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Do students read in 2024?
What percentage of college students regularly read in 2024? And what about elementary students? Do they read a lot, a little or not at all? What about reading for fun. Do students read independently or just as part of their homework assignment?
My updated student reading statistics guide for 2024 has everything you need to know.
Use this jump link to quickly jump to the KEY STATS section.
Also, all the references and resources I used in crafting my guide are listed at the bottom of the page.
Jump here: Key Student Reading Statistics, Facts and Trends for This Year|Â Student Reading Statistics, Facts and Trends for This Year (Detailed Info)

Table of Contents
Key Student Reading Statistics, Facts and Trends for This Year
Key Student Reading Statistics, Facts and Trends for 2024
- Approximately 45% of college students read no books for pleasure during an academic year.
- The average college student spends only 16 minutes per day reading for pleasure.
- About 20% of college students report they frequently do not complete their assigned readings.
- On average, college students read about 350 words per minute. When the material is dense the reading speed drops to about 120-150 words per minute.
- Approximately 85% of college students prefer digital textbooks over traditional print versions.
- Only about 30% of college students read the entirety of their assigned course materials.
- College students who read more than the required materials are 50% more likely to graduate with honors.
- About 60% of college students report that they struggle with reading comprehension of academic texts.
- Students who read for pleasure at least 30 minutes a day score on average 12% higher on standardized tests.
- Approximately 40% of college students report never or rarely visiting their campus library.
- The average college student spends about 17 hours per week on required course reading.
- Around 25% of college students report feeling overwhelmed by the amount of required reading in their courses.
- Students who engage in recreational reading are 26% more likely to report higher GPAs.
- Approximately 70% of college students admit to skimming assigned readings rather than reading them thoroughly.
- About 55% of college students report that they often struggle to find time for recreational reading due to academic demands.
- Approximately 65% of 4th-grade students read at or below the “basic” level on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading test.
- Elementary students who read 20 minutes a day are exposed to about 1.8 million words of text in a year.
- Only about 36% of 3rd-grade students read at or above the proficient level.
- Children who are read to at least three times a week by a family member are almost twice as likely to score in the top 25% in reading compared to children who are read to less frequently.
- About 67% of 4th-grade students say they read for fun on their own time almost every day.
- One in six children who are not reading proficiently in 3rd grade do not graduate from high school on time, a rate four times greater than that for proficient readers.
- On average, children in elementary school learn about 3,000 new words each year.
- By the end of 1st grade, children who are behind in reading have only a 1 in 8 chance of catching up to grade level without extraordinary effort.
- Students who read independently for 15 minutes per day are exposed to approximately 1 million words of text in a year.
- Independent reading for 20 minutes a day can improve a student’s standardized test scores by up to 30 percentile points.
- About 67% of children aged 6-17 say they engage in independent reading for fun.
- Students who read independently are 13% more likely to report that reading is important.
- On average, students who engage in daily independent reading gain about 1 million words to their reading vocabularies by the end of high school.
- Only about 17% of students report reading independently every day.
- Students who read independently for pleasure are 26% more likely to have higher academic achievement.
- The amount of independent reading done outside of school is consistently related to gains in reading achievement.
- Students who engage in independent reading for 30 minutes or more per day tend to score in the 90th percentile on standardized tests.
- Approximately 45% of 17-year-olds say they read for pleasure only once or twice a year.
Student Reading Statistics, Facts and Trends for This Year (Detailed Info)
What Percentage of College Students Read for Pleasure During an Academic Year?
A recent survey showed that 55% of college students read for pleasure during a given academic year. The same study showed that approximately 45% of college students read no books for pleasure during an academic year.
And a different but related survey demonstrated that students who during their college years engaged in recreational reading were 26% more likely to report higher GPAs.
Here’s some other stats worth knowing:
the average college student spends only 16 minutes per day reading for pleasure.
16m is not a lot but what’s even worse is that about 20% of college students report they frequently do not complete their assigned readings because of overwhelm, and only about 30% of college students read the entirety of their assigned course materials, or more (note: college students who read more than the required materials are 50% more likely to graduate with honors).
Approximately 40% of college students report never or rarely visiting their campus library.
What Is the Average Reading Speed of College Students?
On average, college students read about 350 words per minute. Of course, when the material is dense the reading speed drops to a bout 120-150 words per minute.
Even then, if the material is too dense comprehension suffers. About 60% of college students report they struggle with reading comprehension of academic texts.
What Percentage of College Students Prefer Digital Textbooks Over Traditional Print Versions?
Approximately 85% of college students prefer digital textbooks over traditional print versions. This is because information stored digitally can be consumed anywhere and students love to learn from the comfort of their homes instead of learning from libraries and carrying heavy books all the time.
Online learning is all the rage among students in the US and abroad.
How Many Hours per Week Does the Average College Student Spend on Required Course Reading?
The average college student spends about 17 hours per week on required course reading. A week has 144h in total so students spend roughly 8% of total week time reading the required material. Though in all (student’s) honesty, a significant chunk of that reading time is actually skimming. In a recent survey approximately 70% of college students admit to skimming assigned readings rather than reading them thoroughly.
