How Much Do School Supplies Cost?

Updated on July 10, 2026 | Written by Alec Pow
This article was researched using 9 sources. See our methodology and corrections policy.

Basic school supplies typically cost $40 to $100 for an elementary student, $70 to $150 for a middle school student, and $100 to $300 for a high school student. The budget can rise to $500 to $1,000 or more per child when a family also buys clothing, shoes, a backpack, sports gear, a graphing calculator, or a laptop.

National back-to-school surveys often report much higher totals because they count more than notebooks and pencils. PwC estimates that U.S. families expect to spend an average of $922 during the 2026 back-to-school season, while JLL reports an average planned budget of $489 per child. These figures cover broader shopping categories and use different survey methods, so neither should be described as the price of classroom supplies alone.

The school’s official list is the best starting point. Grade level, reusable items, technology requirements, uniforms, elective courses, sports, and whether the school supplies a device can change the family bill by hundreds of dollars.

Article Highlights

Jump to sections

• Basic classroom supplies usually cost $40 to $100 (at $30 per hour, earning that amount would take about 1.3 to 3.3 hours of work, before taxes) in elementary school.
• Middle school supplies commonly total $70 to $150.
• High school supplies can cost $100 to $300 before clothing or a computer.
• A graphing calculator can add $80 to $160 to one student’s list.
• A required laptop or tablet can raise the budget by $250 to $1,000 or more.
• National household averages often include clothes, shoes, electronics, and several children.
• Sales-tax holidays help only when the item, price, purchase date, and state rules qualify.

School Supply Costs by Grade

Student level	Classroom supplies only	With backpack and lunch gear	Full seasonal setup
Elementary school	$40 to $100 (about 1.3 to 3.3 hours of work at $30 per hour)	$75 to $175	$200 to $600+
Middle school	$70 to $150	$110 to $225	$300 to $750+
High school	$100 to $300	$150 to $375	$400 to $1,200+
College student	$150 to $500	Varies by housing	$500 to $2,000+

The classroom-only column covers common items such as paper, notebooks, folders, binders, pencils, pens, markers, glue, and basic art materials. The full seasonal setup may include clothing, shoes, headphones, calculators, electronics, sports items, dorm goods, and course-specific supplies.

Current retailer pages from Walmart school supplies and Target back-to-school products show entry-level notebooks, folders, pencils, glue, and crayons available for a few dollars or less during seasonal promotions. Branded backpacks, insulated lunchboxes, reusable bottles, electronics, and licensed designs cost much more.

Supplies Only vs Back-to-School Spending

“School supplies” can refer to two very different shopping carts.

A narrow classroom-supply cart might contain five notebooks, five folders, pencils, pens, crayons, markers, glue sticks, scissors, paper, and a pencil case. A family using store-brand products may complete that list for $35 to $75 (about 1.2 to 2.5 hours of work at $30 per hour).

A full back-to-school cart can include:

• Classroom supplies
• Backpack and lunchbox
• Clothes and shoes
• PE clothing and athletic shoes
• Calculator, headphones, or USB drive
• Laptop or tablet
• Uniforms
• Sports equipment
• Activity and laboratory materials

That wider definition explains why a national survey can report several hundred dollars per student while a teacher’s paper supply list totals less than $100.

Why the $922 Average Is Not a Supply List

PwC’s 2026 consumer poll places expected family back-to-school spending at $922. The survey covers the shopping season rather than only classroom materials, and PwC’s current report says 47% of families expect to spend more than they did last year.

JLL reports a different 2026 figure of $489 per child, up 11.7% from its prior survey. Its back-to-school shopping study also finds that discretionary items take a smaller share of family budgets.

Deloitte’s July 2026 research points in another direction, forecasting a drop in inflation-adjusted spending. That does not mean one study is necessarily wrong. Surveys may differ by dates, households, categories, sample design, and whether the result is nominal or adjusted for inflation.

A household average also does not equal a per-child budget. If a two-student household spends $922, the simple amount per child is $461. A three-student household spending the same total averages $307.33 per child.

This $500 Device Changes Budget

Technology can cost more than every paper supply combined. Consider a high school shopping list with:

• Notebooks, binders, folders, and writing supplies: $85
• Backpack and lunch gear: $60
• PE shoes and clothing: $90
• Graphing calculator: $110
• Laptop: $500

The total is $845. Without the laptop, the same setup costs $345. The device raises the budget by $500, or about 145%.

Families should confirm whether the school provides a Chromebook, calculator, headphones, charger, protective case, or software license before buying. A school-issued device may come with a damage fee, optional protection plan, or replacement charge even when there is no purchase price.

Three Real Shopping Baskets

Elementary store-brand basket: A $20 backpack, $12 lunchbox, five notebooks for $5, folders for $2, pencils for $4, crayons and markers for $7, glue and scissors for $5, and a pencil case for $4 produce a total of $59.

Middle school setup: A $35 backpack, $18 lunch bag, notebooks and paper for $18, binders and dividers for $20, pens and pencils for $12, headphones for $20, and a basic calculator for $18 produce a total of $141.

High school technology basket: A $45 backpack, $35 in notebooks and binders, $20 in writing supplies, $110 graphing calculator, $40 headphones, $80 in PE clothing, and a $450 laptop produce a total of $780.

These are constructed planning baskets, not national averages. Local prices, school lists, product brands, and sales will change each total.

