Course Material Affordability

Majority of U.S. college students are worried about meeting their course material costs

Download report (PDF): https://www.bayviewanalytics.com/reports/2023_student_course_material_affordability.pdf.
Report as a webpage: https://www.bayviewanalytics.com/reports/2023_student_course_material_affordability.html.
Press release: Majority of U.S. college students are worried about meeting their course material costs

In a recent national survey, 71% of undergraduate students in the U.S. say that they're worried about meeting their course material costs for the current academic term; 30% saying they are “moderately” or “extremely” worried about meeting the costs. Over half of students who participated in the survey say that their course material costs per term is over $200.

7 in 10 students are worried about meeting their course materials costs.

These findings are from the latest national survey conducted by Bay View Analytics on course material affordability for U.S. college students. This national research project, supported by Affordable Learning PA (ALPA) and the Partnership for Academic Library Collaboration and Innovation (PALCI), was conducted in conjunction with the state of Pennsylvania’s comprehensive survey on course material affordability. The goal was to raise understanding of the impact of course material choices on students' academic and general life. This project builds upon the groundwork laid by the Virginia Course Materials Survey and the Florida Student Textbook and Course Materials Survey.

Course Material Affordability in Pennsylvania

Download report: Pennsylvania Course Materials Survey 2023
Download presentation slides: Pennsylvania Course Materials Presentation

Bay View Analytics partnered with Affordable Learning PA (ALPA) and the Partnership for Academic Library Collaboration and Innovation (PALCI) for a comprehensive survey on course material affordability in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Course Materials Cost Survey collected 4,306 responses from students across 14 participating institutions during the spring and fall of 2023. Its goal is to understand the impact of course material choices on students' academic and general life..

This project builds upon the groundwork laid by the Virginia Course Materials Survey and the Florida Student Textbook and Course Materials Survey, expanding and updating the survey to address Pennsylvania students' unique needs and challenges. The survey also included a national sample, providing a benchmark for comparing Pennsylvania's response rates to the broader trends in course material costs, academic choices, and preferences. Key findings from the Pennsylvania-focused survey include:

Most Students Worry about Course Material Costs

Nearly half of all students surveyed expressed a "moderate" or "extreme" level of concern regarding course material costs, highlighting widespread anxiety over this issue.

Course Material Costs Adversely Affect Student Success

The survey revealed that course material costs have a detrimental impact on students' academic performance, leading to poor grades and forcing students to reduce the number of courses they take. Only 23% of students reported no impact on their academic career.

Course Material Costs Affect Academic Choices

Many students indicated that decisions shaping their academic careers, such as their choice of institution, major, and minor, are influenced by material cost responsibilities and expectations.

Students Actively Seek To Cut Costs

An overwhelming 98% of students have attempted at least one method to reduce the costs of course materials, including buying used copies, searching for a free online version of needed materials, or even going without required materials.

This project was made possible by Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Office of Commonwealth Libraries. The views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this website do not necessarily represent those of the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services or the Department of Education. For more information about the survey, its findings, and the upcoming presentation event, please visit Affordable Learning PA (https://www.affordablelearningpa.org/).

Course Material Affordability in Virginia

The Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA) is the consortium of nonprofit academic libraries within the Commonwealth of Virginia. Members include all of the 39 state-assisted colleges and universities (the 6 doctoral universities, 9 4-year institutions, and 24 community and two-year branch colleges), as well as 31 of the independent (private, nonprofit) institutions and the Library of Virginia.

In Fall 2021, in cooperation with our member institutions, VIVA conducted a Course Materials Survey for Virginia students in higher education. The survey, approved by the George Mason University IRB as 1735732, built on the work of previous states and regions and included a special emphasis on educational equity. More than 5,600 valid student responses from 41 institutions were received, reflecting an overall response rate of 10%.

The overarching research questions were:

What is the impact of course material costs on educational equity among Virginia students? What course content materials do students find to be most beneficial to their learning? The survey was completely anonymous and took approximately ten minutes to complete.

Course Material Affordability in Illinois

The Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI) and its Open Educational Resources Subcommittee developed the “Illinois Course Materials Survey: Student Perspective” to help identify Illinois students’ needs regarding affordable course materials and interest in Open Educational Resources or other affordable course material options.

This survey specifically aimed to answer the following research questions:

How much did students spend on course materials during the current term?
How are students affected by the cost of college course materials?
Which demographics of Illinois college students are most impacted by the cost of course materials?
What are students’ interest in and experiences with Open Educational Resources (OER)?
What are students’ interest in and experiences with other affordable material options?
Do students have clear preferences for the formats and features of course materials?

This survey was conducted between April 5, 2023 through December 31, 2023. This data helped us identify future steps CARLI can take to better support Illinois students’ required course material needs including continued support for the creation of Open Educational Resources and advocacy for recurring funding. It also benefited individual institutions by identifying answers to the research questions at the institution level for library directors who requested institutional aggregated data.

Presentation: Online Learning Consortium Innovate 24

Course Materials Cost More than Money: Results from a Student Survey
Date: April 24, 2024
The high cost of course materials in higher education has dire impacts on student success, impacting the courses students take, their choice of a minor or major, or even the institution they attend. Our presentation examines the student perspective on costs, and how organizations can help. The study collected 4,306 responses from students across Pennsylvania. Students were asked about their course load, course material costs, and financial aid coverage. The survey then asked students how the cost of course materials impacted their academic success, as well as larger life choices.
Download presentation slides (PDF)

Online Learning Consortium Webinar: Course Materials Cost Students More than Money

Download presentation slides: Course Materials Cost Students More than Money (PDF)
On-demand access to the webinar

A recent survey by Bay View Analytics shows that the majority of students are worried about meeting the cost of their course materials. Additionally, students report that the cost of course materials have academic consequences including getting poorer grades, failing courses, and even affecting their choice of major or institution.

This webinar reviews the results from the recently completed Pennsylvania student survey on course material costs. The survey also included a national sample, providing a benchmark for comparing Pennsylvania’s response rates to the broader trends in course material costs, academic choices, and preferences. The student responses are reviewed before moving into a panel discussion about the impact of these costs on students. The panelists also discuss how these results can help support advocacy efforts at institution and statewide.

Key Messages:

Student reported statistics on course material costs and their efforts to reduce the costs
The large and small impacts of course material costs on students
How statewide consortia and textbook affordability organizations can use the survey results to support their advocacy efforts

Speakers:

Julia Seaman, Ph.D., Research Director, Bay View Analytics
Elizabeth Nelson, Reference & Instruction Librarian, Penn State Lehigh Valley
Molly Kennelly, Current Student and Director of Academic Affairs for Temple Student Government