Back-to-School Shopping Statistics (2025): Yearly Sales Data

Highlights. Back-to-school spending per child decreased 1.84% from 2023 to 2024.

Americans spent a total of $125.4 billion for back-to-school and back-to-college shopping in 2024.
The average household budgeted $874.68 for back-to-school shopping in 2024.
For one child, back-to-school supplies cost $586 (K-12 average).
Household back-to-school budgets decreased $15.39 or 1.73% year-over-year (YoY).
The average household spent $1,364.75 on 2024 back-to-college shopping.

Line Graph: Back-to-Class Total Spending in billions for K-12, college, and both combined from 2019 to 2024 according to the National Retail Federation and projections to 2029

Back-to-Class Spending Statistics

Combined back-to-school and back-to-college shopping totaled $125.4 billion in 2024, down 7.45% YoY.

Statistics indicate back-to-school and back-to-college spending combined will total $168.7 billion in 2029.
77% of shoppers plan to purchase back-to-school supplies in-store while 65% plan to purchase online.
70% of shoppers plan to split their back-to-school spending between online and in-store purchases, up 6.06% YoY.
33% of online shoppers planned to use Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store (BOPIS) for back-to-school shopping in 2024, up 57.1% YoY.
17% of consumers plan to use Buy Now, Pay Later for back-to-school shopping.
In 2023, back-to-class spending totaled $135.5 billion.

Bar Graph: Back-to-School Household Spending (K-12 Average Household Spend) from 2019 ($697) to 2024 ($875) according to National Retail Federation with projections to 2029

Back-to-School Spending Statistics

For most K-12 families, back-to-school shopping includes items beyond the standard school supply list, such as shoes and clothes for the upcoming school year.

American families spent a total of $38.8 billion on K-12 back-to-school shopping in 2024, down 6.51% YoY.
From 2020 to 2024, spending per child increased 10.8%; after adjusting for inflation, spending per child decreased 9.10%.
In 2024, back-to-school spending on electronics totaled $13.7 billion, accounting for 35.3% of total spending.
Back-to-school electronics spending decreased 9.87%; as a share of total spend, electronics sales declined 3.60%.
Spending on clothing totaled $11.2 billion for a 28.9% share of total spending.
From 2023 to 2024, clothing spending decreased 6.67%; clothing sales declined 0.17% as a share of total spending.
Back-to-school spending on shoes totaled $7.6 billion in 2024 for a 19.6% share of total spend.
Spending on shoes decreased 2.56% YoY; as a share of total spend, shoe sales increased 4.22%.
School supplies accounted for the remaining 16.2% of spending at $6.3 billion.
From 2023 to 2024, school supply spending decreased 3.08%; school supply sales increased 3.67% as a share of total spending.

Jump to Back-to-College Shopping Statistics

Back-to-School Budget Statistics

Households spend the largest portion of their back-to-school budgets on electronics and computer-related equipment.

The average household back-to-school budget in 2024 included $253.29 for clothing and accessories.
School supply items are the most affordable back-to-school expense at $141.62 per household.
Electronics and computer supplies are the greatest back-to-school expense (among the 2-in-3 households that purchase such items) at an average cost of $309.35 per household.
Families spend a household average of $170.43 on shoes.
From 2020 to 2024, the average household back-to-school budget increased 10.8% from $789.49.
Between 2010 and 2024, the average household back-to-school budget increased 44.2% from $606.40.
22% of back-to-school consumers budget between $101.00 and $250.00.
34% of consumers budget between $250.00 and $500.00 on back-to-school shopping.
12% of consumers budget $100.00 or less on back-to-school.
27% of back-to-school consumers budget over $500.00.

Average Back-to-School Budgets
Year	Average Budget per Household	Average Budget per Child
2024	$875	$586
2023	$890	$597
2022	$864	$661
2021	$849	$612
2020	$789	$529
2019	$697	$519
2018	$685	$510
2017	$688	$501
2016	$674	$488
2015	$630	$434

Back-to-School Inflation Statistics

Most back-to-class (that is, back-to-school and back-to-college combined) shoppers have noticed an increase in prices.

41% of K-12 back-to-school shoppers are comparing prices online, 41% are shopping on sale, and 36% are purchasing more generic products.
38% of back-to-college shoppers are comparing prices online, 37% are shopping on sale, and 31% are purchasing more generic products.
24% of shoppers use coupons for back-to-school purchases.
In 2025, among back-to-school shoppers who noticed higher prices, 59% attributed the increase to inflation, while 37% cited tariffs as the cause.
62% of back-to-school shoppers noticed higher prices for clothing in 2025.
Back-to-school shoppers noticed higher prices for electronics and home goods in equal measure (61%).
Also in 2025, 57% of shoppers noticed higher prices for school supplies; 54% noticed higher prices for books.
39% of shoppers expect to cut back on other expenses to afford 2025 back-to-school purchases.

