US Back to College Shopping Market Report 2025
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US Back to College Shopping Market Analysis
The US Back to College Shopping Market remains strong, with spending estimated around $85 billion in 2024, slightly lower than in 2023 but nearly 60% higher than in 2019.
Growth has been driven mainly by electronics and dorm furnishings, which make up almost half of spending. Despite inflation and tariffs raising costs, students continue to prioritize essential purchases, spending significant amounts per household. The Back to College Shopping Market is expected to stay stable through 2025-26, with a focus on value and transparency. Brands offering student discounts, authentic campus engagement, and tech innovations like AI tools are likely to succeed.
US Back to College Shopping Market Consumer Trends
College students show strong independence and budget-consciousness, with 61% making most of their shopping for the back to college season purchases and 76% emphasizing the importance of sticking to a budget. While 69% find shopping too expensive and 60% experience stress around it, many actively seek student discounts, sales, and secondhand options to save money. Students also value authentic brand engagement, favoring brands that have a presence on campus, incorporate college life into their marketing, and offer student ambassador programs. Additionally, there’s growing interest in technology, with 73% open to using AI shopping assistants to simplify buying. Diversity, ethics, and wellness are important to this generation, influencing their brand loyalty and shopping choices.
Purchasing the US Back to College Shopping Market Report 2025 report offers essential insights into consumer behaviors and market trends. This analysis equips brands and retailers with the knowledge to tailor their strategies and capitalize on growth opportunities within the competitive Back to College Shopping Market.
About The Report
This US Back to College Shopping Market Report 2025, highlighting consumer spending, shopping behaviors, and market drivers like economic pressures and tariffs. It covers major product categories and explores student preferences for discounts, technology, and brand engagement. Based on consumer surveys and industry data, the report is valuable for retailers, brands, and marketers aiming to understand Back to College Market trends and connect effectively with college students.
Key Topics Analyzed in the Report
- College students’ back to college shopping participation, approaches and behaviors
- Impact of the economy and other market drivers on the back to college season
- Back to college purchases and retailers shopped
- Back to college shopping timeframe
- Attitudes toward and influences on back to college shopping
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
This report was written by Brittany Steiger. Brittany joined Mintel in October 2021 as a Senior Analyst for Retail & eCommerce. She comes with more than 15 years’ experience in the retail industry, from sales to merchandising to consumer insights. She brings to Mintel a creative, collaborative and curious mindset and a passion for exploring the connections between consumers and brands.
Back to college spending remains high. While students stay budget-conscious, brands have strong opportunities to connect through engaging experiential concepts.
Brittany Steiger
Principal Analyst – Retail & eCommerce
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Market size and forecast
- Market predictions
- What consumers want and why
- Opportunities
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MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market context
- Market drivers
- High prices and tariffs will present a challenge during the upcoming season
- What to expect in the upcoming season
- Despite facing constant uncertainty, young adults remain optimistic
- The mindset among young adults reflects resilience and optimism
- Graph 1: attitudes toward financial future, by age group, 2025
- Graph 2: attitudes toward tariffs and rising costs – “I am confident about my ability to adapt to the rising costs caused by tariffs,” by age group, 2025
- College enrollment rebounded in 2024, but policy changes bring new uncertainty
- Market size and forecast
- Back to college spending trends down from its peak, but remains high
- Graph 3: consumers’ planned back-to-college spending, in current dollars, 2019-24
- Consumers’ planned back to college spending, in current dollars, 2019-24
- Consumers’ planned back to college spending, in inflation-adjusted dollars, 2019-24
- Spending per household remains significant
- Graph 4: per household planned back to college spending, 2019-24
- Market segmentation
- Expansive long-term growth in electronics and home furnishings
- Graph 5: consumers’ planned back to college spending, by category, 2019-24
- Consumers’ planned back to college spending, by category
- Electronics make up the largest share of college spending
- Graph 6: distribution of consumers’ planned back to college spending, by category, 2019-24
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CONSUMER INSIGHTS
- Consumer fast facts
- College students by the numbers
- The traditional four-year college experience continues to be the norm
- Graph 7: type of program enrollment, 2024-25
- Graph 8: type of enrollment, full- or part-time, 2024-25
- While still popular, participation in online programs is down from its pandemic peak
- Graph 9: year-over-year comparison in college program enrollment, 2020-25
