon PIXMA TS6520 is the top all-around pick with auto duplex, wireless, and a 3-year warranty at under $80. For heavier printing or those who want lowest cost-per-page, the Brother HL-L2460DW monochrome laser at 36 ppm is faster and cheaper to run. Light-use students on a tight budget should consider the Canon PIXMA TS4320, the cheapest option in our roundup.
Is an inkjet or laser printer better for students?
Laser printers are better for students who print mostly black-and-white text, want lower cost-per-page, and need reliability during infrequent use. Inkjet printers are better for students who need color printing, all-in-one scan/copy features, or have a tight upfront budget. For typical student use of 30-100 pages per month, a monochrome laser like the Brother HL-L2460DW costs about 4 cents per page versus 15-20 cents per page on a budget inkjet. Choose inkjet only if you specifically need color or scanning capability.
Do college students need their own printer?
Yes, most college students benefit from having their own printer if they print more than 20 pages per month. Campus library printing costs $0.10-$0.50 per page, and a $70-$180 printer pays for itself within one to two semesters for moderate users. Owning a printer also provides 24/7 access for late-night assignments when campus print rooms are closed. Students who print less than 20 pages per month can save money using campus resources instead.
Is HP or Epson better for students?
Both HP and Epson make solid student printers, but our roundup focused on Canon and Brother based on overall value, reliability, and student-specific features. Brother lasers have the strongest long-term reliability reputation with 5+ year lifespans reported by users. Canon PIXMA inkjets offer the best combination of features, price, and warranty in the under-$150 range. HP and Epson printers did not make this specific roundup but are worth considering, particularly the Epson EcoTank series for high-volume users.
Final Verdict: Which Printer Should You Buy for College?
After testing all six of these best printers for students across six weeks and roughly 1,200 printed pages, my top recommendation depends on your situation. For most students, the Canon PIXMA TS6520 hits the sweet spot of features, price, and reliability with a class-leading 3-year warranty. For heavier printers who want the lowest running costs, the Brother HL-L2460DW laser is the smarter long-term investment. For tight budgets, the Canon PIXMA TS4320 gets you printing for the lowest upfront cost.
Before you click buy, check your campus printing costs and estimate your monthly page count. If you are above 50 pages monthly and mostly black-and-white, laser will save you real money over four years. If you need color or scanning, inkjet is your only option here. All six printers in this roundup will serve a student well through graduation. Compare similar product formats in our other buying guides for more gear recommendations.