Why are college textbooks so overpriced?

Not surprisingly, the primary motivation behind the rise in price is directly related to the desire for more money. Publishers take in a significant percentage of the profits from textbook sales, so a higher sticker price means a better bottom line for them.

Why are textbooks in America so expensive?

There is very limited incentive for the professor to take cost of the textbook into account. Textbooks really only are sold to people taking the class. So there’s a relatively small market for books, so authors need to make sure they make a lot more per copy to make it worth their time to write the book.

Why are textbooks getting more expensive?

Digital textbooks, especially those that come with access codes, have also contributed to rising costs. When students buy a textbook, they aren’t just paying for the binding and the pages; they’re paying for the research, editing, production, and distribution of the book.

How much do college textbooks cost out-of-State students?

Compared to tuition, which can cost out-of-state students at public universities as much as $26,000 per year or upward of $40,000 at some private colleges, the amount of money students spend on things like textbooks can seem negligible.

Why can’t I use used textbooks in college?

Lack of used textbooks: Publishers make no money when too many used books are in circulation. As a consequence, they will often release new editions every few years in order to make the used books obsolete. You’ll need to talk to your professor to see if earlier editions of a book are acceptable for your class.

Are publishers to blame for high textbook costs?

But affordability advocates say that if anyone is to blame for the fact that textbook costs have risen more than 1,000 percent since the 1970s, it’s the publishers — and, advocates claim, these new technologies are publishers’ attempt to maintain their stranglehold on the industry while disguising it as reform.