College students pay upwards of $1,100 a year for books and supplies, so many schools are working to try to reduce the burden.
A study from U.S. Public Interest Research Group found the cost of course materials has increased at three times the rate of inflation since the 1970s, due mostly to lack of competition in the college publishing industry.
Cailyn Nagle, open education resources program manager for the Michelson 20 Million Minds Foundation, co-authored the report.
“We see 65% of students skip buying a textbook due to cost, and 21% of students skip buying access codes because they can’t afford it,” Nagle reported.
Many campus libraries lend out textbooks, and bookstores sell used books and facilitate rentals or digital downloads. Students look for deals online. And schools are also moving toward an Open Educational Resource model where courses use textbooks, journals and other materials available free online. In 2021, the State of California allocated more than $115 million to help schools promote the transition.
Leslie Lange Kennedy, assistant vice chancellor of academic technology services at California State University, said the school works to help students get the materials they need.
“We work really hard to help faculty become aware of zero-cost course materials,” Lange Kennedy explained. “And to help them with the time and effort that it takes to migrate their courses utilizing a free or low-cost material.”
Recently, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 607, which requires colleges and universities to disclose the costs of their courses ahead of time.
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
