Highlights. Back-to-school spending per child decreased 9.68% from 2022 to 2023.
- Americans spent a total of $135.5 billion for back-to-school and back-to-college shopping in 2023.
- The average household budgeted $890.07 for back-to-school shopping in 2023.
- For one child, back-to-school supplies cost $597 (K-12 average).
- Household back-to-school budgets increased $25.72 or 2.98% year-over-year (YoY).
- The average household spent $1,366.95 on 2023 back-to-college shopping.
Back-to-School Spending Statistics
Households spend the largest portion of their back-to-school budgets on electronics and computer-related equipment.
- American families spent a total of $41.5 billion on K-12 back-to-school shopping in 2023.
- Statistics indicate back-to-school and back-to-college spending combined will total $189.7 billion in 2028.
- From 2019 to 2023, spending per child increased 15%; after adjusting for inflation, spending per child decreased 3.43%.
- Homeschooling parents spend 15% less than the average household on back-to-school shopping.
- Sustainable shoppers spend 36% more than the average household on back-to-school.
- 41% of shoppers plan to evenly split their back-to-school spending between online and in-store purchases.
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.
- 67% of back-to-school and -college consumers report higher prices on back-to-class items.
- 39% of shoppers report trimming their budgets in other areas in order to afford higher costs for back-to-class.
- 56% of back-to-class consumers start their shopping by early July.
Jump to Back-to-College Shopping Statistics
| Year | Average Budget per Household | Average Budget per Child |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Budget 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.
- The average household back-to-school budget in 2023 included $257.12 for clothing and accessories.
- School supply items are the most affordable back-to-school expense at $140.39 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 $325.96 per household.
- Families spend a household average of $166.59 on shoes.
- From 2018 to 2023, the average household back-to-school budget increased 30% from $684.79.
- Between 2007 and 2023, the average household back-to-school budget increased 58% from $563.49.
- 16% of back-to-school shoppers included a bullet-proof backpack in their budget.
- 38% of back-to-school consumers budget between $101.00 and $250.00.
- 35% of consumers budget between $250.00 and $500.00 on back-to-school shopping.
- 13% of consumers budget $100.00 or less on back-to-school.
- 11% of back-to-school consumers budget over $500.00.
Back-to-School Shopping Statistics
Most consumers start their K-12 back-to-school shopping between late-July and early-August.
- 55% of K-12 back-to-school shoppers shop online.
- 45% of back-to-school shoppers shop at department stores.
- 45% shop at discount stores.
- 41% shop at clothing stores.
- 23% shop at electronics stores, and 21% shop at office supply stores.
- 15% shop at small and local businesses, and 7% shop at thrift stores and resale shops.
- Consumers are least likely to shop for back-to-school in catalogs (6%) and drug stores (6%).
- 28% of consumers begin back-to-school shopping in early August.
- 10% of consumers don’t begin shopping until after classes begin.
- 2% of consumers begin shopping in late May.
- 32% of shoppers use coupons for back-to-school purchases.
Back-to-School Consumer Statistics
Most back-to-school K-12 consumer households spend hundreds of dollars on annual back-to-school shopping.
- 96% of back-to-school K-12 consumers spend a portion of their budgets on school supplies.
- 95% of back-to-school shoppers spend purchase clothing and accessories and 94% purchase shoes.
- 69% of back-to-school consumers spend a portion of their budgets on electronics or computer equipment.
- 60% of consumers visit 2 or 3 stores for most of their back-to-school shopping.
- 65% of online back-to-school consumers shop from a smartphone.
- 58% of online back-to-school consumers shop from a desktop or laptop computer.
- 35% of online back-to-school shoppers use social media to find products and sales.
- 46% of back-to-school shoppers purchase pre-configured kits.
- 29% of shoppers look for used or refurbished items for back-to-school.
- Consumers in the Western United States spend an average of $959.25 per shopping household on back-to-school.
- In Southern states, back-to-school shoppers spent an average of $915.11 per household.
- Northeastern back-to-school shoppers spent $819.27 per household.
- In the Midwest, back-to-school shoppers spent $679.17 per household.
Back-to-School Consumers by Age Group
Parents of K-12 students spend the most on K-12 back-to-school items. Other consumers may spend as relatives or friends, or may donate supplies to their local schools.
