Families Plan Record Back-to-School Spending of 863 Dollars Per Child This Year
Families with K-12 students plan to spend an average of $863.86 per child on back-to-school items this year, with total spending projected to reach a record $43.3 billion. College-bound spending is also expected to hit record levels, adding pressure to household budgets already strained by elevated inflation.
Families with K-12 students plan to spend an average of $863.86 per child on back-to-school items this year, with total spending projected to reach a record $43.3 billion, according to data from Experian.
College-bound spending is also expected to hit record levels, adding further pressure to household budgets already strained by elevated inflation. Annual inflation remained at 3.5 percent as of the most recent data, well above the Federal Reserve's 2 percent target.
The back-to-school season is one of the largest retail events of the year, second only to the winter holiday period. Spending categories include clothing, electronics, school supplies, and dorm furnishings for college students.
The record spending comes despite a challenging economic environment. Consumer prices fell 0.4 percent in June 2026, the largest one-month decline since April 2020, driven primarily by falling energy costs. But gasoline prices have since risen again due to geopolitical tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, complicating the inflation outlook.
Mortgage rates have remained near 6.58 percent since May, with little indication of an immediate downward trend. The combination of elevated housing costs and persistent inflation has squeezed discretionary budgets for many families.
Financial advisors recommend that families prioritize essential school supplies and take advantage of tax-free shopping weekends, which many states offer in August, to reduce the overall cost of back-to-school purchases. Buying used electronics and shopping sales early can also help stretch budgets further.
