The best mattresses for college students help you sleep better after a late-night cram session and wake up fresh for an early morning lecture, all without breaking the budget. We did our homework and our number one pick is the Nectar Classic, an all-foam mattress that suits most sleep styles with a durability to see you through your college years.
In our best mattress guide you can find the beds we awarded top marks overall, but for this guide our experts have chosen reliable mattresses that suit a student budget. We know how important sleep is to wellbeing and every bed in this guide has been tested to support healthier sleep habits and growing bodies (and they all come in dorm-room friendly twin, twin XL and full sizes.)
We’re not that far off exam season (sorry) and a good night’s sleep can help memory retention. We've found the best mattress for every type of college students, and with regular mattress sales, you'll even have room in the budget to ditch ramen for the night...
The best mattress for college students, rated by experts
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The best mattress for college students
The Classic is Nectar's flagship mattress, a recently launched update on the popular Nectar Memory Foam Mattress. Providing a fantastic combo of comfort, quality, and value for money, the Nectar Classic Memory Foam Mattress is our top recommendation for most college students. Especially as there's always a Nectar mattress sale going on, which means you can snag a queen size for as low as $699 or a twin XL for $569. That's not all — all Nectar mattresses come with a 1-year trial and a lifetime warranty.
We slept on the Nectar Classic Memory Foam Mattress and found it hits the sweet spot of sink-in pressure relief and ample support. It's one of the best medium-firm mattresses we've tested, and we found it comfortable for most sleep styles (although stomach sleepers should consider the Siena at #2 instead). The motion isolation is excellent and while the temperature regulation can't quite compare to the Cocoon by Sealy Chill (#4), it still sleep surprisingly cool for an all-foam mattress.
The Nectar might not be the cheapest bed on this list (if budget is a massive concern, consider the Siena at #2 or the Allswell at #3), but it is one of the best value for money mattresses we've tried. No matter which life stage you're in, the Nectar mattress is a sound choice for restorative sleep at a price that won't decimate your wallet.
- Read more: Nectar Classic Memory Foam Mattress review
The best cheap mattress for college students
If the Nectar (#1) is out of your price range, check out its more affordable sibling, the Siena. (Both labels are a part of the Resident Home brand.) Siena runs an evergreen sale, which drops its memory foam mattress to $399 for a queen and $299 for a twin XL. Better yet, it comes with a 180-night trial and a 10-year warranty — incredible perks for a budget mattress. Meanwhile, you can add a bedding bundle with sheets, pillows, and a mattress protector for just $99.
The design is pretty advanced for a budget, all-foam mattress: 2.5" of gel-infused memory foam, plus a layer of rippled transitional foam – all topped by a breathable poly-blend cover. According to Siena, its memory foam mattress has a medium-firm feel, but our testing panel thought it was decidedly firmer than that. We rate it a 9 out of 10 on the firmness scale and believe it's perfect for stomach and back sleepers who fancy less of that typical foam hug, and want to be able to move around easily. Side sleepers, however, will get on better with the medium-firm feel of the Nectar Classic (#1).
Edge support is stellar, too, so you won't have to worry about falling overboard if you're prone to sprawling out or hugging the edge. Thinking about sharing your bed with a roommate or significant other? Siena's got you covered with outstanding motion isolation so you're unlikely to disturb each other the night before a major exam. Add to that above-average temperature regulation and you have one of the best cheap mattresses you can buy for your dorm room or apartment.
- Read more: Siena Memory Foam mattress review
The best hybrid mattress for college students
Allswell is Walmart's bed-in-a-box brand, and it's one of the best priced hybrids on the market. As it's already so cheap, we rarely see discounts on the Allswell. But you might get lucky from time to time and score a saving. And even if you don't you can expect to pay under $250 for a twin or twin XL.
It's not often that we see a hybrid mattress priced so low – as a rule, mattresses with springs cost more than all-foam models – but that's hardly a reflection of the Allswell's quality. We've yet to try the Allswell mattress ourselves, but it has a rating of 4.5 stars (out of 5) from over 3,500 verified customers. Sleepers highlight its incredible motion isolation and very good temperature regulation. That's a testament to the Allswell's charcoal- and copper-infused gel memory foam layer, individually-wrapped pocket coils, and quilted top cover.
Allswell labels its mattress as a medium (6 out of 10 on the firmness scale), but customers think it skews closer to medium-firm (around a 7 out of 10). Given its three-layer build and insights from user reviews, we recommend the Allswell mattress for petite and average-sized back and front sleepers who'd rather float on top of their mattress than sink into it.
Whether you're in your final year of college or just starting your academic journey, the Allswell stands ready to serve as your sleep sanctuary while leaving you enough cash in your pocket for other campus essentials.
- Read more: Allswell mattress review
The best cooling mattress for college students
No need to break a sweat when it comes to the Cocoon Chill mattress – this all-foam cooling model is among the most affordable of its type. An evergreen Cocoon by Sealy Chill mattress sale knocks 35% off the sticker price, making it possible to bring home a queen for $699 or a twin XL for $459. To further sweeten the deal, Sealy throws in a sheet set plus a pair of pillows with purchase, along with a 100-night trial and a 10-year warranty.
Full-foam beds are notorious for trapping heat, but the 4-layer Cocoon Chill mattress bucks that trend with a layer of breathable memory foam and a knit phase-changing cover. Our testers gave it two thumbs up for temperature regulation, beating out other mid-range foam mattresses.