- Householders aged 35 to 44 years spend the most on K-12 back-to-school items, exceeding the average household K-12 expenses by 13.2%.
- The average 35- to 44-year-olds householder spent $1,007.69 for back-to-school 2021.
- 18- to 24-year-old households spent the least on K-12 back-to-school at $629.05 per household or 25.9% lower than average.
- Among teens and pre-teens who spent their own money on back-to-school items for 2021, the average expenditure by age group was $46.46 among teens and $39.19, among pre-teens.
- Teens’ spending for their own back-to-school increased 46.8% from 2011 to 2021.
- Among pre-teens, spending for their own school supplies increased over 159% from 2011 to 2021.
| Age Group | Average Spending | Difference from Household Average |
|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | $629.05 | -25.9% |
| 25-34 | $1,004.65 | 12.9% |
| 35-44 | $1,007.69 | 13.2% |
| 45-54 | $784.02 | -11.9% |
| 55-64 | $819.03 | -8.0% |
| 65+ | $754.38 | -15.2% |
Back-to-College Spending Statistics
Back-to-college spending exceeds back-to-school spending, but expenses include many more items.
- Households spent an average of $1,600 per child or per student for back-to-college 2022.
- Back-to-college spending per child or per student increased 9.66% from 2021 to 2022.
- From 2019 to 2022, household spending per college student increased 17.5%; after adjusting for inflation, spending per college student increased 1.76%.
- Compared to spending per K-12 child, households spend 170.7% more per college student.
- Sustainable shoppers spend 19% more than the average household on back-to-college.
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 increased by $167.52 between 2022 and 2023.
- Electronics and computer supplies are the most expensive back-to-college purchases at an average cost of $336.65 per household.
- School supplies are the most affordable with household budgets averaging $95.03.
- Households spend an average of $114.48 on personal care items.
- The average household spends roughly the same amount on dorm and apartment furnishings ($190.80) as clothing and accessories ($182.39).
- Households spend an average of $112.81 on shoes for back-to-college.
- The average household spends $151.00 on food for back-to-college.
- Gift cards cost the average household $104.75 on gift cards for back-to-college.
- Families spend a total of $94 billion on back-to-college shopping.
| Year | Average Budget per Household | Average Budget per Student |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $1,199.43 | $1,600 |
| 2021 | $1,200.00 | $1,459 |
| 2020 | $1,059.00 | $1,345 |
| 2019 | $977.00 | $1,362 |
| 2018 | $942.00 | $1,330 |
| 2017 | $970.00 | $1,347 |
| 2016 | $888.71 | $1,345 |
Back-to-College Shopping Statistics
Back-to-college shopping is generally more expensive than back-to-school shopping, with more products and more purchases.
- 49% of back-to-college shoppers shop online.
- 35% of back-to-college shoppers shop at department stores.
- 33% shop at discount stores for back-to-college.
- 25% shop at office supply stores, and 26% shop at their college bookstore.
- 25% shop at clothing stores.
- 18% shop at electronics stores, and 14% shop at stores for home goods and furnishings.
- Back-to-college consumers shop at drug stores and small and local businesses in equal measure (12%).
- Consumers are least likely to shop for back-to-college at thrift shops (9%) and in catalogs (7%).
- 37% begin shopping within the last three (3) weeks of summer.
Back-to-College Consumer Statistics
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 back-to-college shoppers purchase clothing and accessories and 81% purchase shoes.
- 86% of consumers purchase personal care items for back-to-college.
- 81% 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.
- 64% purchase collegiate branded gear and 61% shop for dorm or apartment furnishings.
- 51% of back-to-college consumers buy gift cards.
- 59% of online back-to-college consumers shop from a smartphone.
- 30% of online back-to-college shoppers use social media to find products and sales.
- 33% of shoppers look for used or refurbished items for back-to-college.
These data and insights were compiled by the Capital One Shopping team based on publicly available data.
Sources
- National Retail Federation Holiday and Seasonal Trends: Back-to-School
- Deloitte, Insights: Consumer Products and Retail
- Statista, Back-to-School
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI Inflation Calculator
- Statista, Back-to-College
- Finance Buzz, 44% of Parents are Considering Buying a Bulletproof Backpack for their Child
- Morning Consult, Retail & E-Commerce