College students are spending markedly less on textbooks and other course materials than they were two decades ago thanks to the continued expansion of digital learning.
Students spent $388 on course materials for the entire 2025-26 academic year. That’s 26% less than five years ago and about 50% less than in 2007-08, when students paid $701 on average for course materials, the latest Student Watch report from the National Association of College Stores found.
Spending on course materials has remained relatively stable over the past three years.
The decline in student spending has mirrored growing preference for digital textbooks accessed on laptops, desktops and other devices, said Lacey Wallace, research analyst for the National Association of College Stores.
More on affordability: Do tuition resets work? Why new data shows you’re asking the wrong question
About 40% of all purchased course materials this year were digital. Students said they preferred those materials over print for the third consecutive survey.
“Since about 2014, the role of digital in the course material space has really grown,” Wallace said. “Digital course materials can save students money because they’re often cheaper than print alternatives.”
One reason for this is the growth of “inclusive access” programs. Institutions offer materials at a wholesale discount that students can pay off through financial and scholarships. Most programs deliver these materials digitally.
One university system’s inclusive access program reportedly saved students $10 million in textbook costs in one academic year. At the same time, the market share of students who bought from the bookstore increased by 62 percentage points, allowing the university to maintain revenue through purchase volume.
Digital textbooks are as accessible as they are affordable, Wallace said. “[Students] really like being able to access their materials over multiple devices and do it pretty seamlessly.”
Desire for print materials hasn’t disappeared. Nearly a third (32%) of students prefer print textbooks, only five percentage points less than those who said they favor digital. Older students and first-generation students leaned more toward print.
