Cost of College Course Materials Forces Students to Cut Classes, Rethink Majors, Survey Reveals

The rising cost of college course materials has caused a majority of students to take fewer courses or avoid certain classes altogether, a new survey has found.

The National Course Materials Survey 2023, conducted by Bay View Analytics and released on Monday, surveyed 500 undergraduate students across the country and found significant concerns among students about the high costs of course materials.

Around 70% of students reported being worried about meeting these costs, with over half spending $200 or more per term. Financial aid only partially alleviated these expenses, with a quarter of recipients noting that it doesn't cover any material costs.

Many students reported that the high cost of course materials influenced their decisions on institution choice, course registration and even their major or minor selections. For instance, 45% of students indicated that textbook costs affected their institution choice. The financial burden has also led many students to make academic compromises, such as taking fewer courses (57%) or avoiding classes with costly materials (53%).

"[The cost] has made me choose between eating and buying course materials," one student said.

The report additionally highlighted that community college students are particularly vulnerable, with a higher likelihood of experiencing extreme worry over course material costs and making institution choices based on these expenses.

Many students have resorted to various strategies to reduce costs, such as buying used books, sharing materials or seeking free versions online, the survey showed.

Preferences for course material formats are split, with some students favoring print while others prefer digital options. But even digital course materials do little to ease the financial burden, according to students.

"Lately professors aren't using regular textbooks anymore and are instead using website subscriptions which makes it impossible to find cheaper options or loopholes. The prices for these subscriptions are outrageous and are only for one semester's worth of access," another student shared in the survey.