Undergraduate students’ learning outcomes with ChatGPT: A meta-analytic study

ChatGPT has gained substantial attention in the field of higher education, particularly for its potential to enhance undergraduate students' learning outcomes. To better understand ChatGPT's impact, we conducted a meta-analysis evaluating the effects of ChatGPT applications on undergraduate students' learning outcomes, with data collected from studies published between January 1st, 2023, and May 31st, 2025. Our search across nine academic databases identified 5555 potential studies, of which 66 met the pre-defined inclusion criteria and were selected for meta-analysis. The meta-analysis incorporated 129 effect sizes, allowing us to estimate the overall impact of ChatGPT on undergraduate students' learning across a variety of academic disciplines. The results suggested that ChatGPT applications had a large positive effect (Hedges' = 1.14, SE = 0.185) on undergraduate students' learning outcomes. The results of this study highlight undergraduate students' overall positive experiences with ChatGPT. These findings contribute to the growing body of literature on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education, offering critical insights for educators, administrators, and policymakers seeking to enhance undergraduate students' learning outcomes by integrating AI technologies like ChatGPT into academic curricula.