It’s no secret college students often have to be *very* picky about how they spend their money. Going to college is, in no uncertain terms, expensive. According to The Education Data Initiative, the average cost of attendance for an in-state student at a public university is $108,584 over four years. For out-of-state students and those attending private universities, this number can even be significantly higher.
And that’s to say nothing of the current economy. Stock market losses can erode families’ college savings, rising interest rates can make taking out loans even more daunting than usual, and, according to Forbes, the average price of tuition, fees, and room and board for an undergraduate degree has increased by 169% between 1980 and 2020. Economic dips also affect universities’ endowments, resulting in higher tuition costs and fees for students so that schools can afford to, you know, keep existing.
The expenses that come with being a college student and living independently can cause a lot of stress during back-to-college shopping season. But just because budgets may be tight, that doesn’t mean students have to choose between financial responsibility and feeling good about themselves, their stuff, and their spaces when they go off to school. A 2024 survey conducted by Her Campus found that Gen Zers are excited about getting creative with how they shop, finding sales and deals through research and recommendations, looking for brands that offer student discounts, and more.
How Gen Zers Are Budgeting Their Back-To-College Shopping
Of the 562 students who participated in the Her Campus survey, the average amount Gen Zers plan to spend on back-to-college shopping is about $1,231.
These students being strategic with their spending, too — 77% of them plan to spend the same amount or less money on their back-to-college shopping compared to last year. There are a few different explanations for this. About 54% of those surveyed said the current state of the economy has a large impact on their spending. “My family is going through some financial difficulties and in order to help them out, I just cut down on the things I planned to get,” a junior international student told Her Campus in the survey. Other students are planning to reuse a lot of things they already bought (like decor and tech products) from previous school years.
The 23% of students who plan to spend more often cited moving into larger, more independent living spaces (such as from a dorm room to an apartment) as the reason they’re spending more this year, since they likely need to buy more home furnishings, cleaning supplies, and kitchen tools than they did in previous years.
Regardless of whether students are fortunate enough to have some back-to-school purchases covered by parents or guardians, there are certain products the majority of them are still responsible for buying on their own. For example, 86% of students say they are primarily responsible for purchasing their own beauty and personal care products, 79% say they buy their own clothing and accessories, and 67% say they cover the costs of non-tech school supplies, such as notebooks, folders, and writing utensils.
Because many students are on their own for making their back-to-college purchases, they’re understandably trying to spend their money wisely. “This year, I have been struggling financially due to me working fewer hours to be able to focus on school,” a senior in Nevada said in the survey. “Because of this, I don’t have as much to spend on back-to-school shopping.”
Many others cited their own financial goals — such as saving for graduate school or learning how to stick to a budget — as their reasons shopping frugally. “I want to budget the money I have a bit more since it is my last year of college and I want to make sure I have enough in my savings,” a senior in the Boston area wrote. “I know I can cut down costs to make sure I am not setting myself up for financial stress.”
One way students are trying to be mindful about their spending is by researching where they want to spend their money and planning out their back-to-school purchases early in the summer. A quarter of the students surveyed said they started making back-to-college shopping decisions all the way back in May, seeking out recommendations for brands and supplies and getting a head start on budgeting so they are more confident that the money they’re spending will be worth it.
What Everyone Is Buying
When asked how they plan to divvy up their back-to-school budgets, students said they plan to spend the largest amount of money on clothing and accessories ($271.14, on average). “I’m really into the phrase look good, feel good,” one junior from New Jersey said in the survey. “When I’m wearing something I love and feel confident in, I perform well in school and find myself being happier and more confident in myself!”
Home furnishings and decorations come in close second ($270.49, on average), which makes sense, considering furniture and decor is pretty costly. Plus, Gen Z loves a good dorm room aesthetic. “As a college student, having a place that I can comfortably call my home away from home is very important to me,” a junior from Texas said.
On average, students’ anticipated costs for non-tech school supplies (like notebooks, pens, and index cards) will add up to $143.16 this year. “I always go through a lot of them during the semester,” a senior from the Pacific Northwest explained. Items specific to students’ classes and majors can also be a significant expense. “Books and [computer] programs are really expensive these days,” a senior from upstate New York wrote. “You have to make sure you set aside enough for them all.”
Where College Students Are Shopping
According to the survey, students hold a lot of different opinions when it comes to the brands they buy. Obviously, the amount they have to spend is a top priority, evidenced by the 50% of students who said free shipping would encourage them to buy from certain brands, and the 47% who said the same about brands that offered coupons and promo codes. Many specifically seek out brands that have annual sales and offer student discounts.
“I want brands to consider that we work really hard and some of us don’t always have the money to buy the things that we need for back to school, so I would like to see student discounts,” another junior from Texas wrote in the survey.
Typically, brands’ PR agencies send free gifts to well-established influencers, but many college students wish they could get the same perks. When asked what brands could do to support college students, one senior from New York responded that brands should “give PR gifts to broke college students.”
But costs aren’t the only thing students care about when shopping. Other students explained in the survey that they are looking for brands that collaborate with influencers in different demographics, host events on college campuses, and, according to another junior from the South, “show their dedication to sustainable practices.”
That said, of the students surveyed, the majority of students still anticipate spending the most money at big-box stores like Target and Walmart, and the online retailer where students anticipate purchasing most of their items is Amazon.
Where To Find Back-To-College Shopping Inspo
When it comes to recommendations on where to spend their money, 75% of Gen Zers said TikTok is where they look for back-to-college shopping inspiration. In addition, more than 60% of students said they use recommendations from their peers and from micro-influencers they follow on social media to decide where to shop and determine how their money would be best spent. (And if you’re interested in hearing from these micro-influencers too, be sure to check out the results from Her Campus’s Dream Dorms survey of student tastemakers!)
Additionally, 68% of survey participants also cited recommendations from friends as a large influence on how and where they do their back-to-college shopping. So if you find something cute or useful on your shopping expeditions, be sure to tell your besties! Everyone’s out here trying to find the best stuff for the best prices, so share the intel to ensure the whole squad goes back to school in style.