Back-To-School To Cost 8% More This Year
Written by Tariq on August 24, 2026
The cost of a typical school supply list – including notebooks, paper, pencils and glue sticks – is nearly $175, almost 8% higher than in 2025, according to an analysis by Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation, two progressive think tanks. Some essential items such as lunch boxes, notebooks and tissues cost 20% or more than they did a year ago, the analysis found, pointing in part to the effects of President Donald Trump’s tariff agenda, which the Federal Reserve says raised the cost of many products manufactured overseas for American consumers. Over the same period, the cost of electronics such as headphones rose 6.6%, the report found. Meanwhile, typical lunch items cost 10.9% more than they did in 2025, the analysis said, citing price hikes on everything from blueberries to deli meat. A survey by Credit Karma found that 57% of parents are entering the back-to-school season with credit card debt, and nearly half plan to pursue new credit to help pay for back-to-school expenses.
Source: USA Today
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