If you’re looking for a way to stand out in a crowd, then the best colognes for college students can help you do just that. But finding the perfect fragrance can be a headache. How do you choose a scent to wear to classes, nights out, and every moment in between?
To narrow down the search, I’ve rounded up eight colognes that are perfect for college-aged guys. They strike a solid balance between a wearable scent, a budget-friendly price point, and, most importantly, seductive notes to get any guy through his college career smelling his best.
Based on real life insights (ahem, my own college career) and feedback from university students far and wide, these are the eight best colognes for college students to make an impact.
Key Takeaways
All right, I’ve exhausted all my research avenues and smell receptors. The verdict is in. In terms of the best cologne for college students, Polo Blue by Ralph Lauren takes the cake. It’s easy to wear, perfect for four seasons, and transitions well from day to night with bright, enticing notes. If you’re seeking a more affordable scent, Hollister Wave 2 is a fan favorite for a seductive men’s cologne that women love.
Our Top Picks
Why it’s great: When it comes to the most popular cologne for college students, you don’t want to be bogged down by anything too heavy or intense. Polo Blue is the ultimate option for daily wear, given the fresh scent and clean notes. It’ll easily replace a morning shower or cover up the beer stink from last night, so don’t be afraid to spritz it on liberally before class.
Who is this for? If you’re looking for an easy-wearing cologne that’ll carry you through your four years (and beyond), Polo Blue is a manly fragrance, especially if you gravitate towards fresh, fruity, and herbal scents.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: Since this is an Eau de Toilette, this fan-favorite fragrance doesn’t last as long as more concentrated colognes.
Top Notes: Cantaloupe, cucumber, bergamot, watermelon | Middle Notes: Aquatic accord, sage, geranium, basil | Base Notes: Washed suede, patchouli, musk | Type: Eau de Toilette
Why it’s great: This Hugo Boss cologne is one of the brand’s more budget-friendly offerings and one of the best choices for college men looking to make an impact with their fragrance. It’s great for warm weather wear, with crunchy green apple, herby rosemary, and smoky fir, creating a well rounded cologne for college-aged gentlemen.
Who is this for? A top option if you’re looking for value, this Hugo Boss cologne strikes a solid price-to-quality ratio for a lighter, less serious fragrance.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: This cologne doesn’t offer too much by way of depth. It’s pretty surface level, which also makes it appropriate for men between 18 and 25.
Top Notes: Green apple | Middle Notes: Rosemary | Base Notes: Fir balsam | Type: Eau de Toilette
Why it’s great: When you’re in college, you probably don’t want to smell like your dad… or, worse, grandpa. This is why most guys skip the musk and gravitate towards clean fragrances like this one, with notes of citrus, cedar, and spicy white pepper. The touch of vanilla in the base makes it easy to wear on a night out, so don’t be afraid to spritz it on and scoot in a bit closer.
Who is this for? For the college guy who appreciates a bit of depth without anything overwhelming, this fragrance hits a beautiful balance of crisp, spicy, and intriguing.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: This cologne has undertones of baby powder, which may turn some guys off.
Top Notes: Artemisia, mandarin tree, violet leaves | Middle Notes: Nutmeg, cedar wood, white pepper | Base Notes: Vetiver, tonka beans | Type: Eau de Toilette
Why it’s great: You know those stores that look like beach cabanas sitting in the middle of the mall? If you’re younger than a millennial, let me introduce you to Hollister, a dinosaur now but once one of the most coveted brands for young adults.
And if there’s one thing to know about these stores, it’s that every time a woman under 30 years old walks past one, she breathes in deep to inhale the signature scent of the brand. If you want to capture the hearts and noses of college girls, there’s no better cologne than Hollister’s wood-heavy, fruity, and masculine aroma.
Who is this for? Want to be stopped by strangers and complimented on your scent? This is the best cologne for college students. It’s an especially great choice if you’re shopping on a budget or gravitate towards colognes with bright top notes and a deeper woody base.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: Some guys may find this long-lasting cologne (and Hollister in general) to be a bit young. To me, though, it’s timeless.
Top Notes: Bamboo leaf, yuzu grapefruit | Middle Notes: Cypress, lavender | Base Notes: Tonka bean, driftwood, salt, musk | Type: Eau de Toilette
Why it’s great: Maison Margiela has a flair for capturing the scents of life’s special moments, whether a smoky evening in a dark jazz club or a long sunny day spent at the beach.
This fragrance, however, is the brand’s best choice for college guys, emulating the clean, crisp feeling of a few hours at the barbershop. Manly and soapy, this cologne is more fluffy towels than aftershave, with a lingering scent that will keep any guy feeling fresh throughout the day.
Who is this for? For a cologne that works flawlessly from day to evening, this is among the top choices. It’s easy to wear and ideal as a unique signature scent for college-aged guys.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: Given the powdery, almost shaving cream smell, this cologne may feel a bit old for some young men. If so, opt for the brand’s Music Festival cologne as an alternative that’s reminiscent of smoking doobies in the grass while listening to live tunes.
Top Notes: Basil, black pepper | Middle Notes: Lavender | Base Notes: Tonka bean | Type: Eau de Toilette
Why it’s great: Thinking back to my four years at Syracuse, there was nary an evening when the seductive scent of Dior Sauvage missed my nose. This fragrance is by far the most popular cologne for college students. In fact, it’s a crowd-pleaser for guys of all ages, with a hyper-masculine scent dripping in citrus, pepper, and cedar, creating an interesting fragrance with plenty to love.
Who is this for? For the college guy who wants to smell like a man, this is one of the best colognes out there. It’s sophisticated without ever feeling old and is versatile for year-round wear.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: The only downside to Dior Sauvage is it’s a popular cologne. If you’re hitting the bar on campus, there’s a high likelihood you’re going to smell like every other dude in the place.