- More than half of college students live on their own
- Graph 10: college students’ living arrangements, 2024-25
- Most college students work at least part-time
- Graph 11: college students’ employment status, 2025
- The student population is becoming more diverse
- Graph 12: percent distribution of college students, by race, 2011-21
- Graph 13: percent distribution of college students, by Hispanic origin, 2011-21
- Back to college shopping participation and approaches
- College students largely take responsibility for their school purchases
- Graph 14: back to college shopping participation (NET), 2020-23
- Students welcome a fresh start with new purchases
- Graph 15: back to college shopping approaches, 2024-25 school year, 2025
- High prices and tariffs could drive down new purchases in the upcoming season
- Graph 16: back to college shopping approaches, by financial situation, 2020-25
- Scholarship programs help brands support students
- Budget-conscious attitudes and shopping behaviors
- College students are budget-conscious
- Student discounts are the primary way students seek savings
- Graph 17: back to college shopping behaviors, 2025
- How brands can amplify the value proposition
- How college students engage with back to college shopping
- Back to college shopping is stressful
- Graph 18: attitudes toward back to school expenses and stress, by household income, 2025
- Opportunity for brands to support student health and wellbeing
- College students like meaningful engagement with brands
- Brands can create a strong on-campus presence by engaging in meaningful and relevant ways throughout the year
- Brands must be mindful of inclusive representation
- Graph 19: interest in college-related brand engagement, by key demographics, 2025
- Perceptions on brand ethics matter
- Back to college purchases
- College students have long shopping lists
- Graph 20: back to college purchases/planned purchases, 2025
- Purchases stabilize and remain consistent each year
- College women go beyond the basics
- Students are elevating their living spaces
- Apparel brands expand college appeal with licensed collegiate apparel
- College men prioritize spending on tech
- Graph 21: attitudes toward electronics spending, by gender, 2025
- Electronics purchases reflect investment in classroom essentials and learning environments
- Graph 22: back to college electronics purchases, by gender, 2025
- Analog and hybrid solutions help students unplug
- Retailers shopped
- “Big three” retailers continue to dominate in the college market
- Graph 23: retailers shopped, 2024-25 school year, 2025
- Most limit shopping to a few select retailers, to the benefit of mass retailers
- Graph 24: repertoire of retailers shopped, 2025
- Graph 25: retailers shopped, by number of retailers shopped, 2025
- Value-focused retailers have grown amid inflation
- Specialty retailers must innovate to capitalize on category growth
- Graph 26: YoY trends, speciality retailers shopped, 2019-25
- Specialty retailers test new strategies to expand appeal
- College women shop a wide variety of retailers
- Graph 27: retailers shopped, 2024-25 school year, by gender, 2025
- Shopping methods
- Online and mobile commerce retains its edge with college students
- Graph 28: year-over-year comparison, back to college shopping methods, 2021-25
- Graph 29: back to college shopping method, 2024-25 school year, 2025
- Convenience is the primary driver for busy students
- AI will continue to evolve the search experience
- In-store shopping is becoming more experiential
- Shopping timeframes
- College students shop later in the season
- Graph 30: back to college shopping timeframes vs K-12 shopping timeframes, 2025
- Graph 31: back to college shopping timeframe, 2024-25
- Students take multiple shopping approaches, but lack focus
- Graph 32: attitudes toward back to college shopping timeframe, 2025
- Brands can help students build practical shopping habits
- Opportunity for touchpoints beyond the traditional shopping season
- Graph 33: year-round shopping habits, by key demographics, 2025
- Students’ shopping influences
- College students have varied spheres of influence
- Graph 34: back to college shopping influences, 2025
- College students have varied spheres of influence
- TikTok is the leading platform among college students
- Graph 35: most influential social media platforms on back to college purchases – ranked, 2025
- Brands must think holistically about social commerce
- Graph 36: social commerce behaviors, 2025
- Authenticity is key to building trust
- Graph 37: influence of recommendations and reviews, 2022-25
- Opportunity to get men more engaged in the process
- Graph 38: back to college shopping influences, by gender, 2025
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INNOVATION AND MARKETING STRATEGIES
- Urban Outfitters doubles down on the college market
- American Crew partnered with FSU Athletics
- Brands spark engagement with gamification
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APPENDIX
- Market definition
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
- Appendix – the market
- Back to college spending comprises about two thirds of total seasonal spending
- Graph 39: consumers’ planned back to school (K-12) and back to college spending, 2019-24
- Appendix – the consumer
- Attitudes toward back to college shopping
- Graph 40: attitudes toward back to college shopping – NET, agree, 2025
- Value-focused retailers grew amid inflation
- Graph 41: YoY trends, retailers shopped, 2019-25
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