Each year, Rival IQ releases one of the most anticipated benchmarks in higher education social media: the Higher Education Social Media Engagement Report.
The 2025 results are in, and Colorado State University ranks No. 8 nationally in overall engagement across all 364 Division I universities. That puts CSU among the nation’s top performers on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X. For the second consecutive year, CSU is recognized in the top 10 nationally, making Colorado State the top-ranked university in the West and No. 1 in Colorado.
This year’s recognition speaks to the strength of our consistent content strategy and meaningful engagement, and reflects the high-quality work our team continues to deliver every day. I am so proud of and blown away by the talent on our team, and am grateful for their continued dedication to making CSU Social a community for everyone.
Learn more about QUID Powered by Rival IQ’s rankings and methodology.
The Top 10
This year marks our second straight year in the Top 10, after climbing from No. 22 to No. 7 in 2024 and now holding steady at No. 8.
Take a look at the powerhouse Top 10:
- University of South Carolina
- University of Connecticut
- Oklahoma State University
- Michigan State University
- James Madison University
- Bowling Green State University
- The Ohio State University
- Colorado State University
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Ohio University
Highlights from the 2025 Report
Insights
Instagram and TikTok still lead the pack
No surprise here. Instagram and TikTok continue to be higher ed’s powerhouse platforms. Instagram drives the most total engagement overall, while TikTok delivers the highest engagement rates by far.
Facebook and X have shifted to supporting roles
Even though Gen Z overwhelmingly prefers TikTok and Instagram, most universities still keep Facebook and X in their mix to reach alumni, parents, and local audiences, or for quick news and athletics updates. But overall use is slipping. This year, X saw a 27% drop in posting activity and a 4% dip in total engagement, even with a small uptick in engagement rate per follower (rising from 0.09% to 0.12%). Facebook followed a similar pattern, with fewer posts (down 8%), fewer total engagements (down 4%), and its lowest engagement rate yet at 0.29%.
Even so, some schools are still finding meaningful traction on both platforms by leaning into nostalgia, strong visuals and storytelling that connects with their audience.
Engagement and growth are slowing, but strategy is improving
Across the board, colleges and universities are posting less and focusing more. Institutions published about 15% fewer posts this year but only saw a 0.5% decline in total engagement (proof that strategic, more intentional content is paying off).
Follower growth, however, continues to slow. Schools added an average of 17.9K net new followers across the four major platforms this year, about 9% fewer than the previous year.
Higher education social media trends
Three themes continue to drive engagement across all channels. Each one connects to a core strength of the platform where it performs best: “Instagram supplies the most volume, TikTok supercharges rates and spikes on video, and Facebook adds steady, nostalgia-fueled reach.”
Milestone Moments
Commencement still reigns as the biggest social media moment of the year. From caps and gowns to first-gen celebrations and surprise reunions, graduation season fuels community pride and connection.
-
- Video continues to dominate, earning engagement rates near 10%.
- Instagram captures nearly half of all engagement in this category, with TikTok following closely behind at 38%.
- Reels, carousels and short emotional clips perform best.
Picture-Perfect Campus
Campus beauty content keeps audiences coming back between major events. Whether it’s fall colors, a snowy morning, or golden-hour walks to class, these posts highlight what makes each campus special.
-
- Carousels and short videos are top performers, with video earning engagement rates above 12%.
- Instagram owns this space (70% of engagement), but TikTok’s quick scenic clips continue to outperform static shots.
Winning
Athletics content remains a reliable engagement driver. Rivalry games, championship moments and locker-room celebrations consistently deliver high-volume engagement.
-
- Short video takes the lead again, averaging engagement rates around 12%.
- TikTok generates nearly half of all athletic engagement, followed by Instagram.
- Even as X and Facebook engagement decline, dedicated athletics accounts can still see strong response rates from fans.
Final thoughts
This ranking reflects the creativity, dedication and teamwork across CSU’s Social and Digital Media, Photo and Video teams, along with the collaboration and support from MarComm colleagues and campus partners.
Together, we’re building a digital presence that not only tells CSU’s story, but invites our community to be part of it.