Top Notes: Bergamot | Middle Notes: Pepper | Base Notes: Vanilla, amber | Type: Eau de Toilette
Why it’s great: This clean, fresh scent is among the best colognes for college students looking to upgrade their fragrance game. It’s more sophisticated than anything you can get at the drugstore, with a luxurious air intermingled with aquatic notes. Opening with citrus and anchored with scents of cedar and oakmoss, this cologne has more dimension than others, especially at this price point.
Who is this for? Whether it’s to cover up the smell of undone laundry or to smell your finest for a first date, this is among the best cologne for college guys looking to stand out from their peers. It’s a classic cologne for the purist and easy to wear for men of all ages.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: Amazon can be inconsistent with fragrance quality, so if you have any doubts about authenticity, you may want to purchase this cologne from a cosmetic supplier.
Top Notes: Bergamot, neroli, green tangerine | Middle Notes: Aquatic accord, rosemary, persimmon | Base Notes: Patchouli | Type: Eau de Toilette
Why it’s great: Given the counter appeal of this fragrance, there’s no wonder it’s one of the best colognes for college students. In fact, when I spoke to dozens of dudes to find out what fragrances they were sporting in school, this cologne cropped up the most.
First released nearly 30 years ago, this timeless fragrance has punchy top notes of bergamot and cardamom before dissolving into lavender, orange blossom, and a super sexy sandalwood base.
Who is this for? Although many of the best colognes for college students are light and fresh, Le Male is a fougere fragrance, giving it a bit more romantic dimension than others on this list. It’s a bit of a sweet smelling cologne while still packed with woody and herbal goodness, making it easy to wear throughout the year.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: For maximum effect, you’ll want to reapply this Eau de Toilette throughout the day, since the cologne is less concentrated than Eau de Parfums.
Top Notes: Vanilla, bergamot, cardamom | Middle Notes: Lavender, orange blossom | Base Notes: Sandalwood, mint | Type: Eau de Toilette
Buying Considerations for the Best Colognes for College Students
Scent
The main consideration when choosing the best cologne for college students is the scent. Most college guys gravitate towards light, fresh colognes. Think heavy on the citrus and aquatic notes for clean fragrances.
These types of scents are the best smelling colognes for younger guys. They’re easy to wear and less sophisticated than those packed with patchouli and musk, keeping the scent age-appropriate for both the wearer and all the college girls who will be smelling it. At the end of the day, these bright scents are easy to wear year-round and work well from day to night, making them a versatile choice for any college guy.
Season
Season is a worthy consideration because no college guy is going to wear a deep, dark fragrance in the warmer months of the year. And in the same vein, most college students have a single signature fragrance rather than multiple that they cycle through seasonally.
Because of these factors, it’s smart to choose a versatile fragrance that works for four-season wear. Consider a cologne with bright top notes like bergamot, melon, or grapefruit, grounded with heavier base notes of patchouli, oakmoss, or cedarwood.
These well rounded colognes work for all-year wear, addressing the seasonality consideration. In fact, you’ll always be in the green with colognes that smell like the beach and other scents reminiscent of warm weather.
Price
Finally, price is a consideration since college guys normally aren’t rolling in dough. It’s wise to choose a fragrance that’s a budget or mid-range price — think $100 and under. In fact, there’s really no need to shell out several hundred bucks for a single bottle of cologne. There are plenty of incredible fragrances for college students under $100 without necessarily becoming a cheap cologne.
How We Chose
To choose the best colognes for college students, I used the following criteria:
Brand Reputation: All of the colognes on this list come from reputable brands and fragrance houses to ensure a high-quality scent for every college-aged guy.
Price: Since college men normally aren’t rolling in the dough, price was an important consideration. All of the colognes on this list are budget-friendly or mid-range pricepoint, rarely exceeding $100. This not only makes the colognes more accessible to younger men but ensures that they can refill their stash when the time comes.
Ease of Wear: The last thing any college guy wants is to smell like his old man, so instead of heavy, muskier scents or tobacco colognes, the colognes on this list are easy to wear throughout the day and all year long.
Customer Reviews & Personal Feedback: Finally, I relied heavily on both customer reviews and personal feedback to get a well-rounded picture of each cologne.
Why Trust Us?
Jane is a fragrance fanatic and has spent the past five years traveling the world discovering different unique scents. She currently lives in Paris and often frequents world-class department stores to uncover new colognes for men, which she shares through her related writing in articles such as the best selling colognes for men and fresh colognes.
Jane strives to help men smell their very best and boost their confidence through their cologne choices. Because, after all, there’s nothing quite as attractive as a man who smells good.
In crafting this guide, Jane meticulously researched the preferences of college students, analyzed fragrance compositions, and tested a variety of colognes to recommend only the best options. Her thorough approach ensures that each cologne listed not only smells great but also fits the lifestyle and budget of a college student. Trust Jane to guide you to your next signature scent with confidence and style.
Final Verdict
The best cologne for college students comes down to personal preference, but a safe bet for a fresh, year-round scent is Polo Blue by Ralph Lauren. It is easy to wear and great for guys between 18 and 30. Since it comes with a price tag that matches the brand name, a more affordable alternative is Hollister Wave 2 Cologne — a seductive option for any romantic college men out there.
FAQ
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A fresh, bright cologne like Polo Blue, Hollister Wave, or Dior Sauvage is best for an 18 year old, giving enough of a scent without being heavy or overpowering.
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Most college students can benefit from an Eau de Toilette, which is less concentrated than a parfum while still providing plenty of fragrance. Consider options like Dior Sauvage, Polo Blue, or Hugo Boss scents.
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