As a new academic year kicks off, maybe your first in college, I want to share some advice, whether at a community college, a four-year university or a public or private institution. It is about something which does not always get as much attention as tuition, room and board: textbooks.
Textbooks are not just heavy in your backpack; they can be heavy on your wallet. The College Board estimates students at four-year public universities spend between $1,200 and $1,500 yearly on books and supplies. Surveys from U.S. PIRG (Public Interest Research Group) show that some 65% of students have skipped at least once buying a required textbook because of the cost.
Buying textbooks is not just about saving money; it can change your whole college path. The National Course Materials Survey (2023) found that more than half of students said high textbook prices made them take fewer courses or avoid certain courses altogether. About 45% said textbook costs influenced where they went to school and their major. Lower-income students are likelier to delay starting college or change majors if they think course materials are too expensive: a double whammy.
And here is the kicker: starting a class without the required materials can put you at an immediate disadvantage. Colleges that have adopted Open Educational Resources (OER) or inclusive-access models (where materials are provided digitally at a lower bulk cost) see fewer students dropping or avoiding courses because of textbook cost. Students often report earning lower grades because they could not get the book early enough. A report by Inside Higher Ed revealed that 35% of students dropped out, 34% withdrew and 31% failed a course because of expensive materials. About 41% reported earning lower grades. Fall 2021 data found that courses with higher textbook costs saw significantly more pre-census drops during the first few weeks. A study from Cosumnes River College suggests students who registered initially bailed out once they learned the costs, not a good outcome for students or the institution. The numbers have not improved much. Best Colleges reports for 2024-2025, the average full-time student spent about $1,370 on books and supplies, more at public two-year colleges ($1,520) than at four-year schools ($1,290).
The good news? More faculty are switching to lower-cost or free materials. A decade ago, only about 5% used them; now, it is over 20%. A shift can make a big difference. Some schools are leading the way in lightening student backpacks and making it easier on students’ wallets.
My advice to all regarding costs of every kind is to pay attention to them, budget carefully and make sure you understand the financial impacts of support materials before enrolling in a course.
Some universities are responding positively to the increasing cost of textbooks through “Open Resources, Open Futures” initiatives. As of early 2025, over 60% of undergraduate courses use such resources to cut textbook expenses. Georgia State University has encouraged faculty to adopt free or low-cost materials. At SUNY Empire State University, the Textbook Affordability Initiative, launched in 2023, enables faculty to use Open Educational Resources (OER). Expanded in 2024, it includes fellowships for OER adoption and purchases of library-licensed eBooks to widen student access. At James Madison University, in the 2024–25 academic year, five instructors redesigned their courses using OER and saved roughly $20,000 in textbook costs for about 300 students in just one semester. The university also offers workshops and a platform for faculty to publish their own open textbooks. Kishwaukee College implemented an “all-in” tuition model: the cost of required textbooks, physical or digital, is built into tuition ($8 per credit hour), but it doesn’t help the backpack burden. Students can opt out and receive a refund if they prefer not to use the college-provided materials. Sterling College launched the Zero-Cost Textbook Initiative and already offers over 165 general education courses with no-cost textbooks, significantly reducing student financial barriers.
At West Texas A&M University, we are helping lead the way. We have made a campus-wide agreement with Cengage and McGraw-Hill, two of the biggest names in the textbook world, to give our students free digital textbooks, mobile apps and learning platforms with no extra fees. So far, it is working. Adoption is spreading into upper-division classes, too.
Bottom line? Textbooks are more than just another expense; they can shape what classes you take, how well you do in class and even whether you stay in school. My advice is, before you sign up for a class, check the cost of materials, count it, budget for it and do not be afraid to ask your school and the faculty teaching courses what they do to keep those costs down.
We take pride in offering an excellent education at a reasonable price; it is our job as a regional research university. It is Panhandle pragmatism at work. At WT, you get more than an education. You experience a way of life.
Walter V. Wendler is the President of West Texas A&M University. His weekly columns, with hyperlinks, are available at https://walterwendler.com/.
