However, the average in 2007-2008 was $701, about 14 percent higher than the latest cost. The cost of a Canadian university education in six charts Tuition is only part of the cost of going to university. The average price for used College Books is $225.00 to $450.00 a year. The news headlines scream that college students spend “$1,200 a year on textbooks” and something must be done about the high cost of college. You are already spending a small fortune on college. Assuming this textbook inflation rate continues, the current annual cost of college textbooks in 2020 should be about $1801 on average. Credit: … Here’s why: The College Board’s $1,200 a year figure for books and supplies in 2015-2016 is an estimated average … Yes, college is expensive, but the frequently cited “$1,200” number is misleading. You are already spending a small fortune on college. The National Association of College Stores, on the other hand, estimates that the average cost of a new textbook is $82 (using 2014 data). Depending on the number of credits, the price can vary from $200-$1000 per semester. This semester, I'm taking 15 credits and probably spent somewhere in the area of $400+ (but only 3 classes required me to buy books!). That’s why the annual, per-student cost of textbooks for school districts is only 25% of the annual cost of textbooks for post-secondary students. Still, school districts often contain more than 1000 students. Research Average Annual Cost of Textbooks at $602 By Dian Schaffhauser 07/21/16 Students spent less on average for their course materials this year than last year; and that's way lower than they paid a decade ago. The costs associated with buying textbooks will vary from course to course, but the one thing you can always be certain about is that they’re expensive! Based on the Fall 2014 data specifically on textbooks, students spent an average of $320 per term, which is quite close to the $638 per year calculated by NACS. According to CollegeBoard.com, the national average for college textbooks is $1,137 per year. The average in-state published tuition and fee price at public four-year institutions is 72% lower than the average price at private nonprofit four-year institutions, but the average student budget is about half the size ($26,590 vs. $53,980). These figures are based on the college textbooks component of the Consumer Price Index. While preparing for college, wondering about how much college textbooks cost is a good idea, because they often cost much more than you may initially think. This number is accompanied by a caveat that the average includes all books assigned as textbooks, including low-cost novels and trade paperbacks. Despite growing online markets for discounted books, the average cost of college textbooks has risen four times faster than the rate of inflation over the past 10 years. In fact, the College Board puts the annual cost of books and materials at $1,168. There’s also the cost of books, food, travel and the occasional beer. There are books that are priced at as much as $2,000. Well worth it, to not by new books for college. Edit: It's most definitely NOT a worst-case scenario to pay $1000 in books each year. Plan to sit down before reading the next sentence. Prices paid and comments from CostHelper's team of professional journalists and community of users. This is the amount for two semesters of school at about $500 per semester. While preparing for college, wondering about how much college textbooks cost is a good idea, because they often cost much more than you may initially think. 11 Ways to Cut Your Textbook Costs The average cost of textbooks and supplies for college students exceeds $1,000 a year, a recent study found. That’s $250,000 for a year’s worth of textbooks — many of which will quickly become outdated. The total cost of books at a college level will usually be much higher. New textbooks often cost somewhere between $100 and $200, but sometimes less or more. Public high schools don't charge tuition, but may charge fees of $5-$200 or more per item for textbooks, supplies, physical education, clubs, yearbook, technology or participating in sports or other activities. The average number of textbooks needed each year is nine, and the average cost for the most expensive of those was $145 in the spring 2016 semester, compared to $140 in fall 2015. Figure 1: Average Estimated Full-Time Undergraduate Budgets (Enrollment-Weighted) by Sector, 2019-20