America's Back-to-College Shopping List

Back-to-college

According to the National Retail Federation, U.S. college students (and their families) are expected to spend a total of $55 billion in preparation for the new academic year starting in late August/early September. But what are they spending all that money on? Are school supplies really that costly these days?

The following chart shows the average back-to-college shopping list for households of college student in 2018. According to the NRF’s finding, electronics, clothing & accessories and dorm room furnishings are the biggest items on the list, amounting to more than half of the average total spending per household.

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Infographic: America's Back-to-College Shopping List | Statista

Description

This chart shows what households of college students spend money on during back-to-college season.

Report

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Back-to-college clothing: total expenditure by U.S. consumers 2007-2025
Back-to-college clothing: total expenditure by U.S. consumers 2007-2025
Back-to-college spending in the U.S. 2009-2025
Back-to-college spending in the U.S. 2009-2025
Back-to-college furnishings: amount U.S. consumers planned to spend 2007-2025
Back-to-college furnishings: amount U.S. consumers planned to spend 2007-2025
U.S. consumer planned expenditure on back-to-college school supplies 2007-2025
U.S. consumer planned expenditure on back-to-college school supplies 2007-2025
Back-to-college school supplies: amount U.S. consumers planned to spend 2007-2025
Back-to-college school supplies: amount U.S. consumers planned to spend 2007-2025
Total planned expenditure on shoes by U.S. consumers for back-to-college 2007-2025
Total planned expenditure on shoes by U.S. consumers for back-to-college 2007-2025

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Data Journalist
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