1. BACK TO CLASS 2018:
Top trends for Back-to-School
and College Shopping
NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics

2. nrf.com/backtoschool
TABLE OF CONTENTS
i. Overview: Historical spend and trends . . . 3
ii. Back-to-School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
iii. Back-to-College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
iiii. Shopping destinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

3. nrf.com/backtoschool
HOW THE SEASON STACKS UP
Along with the winter holidays, back-to-class is one of the top spending events for consumers. Back-to-school and
back-to-college shoppers spend more per household on items for the upcoming school year than consumers spend
on Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Valentine’s Day combined.
*Expected household spending from 2017 Winter holiday season
Source: NRF’s Annual Consumer Spending Surveys, conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics
Major Consumer Spending Events (2018 expected household spend)

4. nrf.com/backtoschool
SUMMER: CLASS IS IN SESSION
For many families and students, the back-to-school and college shopping season
starts well before the first day of class.
Source: 2018 NRF Back-to-School/College Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics
When shopping for school items starts
THERE IS STILL A LOT OF SHOPPING LEFT:
89% of back-to-school and college
shoppers still have to purchase
half or more of the items on
their lists.

5. nrf.com/backtoschool
Source: 2018 NRF Back-to-School/College Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics
Back-to-Class Total Expected Spending: 2009-2018
BY THE NUMBERS: BACK-TO-SCHOOL AND COLLEGE
SPENDING OVER TIME
Total combined spending is expected to reach $82.8 billion. Back-to-college drives the majority of spending and is
expected to total $55.3 billion this year, up from $54.1 billion in 2017. Back-to-school spending is expected to reach $27.5
billion in 2018, compared with $29.5 billion last year.

6. nrf.com/backtoschool
Back-to-College Spending Per Household: 2009-2018
Men spend $115
more on average
than women for
back-to-college.
BACK-TO-COLLEGE: HISTORICAL HOUSEHOLD SPEND
Back-to-college shoppers plan to spend an average of $942 on everything from school supplies to dorm
furnishings for the upcoming year.
Source: 2018 NRF Back-to-School/College Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics

7. nrf.com/backtoschool
Source: 2018 NRF Back-to-School/College Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics
Top 5 Categories of Back-to-College Household Spend: 2009-
2018Top 5 Categories of Back-to-College Household Spend:
2009-2018
Top 5 Categories of Back-to-College Household Spend: 2009-
2018
Other Categories of Back-to-College Household Spend: 2018
$104
$97
$118
$106
$143
$103
BACK-TO-COLLEGE: BREAKING DOWN THE BUDGET
In addition to big ticket items like electronics or dorm furnishings, back-to-college shoppers also stock up on
college gear, food and snacks and other personal items.
64% of freshmen surveyed plan to stock
up on new electronics like laptops, TVs
and gaming consoles before heading off to
school.

8. nrf.com/backtoschool
BACK-TO-SCHOOL: HISTORICAL HOUSEHOLD SPEND
On average, back-to-school shoppers plan to spend $685 on clothes, electronics, shoes and supplies for the upcoming
year, on par with Last year’s average of $688.
Source: 2018 NRF Back-to-School/College Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics
Back-to-School Spending Per Household: 2009-2018
Back-to-School Spending Per Household: 2009-2018

9. nrf.com/backtoschool
Back-to-School: Average Household Spend by Category
(2009-2018)
KICKING IT OFF IN STYLE:
Back-to-school shoppers are
planning to spend $8 more
on average for new shoes this
year.
BACK-TO-SCHOOL: BREAKING DOWN THE BUDGET
While apparel and electronics are still the biggest budget items on back-to-school shoppers’ lists, on average
households are spending more than ever on purchases like shoes and school supplies for the upcoming year.
Source: 2018 NRF Back-to-School/College Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics
Back-to-School: Average Household Spend by Category
(2009-2018)
Back-to-School: Average Household Spend by Category
(2009-2018)
$96

10. nrf.com/backtoschool
Back-to-school and college consumers are savvy shoppers looking everywhere from department and
clothing stores to specialty stores and online to find the best deals and items.
BACK-TO-CLASS: SHOPPING DESTINATIONS
Source: 2018 NRF Back-to-School/College Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics
Where Back-to-School Shoppers Plan to Shop Where Back-to-College Shoppers Plan to Shop

11. NRF/Prosper Insights & Analytics’ Back-to-School Spending
Survey polls more than 7,000 consumers each year and
has a margin of error between +/- 1.2 percentage points.
nrf.com/backtoschool