Back-to-school costs climb as supplies and lunches get pricier
A new analysis says school supply prices are up nearly 8% and lunch costs are up 11%, with tariffs and fuel costs adding pressure.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
3 min read
Back-to-school costs are rising again, with families facing higher prices for classroom supplies and packed lunches for the upcoming academic year, according to an analysis by The Century Foundation and Groundwork Collaborative.
The groups found that a typical basket of school goods, including notebooks, lunch boxes and index cards, costs nearly 8% more this year than in 2025. A typical school lunch is up 11%, according to the analysis.
All in, the groups estimate families will spend about $4,000 per student on supplies and lunches this year. That includes roughly $175 for school items and about $3,800 for packed lunches.
Lindsay Owens, executive director of Groundwork Collaborative, told CBS News that back-to-school shopping is the second-largest shopping event of the year after Christmas, and said families will feel the squeeze this school year.
Why are back-to-school costs higher?
The Century Foundation and Groundwork Collaborative point to tariffs and energy prices as key reasons behind the increase. Many common school items, including pens, markers, notebooks and glue, are made outside the U.S., which can make them vulnerable to higher import costs.
Owens told CBS News that higher gas prices have moved through food and clothing prices, while tariffs are also hitting school supplies because many are imported.
Newell Brands, which makes Sharpie pens and Elmer’s glue, said in an earnings release earlier this year that it would raise prices to cover sharply higher tariff costs. Logitech Chief Financial Officer Matteo Anversa also cited increased tariffs in May when discussing a sizable rise in U.S. prices for products such as headsets and keyboards.
Acco Brands, the parent company of Mead, Five Star and Trapper Keeper, said in a May earnings call that higher oil prices tied to the Iran war had increased company costs and contributed to consumer price hikes.
Broader inflation cooled in June to an annual rate of 3.5%, down from 4.2% in May, as fuel prices declined. Gas prices then rose in July amid renewed conflict in the Middle East.
Which school items cost more this year?
The analysis listed several classroom supplies and lunch box staples with higher prices compared with 2025:
- One-subject notebook: $4.92, up 23%
- Index cards: $3.86, up 22%
- Glue sticks: $7.68, up 7.6%
- Lunch box: $18.91, up 27%
- Blueberries: $4.89, up 48%
- Sandwich bread: $4.36, up 22%
- Apple juice: $4.14, up 20%
- Animal crackers: $6.49, up 15.7%
How families say they will cope
A Credit Karma survey of more than 1,000 parents found that 45% expect to take on debt to pay for back-to-school expenses. Deloitte found that half of families plan to trim household spending to cover the costs.
Owens told CBS News that parents try to get children to school with the basics, so it is understandable that households are cutting back elsewhere to buy what students need.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.