By DENISHA MIMS/Contributor
College students face a financial hurdle every semester: the rising cost of textbooks.
”The school is already charging a high amount of tuition, room and board; and adding the high cost of textbooks is annoying and frustrating,” said Sarah Russell, a senior health science major.
Russell doesn’t like paying for expensive books that professors barely use.
”(Some) professors tell us upfront that the book will not be used, but other professors say the textbook is required and that it never gets used, maybe once,” she said. “The professors know the cost, so it is frustrating when they say we need it and don’t use it.’’
Prices for college textbooks increased by 7% between 2020 and 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is larger than the average increase in tuition.
THE COST OF TEXTBOOKS
In a 2023 survey of nearly 14,500 students, the National Association of College Stores found that in 2022-2023, the average college student spent $285 on course materials, including books. Twenty-five percent of students rented their materials. Additionally, about one in four did not obtain at least one of the materials assigned for a course.
Students in political, law, business, health professions and clinical-related majors spent nearly $400 on course materials and textbooks, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Students in physical sciences, math and undeclared majors spent $170 to $220.
Hear what one student has to say about textbook prices.
Russell believes UT Tyler should do more to keep textbook prices affordable.
“I know I can order the textbook online for a cheaper price, but I should not have to do more work to find the book online,” she said. “Our school can be better at selling and renting them more cheaply.”
Sarah Buckingham, a senior kinesiology major, pays a lot for the books she needs for classes.
“I am currently spending about $800 on course textbooks,” she said.
Buckingham had to choose between buying textbooks or presents for others.
“I noticed when buying birthday gifts or Christmas presents for the family, I had to maybe settle for a hug instead,” she said.
ALTERNATIVES TO BUYING
To keep costs down, students approach each semester by assessing whether they need every assigned textbook.
“I spend as little as possible,” said Angela Fosuhene-Apenteng, a senior health science major. “I always try to see if there are any free PDFs or textbooks online or check if the textbook is necessary for the course because I’ve had many classes that didn’t fully utilize the required text.”
To save on textbook costs, Fosuhene-Apenteng has found creative ways to access course materials.
“I have rented textbooks, found free versions, shared textbooks with classmates or even borrowed textbooks from people I knew who already took the course,” she said.
Jada McGee, a senior health science major, believes professors could play a role in reducing textbook costs for students.
“Professors could . . . find a cheaper textbook and use that instead,” she said.