According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for college textbooks are 1.24% higher in 2024 versus 2016 (a $0.25 difference in value).
Between 2016 and 2024: College textbooks experienced an average inflation rate of 0.15% per year. In other words, college textbooks costing $20 in the year 2016 would cost $20.25 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.39% during this same period, inflation for college textbooks was significantly lower.
In the year 2016: Pricing changed by 5.51%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for college textbooks during the 2016-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 2016 (1.26%), inflation for college textbooks was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for College textbooks, over time, for $20 beginning in 2016. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | $20.00 | 5.51% |
| 2017 | $20.52 | 2.61% |
| 2018 | $20.72 | 0.95% |
| 2019 | $20.23 | -2.36% |
| 2020 | $19.92 | -1.54% |
| 2021 | $20.11 | 0.98% |
| 2022 | $21.00 | 4.40% |
| 2023 | $20.54 | -2.20% |
| 2024 | $20.25 | -1.40%* |
* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for College textbooks:
| Year | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| CPI | 100.000 | 104.177 | 110.985 | 115.492 | 120.269 | 127.954 | 138.580 | 148.995 | 160.195 | 168.777 | 177.345 | 189.644 | 201.704 | 209.591 | 221.992 | 234.216 | 240.337 | 242.626 | 236.901 | 233.253 | 235.548 | 245.905 | 240.493 | 237.120 |