Stacked Bar Graph: K-12 Back-to-School Spending Per Household from 2016 to 2024 according to the National Retail Federation

Back-to-School Shopping by Location

Consumers tend to shop for back-to-school items both online and in-store.

57% of K-12 back-to-school shoppers shop online.
50% of back-to-school shoppers shop at department stores.
47% shop at discount stores.
42% shop at clothing stores.
23% shop at electronics stores, and 22% shop at office supply stores.
16% shop at small and local businesses, and 8% shop at thrift stores and resale shops.
Consumers are least likely to shop for back-to-school in catalogs (5%) and drug stores (5%).
40% of back-to-school shoppers planned to spend the most at mass merchant retailers in 2024; 21% planned to spend the most online.
60% of consumers visit 2 or 3 stores for most of their back-to-school shopping.

Doughnut Chart: Average K-12 Household Back-to-School Budget according to the National Retail Federation

Back-to-School Shopping by Category

Back-to-school shoppers are increasingly interested in purchasing a portion of their items second-hand.

95% of back-to-school K-12 consumers spend a portion of their budgets on school supplies.
94% of back-to-school shoppers spend purchase clothing and accessories and 92% purchase shoes.
66% of back-to-school consumers spend a portion of their budgets on electronics or computer equipment.
71% of back-to-class shoppers prioritize purchasing eco-friendly or sustainable products.
40% of back-to-school shoppers would purchase second-hand clothing.
Some back-to-school shoppers also consider purchasing second-hand electronics (28%), school supplies (23%), and shoes (20%).
43% of back-to-school shoppers purchase pre-owned items when available, up 7.50% YoY.
74% of shoppers do not feel guilty about sending their children to school with pre-owned items.

Grouped Bar Graph: Back-to-Class Shopping Timelines for K-12 and College according to the National Retail Federation

Back-to-School Shopping Season

Most consumers start their K-12 back-to-school shopping between late-July and early-August.

55% of back-to-class consumers start their shopping by early July.
49% of consumers begin back-to-school shopping 3 to 4 weeks before school starts.
23% of consumers begin shopping at least 2 months before school starts; 23% begin shopping 1 to 2 weeks before.
5% of consumers don’t begin shopping until the week classes begin.
52% of total back-to-school spending occurs in July, while 31% of spending takes place in August.
In 2024, 66% of back-to-school purchases took place by the end of July, up 11.9% YoY.
In 2024, 65% of back-to-class consumers started shopping early to spread out their budget, up 3.17% YoY.
47% of shoppers began shopping early to take advantage of promotional prices.
59% of back-to-school shoppers believe the best discounts take place earlier in the season, while 41% think the best deals occur later in the shopping season.
55% of back-to-school consumers receive their school shopping lists by the end of July.

Back-to-School Prime Day Statistics

Amazon Prime Day is an annual members-only shopping event held each July, attracting many back-to-school shoppers.

In 2024, 68% of back-to-school shoppers planned to purchase school or college items on Amazon Prime Day.
Back-to-school shopping on Prime Day has increased 3.03% YoY and 38.8% since 2021.
32% of back-to-class shoppers planned to shop other online deals during Prime Day 2024; 26% planned to shop in-store sales.

Stacked Line Graph: Households Purchasing Electronics for Back-to-School for K-12 and College from 2014 to 2024 according to National Retail Federation

Back-to-School Consumer Statistics

Most back-to-school K-12 consumer households spend hundreds of dollars on annual back-to-school shopping.

85% of parents report being influenced by their children to splurge on must-have back-to-school brands or products.
61% of consumers say their children’s preferences drive increased spending during back-to-school shopping.
Parents are most likely to spend more on back-to-school products to make the transition back to school more exciting for their children, at 23%.
18% of shoppers splurge on back-to-school to boost their child’s confidence; 15% splurge for personal satisfaction from fulfilling their child’s wishes.
50% of parents are likely to buy items for themselves while shopping for their children during the back-to-school season.
Parents who purchase items for themselves while back-to-school shopping tend to spend 40% more than those who shop only for their children.

Back-to-School Social Media Shopping

Many online shoppers rely on social media to guide their back-to-school purchases.

33% of online back-to-school shoppers use social media to find products and sales.
1 out of 8 back-to-school shoppers planned to make a purchase on social media in 2024.
95% of back-to-school social media shoppers can be influenced to splurge on their children compared to 81% of all shoppers.
68% of social media shoppers planned to purchase items for themselves while back-to-school shopping, compared to 41% of all shoppers.
78% of social media shoppers use it to browse products and find reviews for back-to-school products; 62% use social media to find deals.
18% of 2024 back-to-school shoppers planned to use generative artificial intelligence (AI) to aid their purchasing journey.
Of the consumers using AI, 76% use it to find product reviews, 62% use it to budget or find deals, and 35% use AI to save time.

