The present study was designed to assess the expression of microRNA-542-3p (miR-542-3p) in human colon cancer and investigate the possible molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of miR-542-3p on the growth and invasion of colon cancer cells. We found that miR-542-3p expression was downregulated in colon cancer patient tissues, compared with that observed in the control group. Silencing of miR‑542-3p expression significantly promoted cell viability and inhibited apoptosis. In addition, overexpression of miR-542-3p significantly reduced cell viability and promoted apoptosis in colon cancer cells. Meanwhile, silencing of miR-542-3p expression significantly suppressed PI3K and p-AKT and survivin protein expression, while overexpression of miR-542-3p significantly induced PI3K and p-AKT and survivin protein expression in colon cancer cells. PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) or survivin inhibitor (YM155) suppressed PI3K/AKT/survivin signaling and increased the anticancer effects of miR-542-3p on the apoptosis in colon cancer. The present study demonstrated that upregulation of miR-542-3p inhibited the growth and invasion of colon cancer cells through PI3K/AKT/survivin signaling, highlighting a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of colon cancer.