From the National Association of College Stores:
During the 2016-17 academic year, college students spent an average of $579 on 10 required course materials.
That’s down from $602 on 10 units the previous academic year, and $701 in 2007-08, according to Student Watch: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials: 2016-2017 Report, the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) twice-yearly survey of college students in the U.S. and Canada. Students also reported spending an additional $506 on technology and school supplies.
Other highlights from the report, which compiled responses from more than 20,000 college students, include:
- Use of free materials is increasing: They’re borrowing, sharing, and downloading the materials needed for their classes. In spring 2017, 25% of students surveyed reported using a free method to obtain what they needed for class, up from 19% in spring 2016 and 15% in spring 2015.
- Students are opting to rent more; campus store the primary source: Forty-three percent of students rented at least one course material in fall 2016 compared to 40% in fall 2015. And, 57% of students who rented a course material, did so through the campus store.
- Campus store remains top source for course materials: In Fall 2016 students report that 82% of course materials were purchased from the campus store, 40% from Amazon, 8% from a peer/student, 7% from Chegg.com and 7% from a publisher website.
- New print format is most purchased: In fall 2016, when purchasing course materials, 74% of students reported buying new print, 70% bought used print, and 23% bought digital. Purchasing of digital materials increased by 8%.
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