Overview
- National surveys show record spending for 2026 with U.S. K-12 shoppers planning an average $863.86 and total K-12 outlays forecast at $43.3 billion while college spending is expected to top $103.5 billion.
- Price studies report school-supply baskets rose about 7â8% year over year, with large item jumps such as lunch boxes up 26.8% and notebooks up 23%.
- Parents say they are planning ahead, reusing items, buying secondhand, hunting sales and relying more on credit or buy-now-pay-later to manage higher bills.
- Local checks show wide variation in what families pay: Chicago Public Schools lists yielded per-student baskets from about $73 to $195 and some parents face hundreds more in mandatory school fees such as a $585 high-school charge.
- Retail patterns have shifted toward Walmart, Target and Amazon while dollar stores entered the top 10 this year, and community drives, school programs and retailer promotions are playing a key role in easing costs.