According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for college textbooks are 10.18% higher in 2026 versus 2021 (a $2.04 difference in value).
Between 2021 and 2026:College textbooks experienced an average inflation rate of 1.96% per year. In other words, college textbooks costing $20 in the year 2021 would cost $22.04 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.65% during this same period, inflation for college textbooks was lower.
In the year 2021: Pricing changed by 0.98%, which is below the average yearly change for college textbooks during the 2021-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 2021 (4.70%), inflation for college textbooks was much lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for College textbooks, over time, for $20 beginning in 2021. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $20.00 | 0.98% |
| 2022 | $20.88 | 4.40% |
| 2023 | $20.42 | -2.20% |
| 2024 | $20.43 | 0.07% |
| 2025 | $22.20 | 8.66% |
| 2026 | $22.04 | -0.76%* |
* 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 | 2025 | 2026 |
| CPI | 100.000 | 104.175 | 110.983 | 115.492 | 120.267 | 127.950 | 138.581 | 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 | 240.662 | 261.507 | 259.520 |