The Cocoon Chill is a medium-firm mattress with a subtle cradling sensation courtesy of its memory foam top layer. Based on our experience, this one's a winner for lightweight and average sleepers, regardless of their preferred sleep position.
Heavier bodies will find it most comfortable on their backs or stomachs, but sleepers over 300lbs will find more support with the Cocoon Chill Hybrid, which adds a layer of responsive coils for reinforced edges and improved airflow over its all-foam counterpart. However, if you want a cooling mattress without the exorbitant price tag, the Cocoon Chill memory foam mattress is tough to beat.
- Read more: Cocoon Chill mattress review
The best natural mattress for college students
The organic Nolah Natural 11 mattress is an eco-friendly latex mattress with a durable build and a bouncy comfort. The US-made mattress combines two layers of latex foam with recycled steel coils for a responsive feel that is easy to move around on. If you're a combination sleep who likes to change position in the night, the Natural 11 supports your movements while maintaining pressure relief.
We rated the Natural 11 Mattress a seven out of 10 on the firmness scale, due to its flexibility and give. This isn't a particularly plush mattress, so some side sleepers might prefer thicker cushioning (such as the Nectar Classic at #1.) We think this mattress is best for back sleepers and side sleepers who don't like to sink into the bed.
As a bouncy mattress, we weren't expecting much motion isolation, but the Nolah Natural 11 surprised us by absorbing most movement. The temperature regulation is also excellent, for hot sleepers looking for a naturally cooler solution to the Cocoon by Sealy Chill at #4. The edge support was a mixed bag: the sides were comfortably sturdy, but there was a lot of sink at the foot of the bed.
The Nolah Natural 11 is competitive for an eco-friendly mattress, but that doesn't exactly mean it's cheap. In the evergreen Nolah mattress sale a queen size Natural 11will set you back $1,364 (was $2,099) and comes with a 120-night trial and a lifetime warranty. However, latex is known for its durability, so this investment mattress might see you all the way through your college course, PhD and still be comfortable when you enter the job market.
- Read more: Nolah Natural 11 Mattress review
How we test the best mattresses for college students
The Tom's Guide mattress review process is editorially independent and not influenced by third parties. We test each mattress over the course of at least three weeks, using a review panel consisting of a lead tester and several secondary testers.
Our review panel includes people with different body types and sleep styles, to ensure we get a well-rounded view of each mattress. We also use objective tests to back up our subjective opinions.
As well as comfort and support, we test each mattress for key features such as motion isolation, edge support, and temperature regulation. We analyze our own test data, plus user reviews, to rate each mattress on a 5-point scale. You can learn more with our mattress testing methodology.
When finding the best mattresses for college students, we also prioritize budget and size options (few dorm rooms can fit a queen size bed). While these features are always important, we understand they may be front and center for many college students.
Also Tested
We test a wide range of mattresses here at Tom's Guide. The choices below might not be our top picks, but they're still worth your consideration.
Best mattress for college: Buying advice
What mattress is best for college?
The best kind of mattress for college will largely depend on where you'll be living. Dorms are usually tight on space so twin XL is the most common mattress size for on-campus housing. (It's five inches longer than a standard twin, so it's better suited to older teens and adults.) However, if you're going to be living off-campus, you may have more room to play with so consider a full size or queen size mattress instead.
One caveat is that twin XL is among the hardest sizes to shop for when it comes to bedding and accessories. If your dorm or apartment can't accommodate anything larger, try to take advantage of a mattress sale with free or discounted bedding included. You may also get lucky and find something you like during current bedding sales.
Beyond that, you're probably best opting for a bed-in-a-box model, which arrives compressed and rolled, making it nice and easy to get into place. In a battle of bed in a box vs traditional mattress, boxed models win out on convenience and are often better value for money, too. (If you're wondering if boxed mattresses are any good, the answer is yes – many of our top-rated models fall into this category.)
Is Presidents' Day a good time to buy a mattress for college students?
The Presidents' Day mattress sale is the first big deal day post-Black Friday and a great time to buy a mattress. While the deals might not be quite as massive as Black Friday, we still predict plenty of discounts on some of our favorite mattresses.
Plus, if you miss the Presidents' Day sales, you might find yourself waiting until Memorial Day for your favorite saving to come back round — and that's all the way in May. By shopping now you'll have the benefit of your brand new mattress all the way through the spring semester.
Finally, if you went home for the holiday break and you now can't stand the feel of your terrible dorm room mattress, right now you can upgrade your sleep for less.
How much should you spend on a student mattress?
We've tested every bed in this guide following our mattress methodology, to ensure you're getting comfort and support. However, budget mattresses can sometimes struggle with durability, so keep that in mind when making your choice.
Most of the choices on our list fall into the budget or lower mid-range brackets, which is $800 or less for a queen. If you only need something to get you by for a year or two, you don’t have to go all-out. A decent no-frills mattress should do just fine.
On the other hand, if you want a mattress to accompany you post-graduation, it’s worth investing more in something that’ll last for the long haul. Just know that as the years roll on your sleep needs will change, whether it’s due to injuries or agreeing to share a bed with a partner. You could turn your college mattress into a guest bed, or learn how to dispose of a mattress responsibly and legally.
If your dorm or apartment comes with a mattress but you find it uncomfortable, look for a mattress topper deal to make your bed softer, firmer, or more cooling. Not only will going this route cost much less than buying a full-fledged mattress, but it'll also be easier to transport whenever you move out.