What Percentage of College Students Feel Overwhelmed by the Amount of Required Reading?
Around 25% of college students report feeling overwhelmed by the amount of required reading in their courses. As you ve seen above some don’t read at all.
How Many Words of Text Are Students Exposed to When Reading Independently for 15 Minutes per Day?
Students who read independently for 15 minutes per day are exposed to approximately 1 million words of text in a year. Being exposed to 1 million words per year , every year build vocabulary fast, but about 55% of college students report they often struggle to find time for recreational reading due to high academic demands.
Independent Reading Statistics for 2024
How Much Can Independent Reading Improve Standardized Test Scores?
Independent reading for 20 minutes a day can improve a student’s standardized test scores by up to 30 percentile points. The good news is that the average college student spends 16m per day reading for pleasure, which means they’re only 4m short of the 20m mark.
Another stat worth knowing is that students who engage in independent reading for 30 minutes or more per day tend to score in the 90th percentile on standardized tests.
How Much More Likely Are Students Who Read Independently to Report That Reading Is Important?
Students who read independently are 13% more likely to report that reading is important. This makes sense as student who love to read and who read without being forced to obviously think it’s an important activity for them.
How Much More Likely Are Students Who Read Independently for Pleasure to Have Higher Academic Achievement?
Students who read independently for pleasure are 26% more likely to have higher academic achievement. Students who read for pleasure at least 30 minutes a day score on average 12% higher on standardized tests.
What Percentage of 17-Year-Olds Read for Pleasure Only Once or Twice a Year?
Approximately 45% of 17-year-olds say they read for pleasure only once or twice a year. This percentage is too high and this result is abysmal because these 17-year-olds are going to grow up uneducated and with narrower scope of the world. It’ll hurt them over the long haul.
Elementary Students Reading Statistics for 2024
What Percentage of 4th-Grade Students Read at or Below the “Basic” Level on the NAEP Reading Test?
Approximately 65% of 4th-grade students read at or below the “basic” level on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading test. These results are mediocre at best but are actually abysmal because 4-th grade students should at that point of their schooling be able to read proficiently and understand longer texts with ease.
How Many Words of Text Are Elementary Students Exposed to When Reading Just 20 Minutes a Day?
Elementary students who read just 20 minutes a day are exposed to about 1.8 million words of text in a year. They obviously won’t remember everything they’ve read throughout the year and there’s a ton of word repetition, but in general the elementary students who read just 20m per day will after a year have a much larger vocabulary than their peers who chose not to read, but instead play.
There’s a sliver of good news as well. A recent survey showed that 67% of 4th-grade students love to read for fun on their own time and almost every day. This is encouraging to say the least.
What Percentage of 3rd-Grade Students Read at or Above the Proficient Level?
Only about 36% of 3rd-grade students read at or above the proficient level. 36% is actually pretty good because the stat above shows that a year older students struggle to read proficiently.
The bad news here is that a recent study showed that one in six children who’re not reading proficiently in 3rd grade do not graduate from high school on time, which is a rate four times greater than that for proficient readers.
How Much More Likely Are Children Who Are Read to Frequently to Score Higher in Reading Comprehension?
Children who are read to at least three times a week by a family member are almost twice as likely to score in the top 25% in reading comprehension compared to children who are read to less frequently.
How Many New Words Do Elementary School Children Learn on Average Each Year?
On average, children in elementary school learn about 3,000 new words each year. Children who love to read and read independently learn way more than 3,000 words. That number is closer to 5, 000 new words per year.
Note: about 67% of children aged 6-17 say they engage in independent reading for fun.
What Are the Chances of Catching Up to Grade Level for Children Behind in Reading by the End of 1st Grade?
By the end of 1st grade, children who are behind in reading have only a 1 in 8 chance of catching up to grade level without extraordinary effort.
Student Reading Statistics, Facts and Trends for 2024 (FAQ)

How to Determine a Reading Level of a Student?
To determine a student’s reading level, educators typically use standardized reading assessments like the Lexile measure, which analyzes factors like vocabulary complexity and sentence structure within a text, alongside observing the student’s reading fluency, accuracy, and comprehension while reading a passage, often through methods like a running record or guided reading, to gauge their ability to understand the material at different difficulty levels.
What to Do When a Student Develops Reading Problems Early on?
When a student develops early reading problems, the most important step is to immediately identify the specific difficulties and implement targeted interventions through a structured, systematic approach, often including explicit phonics instruction, while closely monitoring progress and collaborating with parents and specialists to provide the necessary support.
How to Help a Student With Reading Comprehension?
The best way to help a student with reading comprehension is to work with them harder to comprehend better. Obviously, this means more effort from both you and your student but it’ll be worth it as he or she starts to comprehend more of the material.
A simple technique you can use is asking the student questions about the material. And if you do you’ll often realize that they actually understand far more then you thought but they couldn’t express themselves correctly. And then proceed to help them communicate their thoughts better.
What Are Some Warning Signs That a Student May Have a Reading Disability?
It’s not hard to recognize a student that might have a reading disability.