Back-to-College Spending Statistics

Back-to-college shopping is generally more expensive than back-to-school shopping, with more products and more purchases.

Families spent a total of $86.6 billion on back-to-college shopping in 2024, down 7.87% YoY.
In 2024, back-to-college spending on electronics totaled $22.8 billion, accounting for 26.3% of total spending.
Back-to-school electronics spending decreased 1.72%; as a share of total spend, electronics sales increased 6.67%.
Spending on dorm and apartment furnishings totaled $12.2 billion for a 14.1% share of total spending.
From 2023 to 2024, dorm spending decreased 6.87%; as a share of total spending, clothing sales increased 1.09%.
Back-to-school spending on clothing totaled $10.9 billion in 2024 for a 12.6% share of total spend.
Spending on clothing decreased 12.8% YoY; as a share of total spending, shoe sales declined 5.35%.
Back-to-college shoppers spent $9.5 billion on food, accounting for 11.0% of sales in 2024.
Also in 2024, back-to-college shoppers spent $7.1 billion on food items and $7.1 billion on personal care products.
Back-to-college spending also included gift cards ($6.0 billion), school supplies ($5.8 billion), and collegiate gear ($5.2 billion).

Back-to-College Budget Statistics

Back-to-college spending exceeds back-to-school spending, but expenses include many more items.

Household back-to-college shopping budgets decreased by $2.20 between 2023 and 2024.
Electronics and computer supplies are the most expensive back-to-college purchases at an average cost of $359.49 per household.
Collegiate-branded gear accounts for the smallest share of the average shopper’s budget at $82.32.
School supplies are the second-most affordable with household budgets averaging $91.29.
Households spend an average of $192.40 on dorm or apartment furnishings for back-to-college.
The average household spends $171.06 on clothing and accessories.
Households spend an average of $149.71 on food for back-to-college.
The average household spends roughly the same amount on shoes ($112.60) as on personal care items ($111.64).
Gift cards cost the average household $94.24 on gift cards for back-to-college.

Average Back-to-College Budgets
Year	Average Budget per Household	Average Budget per Student
2023	$1,367	$1,648
2022	$1,199	$1,600
2021	$1,200	$1,459
2020	$1,059	$1,345
2019	$977	$1,362
2018	$942	$1,330
2017	$970	$1,347
2016	$889	$1,345

Back-to-College Shopping by Location

Shoppers visit a variety of retail destinations to purchase back-to-college items.

50% of back-to-college shoppers shop online.
35% of back-to-college shoppers shop at department stores.
31% shop at discount stores for back-to-college.
Back-to-college consumers shop at office supply stores, college bookstores, and clothing stores in equal measure (26%).
17% shop at electronics stores, and 15% shop at stores for home goods and furnishings.
14% shop at local businesses, and 10% shop at drug stores.
Consumers are least likely to shop for back-to-college at thrift shops (9%) and in catalogs (8%).

Doughnut Chart: Average Household Back-to-College Budget according to National Retail Federation

Back-to-College Shopping by Category

Back-to-college consumers purchase from more product categories than K-12 shopping lists, including daily household items for students who live in dorms or off-campus apartments.

92% of back-to-college consumers spend a portion of their budgets on school supplies.
86% of consumers purchase personal care items for back-to-college.
84% of back-to-college shoppers purchase clothing and accessories and 82% purchase shoes.
80% of back-to-school shoppers purchase food items.
68% of back-to-college consumers spend a portion of their budgets on electronics or computer equipment.
65% purchase collegiate branded gear and 59% shop for dorm or apartment furnishings.
47% of back-to-college consumers buy gift cards.
67% of back-to-college shoppers prioritize purchasing eco-friendly or sustainable products.
43% of back-to-college shoppers would purchase second-hand textbooks.
Some back-to-school shoppers also consider purchasing second-hand clothing (31%), electronics (23%), and school supplies (22%).

Back-to-College Shopping Season

Consumers shopping for back-to-college items are more likely to wait until closer to the start of classes to make their purchases.

42% of back-to-college consumers begin shopping 3 to 4 weeks before school starts.
24% of consumers begin shopping at least 2 months in advance of classes starting, while 24% begin back-to-college shopping 1 to 2 weeks before school starts.
10% of consumers don’t begin shopping until the week classes begin or later.

Back-to-College Consumer Statistics

College-aged students are more likely to influence back-to-class purchase decisions than K-12 students.

Among college students aged 18 to 24, 56% search online for back-to-college shopping inspiration.
37% of college students consult friends or relatives, and 26% find inspiration within retail stores.
College students also find back-to-class inspiration on Instagram (31%) and TikTok (29%).
Students aged 18 to 24 are 82% more likely to use Instagram and 142% more likely to use TikTok for back-to-college shopping than all adults.

These data and insights were compiled by the Capital One Shopping team based on publicly available data.

Back-to-School Shopping Statistics