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23 Vintage Photos Of College Life In The 1960s

Vintage Photos History Nostalgia May 29, 2025

Last Updated on May 29, 2025 by Matt Staff

Step onto campus back in the wild, unpredictable, turbulent era of the 1960s. Ivy-clad lecture halls were known to echo with riffs from the Beatles and impassioned debates. This collection of 23 vintage photos captures the spirit of college life throughout the ’60s.

1. Nothing like typing out those college papers in the sixties on a typewriter

A young woman with blonde hair and glasses atop her head types at a typewriter in a room with a leaf-patterned wallpaper and various photos and an "Orioles" sign pinned to the wall behind her.
literanch

2. Just some close friends hanging out in college in Texas in 1969

Four young women from the 1960s stand closely together indoors, smiling and posing. They wear vintage outfits, including a plaid shirt, floral dress, white T-shirt, and pink pants, with headbands and styled hair.
arizonabatorchestra

3. A girl big time chilling in her college dorm room in 1967

A woman sits on a bed reading and writing, wearing a vintage hair dryer cap. Hair rollers and books are scattered around her, and she appears to be studying or doing homework in a casual bedroom setting.
fanxq

4. Some students being trained as stewardesses at Miami Junior College in the sixties

Three women walk down outdoor steps in sunlight. One balances a book on her head, practicing posture. Palm trees and a modern building appear in the background. All three wear 1960s-style dresses and skirts.
meunder

5. A college radio station at UMass Amherst in the 1960s

Three people sit in a recording studio, wearing headphones. Two men are on the left, one holding a flute, while a woman on the right rests her chin on her hand, looking thoughtful. Recording equipment is visible in the foreground.
brinmner

6. The University of Southern California sorority/fraternity car wash back in the early ’60s

A group of teenagers in casual 1950s clothing enthusiastically wash a classic white car together, laughing and spraying water, with soap suds and water puddles around them. Trees and shrubs are visible in the background.
notbob1959

7. College party in the 1960s

A group of young adults in 1960s-style clothing gather around a home bar, laughing and socializing. One plays guitar while others hold drinks. Signs read “COLD BEER” and “THIS WAY OUT.” Curtain and framed art decorate the room.
ststepup

8. A California college party in 1963

A group of thirteen teenage boys relax in a living room, some sitting on couches and armchairs, others on the floor. They appear casual and barefoot, with a soccer ball and a bottle in front. The photo is black and white.
rareconin101

9. College dance party at Fresno, California, in the 1960s

Five young adults smiling and laughing as they hold a woman upside down by her legs and waist at a lively indoor gathering. The group appears to be having fun in a retro, mid-century setting.
electricalawspect13

10. A young and very much so in love college couple in the early sixties

A smiling woman in a blouse and skirt sits next to a man in a button-up shirt and pants. They hold hands while sitting on a stone ledge outside a building with brick and column details. The photo is black and white.
anonymous

11. Jim Henson on his college graduation day in 1960

A man in a graduation gown stands beside a vintage car parked on a road, with a cat sitting on the car's hood and a dog sitting on the ground nearby.
anonymous

12. Terry Bradshaw at college in the sixties

A football player wearing jersey number 12 poses in a throwing stance, holding a football and looking downfield, in an outdoor stadium setting.
anonymous

13. A young John Lennon pictured at Liverpool Art college in 1960

A woman and a man sit next to each other on outdoor steps, both smiling. The woman has light hair and wears a gray cardigan and skirt; the man has short, dark hair and wears a dark shirt with a jacket. Hands rest on their shoulders.
deleted

14. UNC Greeley in the late 1960s

Five young women stand outside on grass, dressed in casual 1970s clothing. One woman in the middle holds a small animal. Green foliage is visible in the background on a sunny day.
draininflannels

15. Someone’s college roommate’s mom seen with Tom Jones in in Las Vegas in the 1960s

A woman in a plaid outfit stands next to a man in a white sweater and gray pants; they are smiling, with his arm around her. They are indoors, with two lamps and a green wall in the background.
pandatimes

16. Someone’s mom striking a pose back in college in the late 1960s

Black-and-white portrait of a young woman with styled, voluminous hair, wearing a light-colored top. She is looking slightly to the side and smiling softly, with stud earrings visible.
alwaysamara

17. A solid shot of a dance party at Fresno State College, California, 1963

A black-and-white photo of people dancing at a party; a woman in a dress faces a man wearing glasses, a dark robe, and a party hat, while others dance or stand in the background. One person's shirt reads "PRAY SURF.
deleted

18. This guy didn’t follow the rules in college in the sixties, that’s for sure

A young man in glasses and a t-shirt stands indoors, smoking a cigarette beneath a "No Smoking" sign and clock, next to a door labeled "Microch." The scene appears to be from an earlier decade.
flashhh101

19. St. Martin’s College, Holborn, late 1960s

A woman in a paint-stained smock sits on a stool in an art studio, holding a cigarette. Art supplies, sculptures, and stools surround her. She looks directly at the camera, with a relaxed and thoughtful expression.
llammalsars

20. A sweet moment captured by a college friend back in the sixties

A woman with short curly hair, glasses, and a light sweater sits on a wooden bench outdoors, leaning on one arm and smiling. The background is grassy with a blurred pathway and trees.
hahahharis

21. Farah Fawcett at a college dance in the 1960s

A black-and-white photo of a young woman in a light-colored dress holding a bouquet, seated on a decorative chair, with a young man in a dark suit standing beside her. A textured painted backdrop is behind them.
detroitaaa

22. That American college “Ivy” league look back in the sixties

A man sits in a wooden chair, wearing a dark sweater, light-colored pants, and loafers. He looks at the camera with a serious expression. A rotary phone lies on the floor beside him and a basket is visible in the background.
till80

23. Students at Laney College in Oakland, California, in the 1960s

Four young Black men stand side by side on a sidewalk near vintage cars and buildings. They wear a mix of suits, cardigans, and letterman jackets, posing confidently for the camera in a black-and-white photo.
str33twise84

Explore more vintage content:

Want to see how campus culture changed in an earlier decade? Head straight to our gallery of 20 Vintage Photos Of College Life In The 1940s. Or better yet, check out 20 Vintage Photos Of College Life In The 1970s. It really is always wild to note just how much the world of college has changed over the decades.

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