FILE - A customer shopping for school supplies with an employee restocking shelves at a Target store in Queens, New York, on Sept. 3, 2023. (Photo by: Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
null - New teachers, new backpacks, new pencils. The back-to-school season always brings feelings of excitement (and maybe nerves) for kids. Parents, meanwhile, must reach into their wallets to make sure their students have the supplies they need for a successful school year.
In fact, parents nationwide spend an average of $701 per child, per year, on back-to-school items, according to a new survey. This figure includes everything from clothing to basic supplies to class-specific items.
The findings come from a July survey conducted by Coupon Bird of 2,500 U.S. parents of school-age children from every state.
The highest-spending states for the back-to-school season were found to be New York ($1,123), Florida ($1,095), and California ($1,078), according to the survey.
On the opposite end, Louisiana ($321), Mississippi ($336), and West Virginia ($352) were found to be the lowest-spending states for parents buying school gear.
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How much parents spend on back-to-school items
Some 32% of the U.S. parents surveyed said they anticipate spending between $500 and $749 per child on back-to-school expenses. Another 24% of parents said they budget for between $250 and $499.
Only 3% of those surveyed said they spend between $0 and $99 per child, per year, on school gear.
For some parents, covering back-to-school expenses means taking on extra work, according to the survey. More than a quarter of those surveyed (28%) said they need a second job to make sure their kids are equipped for the fall.
Are schools asking too much for back-to-school supplies?
As more parents feel the financial strain of higher prices, many say that school districts are asking for too much when it comes to school supplies.
In a separate survey by personal finance website WalletHub, more than 3 in 4 parents (79%) said that schools are asking parents to buy too much during the back-to-school season.
Most parents (86%) surveyed said they believe the cost of education has gotten out of control, and more than half (52%) said they will have to spend more on school supplies later in the year.
Parents are projected to spend $31.3 billion collectively on back-to-school shopping, according to Deloitte's 2024 back-to-school survey, which added that clothing and school supplies account for the most.
This story was reported from Cincinnati.