Study: Saudi university students spend 3 hours and 28 minutes a day on social media

A recent scientific study has found that university students in Saudi Arabia spend an average of 3 hours and 28 minutes per day on social media, with notable differences in usage patterns across academic years.

The study included 2,540 male and female students from public and private universities across the Kingdom. It was published on August 10, 2026, in BMC Psychology, a Springer Nature journal, highlighting social media use among university students.

First-year students record the highest usage

According to the study, first-year university students reported the highest average daily social media use, spending 3 hours and 49 minutes per day on the platforms.

Third-year students followed with an average of 3 hours and 22 minutes per day, while fourth-year students recorded the lowest average among the groups highlighted in the study, at 3 hours and 19 minutes.

The figures point to differences in social media usage patterns across different stages of university education, with the highest daily average recorded among students in their first year.

Data from more than 2,500 students

The research was based on data from 2,540 male and female university students studying at public and private institutions across Saudi Arabia, providing a broad sample for examining social media usage among university-age young people.

Its publication in BMC Psychology reflects growing scientific interest in the relationship between daily social media use and individuals’ psychological, social and academic experiences.

The findings also provide an indication of the amount of time social media platforms occupy in students’ daily lives, as these services have become an increasingly integrated part of communication, information consumption and entertainment.

Social media use changes across academic years

The study found that average daily use declined from 3 hours and 49 minutes among first-year students to 3 hours and 22 minutes among third-year students, before reaching 3 hours and 19 minutes among fourth-year students.

The differences highlight the importance of examining how academic progression may relate to social media habits, particularly as students move from the early stages of university to more advanced years.

The research adds recent evidence to the growing body of work examining digital behavior among university students in Saudi Arabia, offering updated data that can help researchers better understand how social media usage patterns develop throughout university life.