Costs Missing From the Teacher List

The official classroom list may omit expenses that arrive during registration or the first weeks of school:

• Uniform shirts, pants, skirts, or approved shoes
• PE uniforms and gym shoes
• Band instrument rental and supplies
• Art, engineering, culinary, or laboratory materials
• Athletic participation and equipment
• Student identification replacement fees
• School photos and yearbooks
• Club dues, field trips, and activity fees
• Device insurance or repair charges
• Locker accessories and combination locks

A family required to buy several uniform sets should add the separate cost of school uniforms rather than treating clothing as part of the pencil-and-paper budget.

Budgets for Two or Three Children

Not every cost multiplies evenly by the number of children. Pens, paper, glue, and tissues can be bought in larger packs and divided. Backpacks, calculators, uniforms, and devices usually belong to one student.

A two-child family with one elementary student at $100 and one middle school student at $175 spends $275 before clothing and electronics. Adding $150 in shoes and clothes for each child raises the family total to $575.

A three-child family budgeting $125 per student for supplies and bags spends $375. Add one $500 laptop, one $110 graphing calculator, and $400 in clothing and shoes, and the seasonal total reaches $1,385.

This is why household surveys can produce totals near $900 without suggesting that every child needs hundreds of dollars in notebooks.

When Bulk Packs Save Money

Bulk buying works when several students use the same item or when supplies will be needed throughout the year. Pencils, loose-leaf paper, glue sticks, tissues, index cards, and notebooks are easier to divide than grade-specific calculators or decorated backpacks.

Suppose ten single notebooks cost $1.25 each, or $12.50. A ten-pack on sale for $8 saves $4.50, equal to 36%. The saving disappears when half the notebooks remain unused or the teacher requires a different size or ruling.

Check the official list before buying large packs. Teachers may request wide-ruled instead of college-ruled paper, plastic rather than paper folders, specific binder sizes, or separate notebooks for each class.

Tax-Free School Shopping in 2026

Sales-tax holidays can reduce the bill, but state rules differ. Some include clothing and school supplies but exclude computers. Others cover computers only below a price cap.

Texas holds its 2026 back-to-school sales-tax holiday from August 7 through August 9. Most qualifying clothing, student backpacks, and listed school supplies must cost less than $100 per item, according to the Texas Comptroller’s rules. Computers and textbooks do not qualify under that holiday.

Ohio’s 2026 holiday also begins August 7, as confirmed on the Ohio Department of Taxation page. Florida’s 2026 back-to-school holiday runs from July 20 through August 20 and uses separate caps for supplies, clothing, learning aids, and computers.

Shipping and handling can count toward an item’s sale price in some states. A product priced just below a cap may become taxable after delivery charges are added. Verify the current revenue-department rules before checkout.

Help With Back-to-School Supplies

School-supply support is usually local rather than one national entitlement. Families can contact their school office, district family liaison, school social worker, library, church, community center, or local charity.

The Salvation Army’s Stuff the Bus program connects families with local school-supply events where available. Registration dates, income rules, student attendance requirements, and inventory differ by community.

United Way’s 211 service can direct families to nearby backpack distributions, clothing assistance, food support, and other local resources. Calling does not guarantee that school supplies remain available, so early contact matters.

Free and reduced-price meal programs reduce the wider school-year budget but do not directly pay for notebooks, calculators, or backpacks. They should be treated as separate assistance.

What to Buy First

Buy the fixed requirements first:

• Items listed by the school or teacher
• Supplies needed on the first day
• Correctly sized uniforms and shoes
• Required calculators or course materials
• Replacement items that are broken or outgrown

Wait on optional locker decorations, extra organizers, trend-driven accessories, spare electronics, and large quantities that the teacher has not requested. High school students may receive different lists from individual teachers during the first week.

Before replacing a backpack, calculator, headphones, or lunchbox, check whether the previous year’s item still works. Reusing a $40 backpack and $110 graphing calculator removes $150 from the new budget immediately.

What We Verified

• Checked: PwC’s current 2026 survey reports expected average family spending of $922 across the back-to-school season.
• Confirmed: JLL reports a separate 2026 budget of $489 per child, showing why household and student figures cannot be merged.
• Cross-referenced: Deloitte’s July forecast points to weaker inflation-adjusted spending, so current studies do not present one unanimous trend.
• Verified: NRF’s most recent completed annual estimate before its full 2026 release was $858.07 per K-12 household in 2025, covering clothing, shoes, supplies, and electronics through its back-to-school survey.
• Checked: Texas limits its 2026 school-supply exemption to listed qualifying products below the applicable per-item cap.

Related School Costs

Supply lists are only one piece of the education budget. Families can compare the broader cost of elementary school with the changing academic, technology, activity, and transportation expenses covered in the cost of high school. College students should separate classroom materials from textbooks, housing, meals, transportation, and tuition.

Answers to Common Questions

How much should I budget for basic school supplies?
Plan on about $40 to $100 for elementary school, $70 to $150 for middle school, and $100 to $300 for high school before clothing and technology.

Why do national back-to-school averages exceed $800?
Those surveys often count clothes, shoes, electronics, backpacks, and purchases for more than one child. They do not measure pencils and notebooks alone.

How much does a school laptop add?
A basic student laptop or Chromebook can add $250 to $600. Higher-specification devices can cost $700 to $1,000 or more.

Are school supplies tax-free?
Some states hold temporary sales-tax holidays. Dates, product lists, and price caps differ, and many states offer no back-to-school holiday.

When is the cheapest time to buy school supplies?
Core paper products often receive strong seasonal discounts from July through early September. Buy required items when a good sale appears, but wait for the teacher’s list before purchasing specialized products.