Tetracycline (TC) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic with large production and application at present. Its chemical properties are relatively stable and difficult to metabolize, so it is easy to accumulate in soil and water. The abuse of antibiotics not only increases the drug resistance of bacteria, but also produces resistance genes and induces the production of super-bacteria. Therefore, the harmless treatment of wastewater containing TC is urgent. Adsorption method has the advantages of easy operation, high removal rate, economy, and environmental protection. It is widely considered as an efficient method to remove antibiotics. The adsorption materials used to remove tetracycline from wastewater are different and various. This work mainly summarizes three kinds of common adsorbents: carbon materials, metal organic framework materials, and mineral materials. The adsorption capacity of the above materials for TC is listed, and the effects of pH value, temperature, ionic strength and other factors on the adsorption process of TC are analyzed. On this basis, the fitting of different adsorption kinetics and thermodynamic models when these three kinds of materials adsorb TC is analyzed. It is found that the adsorption kinetics of most materials meets with the quasi-second-order kinetic model, and the adsorption thermodynamics of the Freundlich thermodynamic model are better to describe the adsorption process. In addition, the mechanism involved in the removal of TC is also described. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of these three kinds of materials in the study of TC adsorption are compared, and the future research focus is prospected, which provides a reference for accelerating the preparation of more economical, efficient and renewable TC removal adsorption materials.