College students are spending markedly less on textbooks and other course materials than they were two decades ago thanks to the continued expansion of digital learning. Students spent $388 on course materials for the entire 2025-26 academic year. That’s 26% less than five years ago and about 50% less than in 2007-08, when students paid $701 on average for course materials, the latest Student Watch report from the National Association of College Stores found. Spending on course materials has remained relatively stable over the past three years. The decline in student spending has mirrored growing preference for digital textbooks accessed on laptops, desktops and other devices, said Lacey Wallace, research analyst for the National Association of College Stores.