Warning signs a student might have a reading disability include:
- difficulty sounding out words;
- poor spelling;
- slow reading speed;
- trouble recognizing letters and their sounds;
- confusing similar letters;
- avoiding reading;
- difficulty with reading comprehension,
- struggling with rhyming,
- consistently making reading errors when decoding words;
- frustration and reluctance to engage with reading tasks as the child recognizes they’re having big troubles with it.
If you’re a teacher and you suspect one of your students has a reading disability then you’ll need to bring in professional help and also work harder with that student so he/she doesn’t fall behind in classes.
What Is the Importance of Reading and Writing Skills for a Student?
The importance of reading and writing skills for students is that that they use their writing and reading skills to learn and absorb the knowledge they need to graduate and become qualified to do the work they’re training for.
In other words, the better students read and comprehend and information the better they’ll do on tests and exams, they’ll get higher grades in general and do better in schools and universities.
How to Tutor a Kindergarten Student in Reading?
Here are a few tips on how to tutor a kindergarten student in reading:
- Provide positive feedback: be clear with your instructions and when a student responds correctly, praise them. This will boost their confidence and morale.
- Be attentive: Stop the student immediately after an error and show them what to do.
- Help them monitor their comprehension: teach them to identify what they understand and what they don’t.
- Split reading aloud: read a line and then have the student read the next line.
- Ask questions: ask open-ended questions to help the student recall what happened in the story.
- Encourage their creativity: have the student act out the story, make up a sequel, or draw pictures.
- End with a reflection: set aside 10m at the end of the class to to review what was covered and check their understanding of the material.
- Help them break down words: Teach them how to break down words into manageable pieces. Especially helpful for long and scary words. Show them they’re not so scary when broken down to little pieces.
- Be patient: show the student that you care about them.
- Be on time: arrive at least 15 minutes before the tutoring session.
How Can Teachers Increase Student Reading Success in Early Grades?
Teachers can increase student reading success in early grades by first recognizing which students have trouble with reading and comprehension, and then by working more and working harder with those students to get them to catch up to their peers as fast as possible.
If you as a teacher recognize a student who’s falling behind with their reading ability and assignments it’s not to late to correct their course and turn them into an excellent reader.
How Much Reading Can the Average Student Expect to Do per Week?
On average, students read ~300 pages per week. How much they read heavily depends on the courses they’re currently taking. For example, societal and philosophical theory fields are heavy on reading, as they are (obviously) literature classes.
While there’s way less reading in match and science classes.
Student Reading Statistics, Facts and Trends for 2024 (Conclusion)
My updated guide for 2024 lists the best and latest statistics, facts and trends about student reading habits, both elementary and college students.
I hope you enjoyed it because the guide is now over.
References:
- Trends in Reading Performance on the 2022 Nation’s Report Card- https://www.nagb.gov/naep/understanding-nations-report-card-2022-trends-research/reading.html
- Two Decades of Progress, Nearly Gone: National Math, Average Reading Scores Hit Historic Lows-Â https://www.edweek.org/leadership/two-decades-of-progress-nearly-gone-national-math-reading-scores-hit-historic-lows/2022/10
- How are American students performing in reading?- https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=147
- 59 Reading Statistics and Facts You Should Know- https://www.abtaba.com/blog/59-reading-statistics
- How Many Students are Actually Reading Below Grade Level?!- https://www.ascendlearningcenter.com/blog-highlights/howmanystudents
- Among many U.S. children, reading for fun has become less common, federal data shows- https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2021/11/12/among-many-u-s-children-reading-for-fun-has-become-less-common-federal-data-shows/
- Student Literacy Rates Are Concerning. How Can We Turn This Around?- https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/opinion-reading-scores-have-plunged-since-the-pandemic-what-this-senator-wants-to-do-about-that/2024/03
- U.S. reading and math scores drop to lowest level in decades- https://www.npr.org/2023/06/21/1183445544/u-s-reading-and-math-scores-drop-to-lowest-level-in-decades
- Failing Grade: Literacy in America- https://www.thepolicycircle.org/brief/literacy/
- Reading for fun plunges to ‘crisis’ level for US students- https://thehill.com/homenews/education/4093843-reading-for-fun-plunges-to-crisis-level-for-us-students/
- 55 US Literacy Statistics: Literacy Rate, Average Reading Level- https://www.crossrivertherapy.com/research/literacy-statistics
- Since Pandemic’s Start, 42 States See Rise in Fourth-Graders Below Reading Proficiency- https://www.aecf.org/blog/fourth-grade-reading-proficiency-2022
- NAEP Reading Scores- https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/education/prek-12/naep-reading-scores
- Only about half of K-2 students on track for reading- https://www.k12dive.com/news/half-of-k-2-students-on-track-for-reading/712136/
- 10 Staggering Statistics About Struggling Readers and Reading Growth- https://www.weareteachers.com/staggering-statistics-about-struggling-readers-and-reading-growth/

Nikola Roza
Nikola Roza is a blogger behind Nikola Roza- SEO for the Poor and Determined. He writes for bloggers who don't have huge marketing budget but still want to succeed. Nikola is passionate about precious metals IRAs and how to invest in gold and silver for a safer financial future. Learn about Nikola here.