The 8 Best Printers for College Students of 2026, Ranked & Reviewed

Our verdict: The most flexible compact printer for a general student.

The HP DeskJet 4355 is a wireless color inkjet that prints, scans and copies from a compact body, and it comes with a 3-month Instant Ink trial. Instant Ink bills by pages printed, not by cartridge, which softens the early cost for a student who prints in bursts. Its price tier is $50 to $100.

It takes first place because it covers every basic need without specializing in one. The Canon TS4320 adds duplex but is aimed at color-heavy work, and the Brother laser gives up scanning and color entirely. This is the printer to buy before your major sets the demands.

Buy it if you are undeclared or print a mix of essays and the odd color page. The caveat is running cost: inkjet cartridges add up over a semester, and the listing shows no duplex, so long readings cost double the paper. Skip it if you print hundreds of text pages monthly.

Type

Wireless color inkjet AIO

Functions

Print, scan, copy

Ink plan

3-month Instant Ink trial

Price tier

$50-100

Our verdict: Duplex printing makes it the best pick for visual coursework.

The Canon PIXMA TS4320 is a wireless color inkjet that prints, copies and scans, and it adds automatic duplex so a long reading uses half the paper. A 1-year limited warranty comes with it, and the price tier is $50 to $100. Color matters here because art, design and architecture students print mockups and proofs that need accurate output on every page.

It takes second place because duplex saves paper on long readings, a feature the HP DeskJet lacks. The HP wins overall only because its Instant Ink trial and broader appeal edge it out. Against the TR4720 below, the TS4320 trades the document feeder for two-sided printing.

Buy it if you are in a visual major or print in color weekly. The caveat is the same inkjet running cost as the HP, and no document feeder, so scanning a stack means lifting the lid each time.

Type

Wireless color inkjet AIO

Duplex

Yes

Warranty

1-year limited

Price tier

$50-100

Our verdict: A black-and-white laser for students who print a lot of text.

The Brother HL-L2405W is a compact monochrome laser with wireless and mobile printing and Alexa support. It also includes a Refresh Subscription trial. Laser toner does not dry out the way inkjet cartridges do when a printer sits idle between assignments, and toner pages generally cost less than ink when the volume is high. It is priced at $100 to $200.

It ranks third because it is print-only. The inkjets above also scan and copy, and two of them print in color, which makes them more flexible for a first dorm printer. Where the laser wins is volume: a law, business or humanities student who prints PDFs by the stack gets cheaper black text than any inkjet here.

Buy it if you read mostly on paper. The caveat is blunt: no color, no scanning, no copying. Skip it if any of those matter.

Type

Monochrome laser

Connectivity

Wireless, mobile printing

Voice

Works with Alexa

Price tier

$100-200

Our verdict: An auto document feeder for multi-page scanning.

The Canon PIXMA TR4720 is the scanning specialist, with an auto document feeder, wireless and mobile printing, and print, scan, copy and fax functions. A feeder lets you drop a multi-page problem set or a signed lease on the tray and scan it in one pass, instead of lifting the lid for every page. Price tier is $50 to $100.

It ranks fourth because the feeder is a real advantage for multi-page work, but students rarely need fax, and the TS4320 offers duplex that this model does not list. Against the HP DeskJet, the feeder is the entire reason to pay attention to this one, since the basics are the same.

Buy it if you scan paperwork often, such as signed forms, receipts or handwritten notes. The caveat is that fax is an unused extra, and duplex is missing, so skip it if you only print.

Type

Wireless AIO

Feeder

Auto document feeder

Functions

Print, scan, copy, fax

Price tier

$50-100

Our verdict: A light, basic printer for occasional printing.

The Canon PIXMA TS3720 is the basic option: a wireless color inkjet all-in-one with a compact, lightweight body that prints, scans and copies. Its weight matters in a dorm that gets packed up each semester, and the simple controls suit someone who prints a handful of pages a week. The price tier is $50 to $100.

It ranks fifth because it has no duplex, no document feeder and no trial ink plan, so it offers less than the four picks above. The HP DeskJet 4355 and Canon TS4320 sit in the same price tier with a trial or duplex. What the TS3720 keeps is a low profile and basic wireless printing.

Buy it for light printing needs and a small desk. The caveat is that it does not stand out in any feature, so every page costs the same inkjet premium. Skip it if you print long readings or scan stacks.

Type

Wireless color inkjet AIO

Functions

Print, scan, copy

Weight

Lightweight

Price tier

$50-100

Our verdict: Mobile and tablet printing suits locked-down laptops.

The Canon PIXMA MG3620 is a wireless color inkjet all-in-one with mobile and tablet printing support, in a black compact body. Printing from a phone or tablet bypasses the driver installs that school-issued Chromebooks and restricted laptops often block. It prints, scans and copies, and sells in the $100 to $200 tier.

It ranks sixth because it costs more than the TS3720 and TS4320 yet adds no feature beyond mobile printing. If your laptop is unrestricted, you pay extra for something you will not use. If it is locked down, that mobile path is the reason to pick it, and the HP and Canon picks above are less certain to work.

Buy it if your laptop blocks driver installs. The caveat is a higher price for modest specs, and no duplex is listed. Skip it if value for money leads.

Type

Wireless color inkjet AIO

Mobile

Mobile and tablet printing

Functions

Print, scan, copy

Price tier

$100-200

Our verdict: No ink or toner, but it only does thermal prints.

The MT610Pro is a Bluetooth inkless thermal printer that handles 8.5 by 11 inch Letter and A4 at 300 DPI. It uses heat on special paper, so there are no ink or toner cartridges to dry out or replace. It works with iOS, Android and laptops, and the price tier is $50 to $100.

It ranks seventh because thermal output is monochrome and it does not scan or copy, so it replaces a full printer only for light use. Against the Brother laser, which is also black-and-white only, it gives up volume and print quality but needs no consumables. The tradeoff is zero ink cost for a narrow job.

Buy it if you mostly use library printers and need an occasional page at your desk. The caveat is that thermal paper is its own ongoing cost and output type is limited. Skip it for scanning or regular color prints.

Type

Bluetooth thermal

Paper

Letter and A4

Resolution

300 DPI

Consumables

No ink or toner

Our verdict: A fuller control panel for shared use.

The Canon TS6420 is a wireless color inkjet all-in-one in a black compact body, with a fuller control panel layout than the simpler Canon models. It prints, scans and copies, and it sits in the $100 to $200 tier, above the TS4320. A proper panel helps when several people use one printer and need to reach copy or scan quickly without opening an app.

It ranks last because its spec sheet lists no standout feature beyond that panel. The TS4320 gives you duplex for less, and the TR4720 gives you a document feeder. For a single student, the extra money buys convenience, not capability.

Buy it if you split a printer with roommates and want a panel everyone can use. The caveat is the higher price tier for few listed extras. Skip it if you are buying alone on a tight budget.

Type

Wireless color inkjet AIO

Functions

Print, scan, copy

Panel

Fuller control layout

Price tier

$100-200