College Textbook Prices On The Rise

College students will return to campus soon. UCO and OSU start fall classes on August 17 and OU returns on the 24th.

Parents and students, you might want to budget for a big change this semester. Students heading back to college are in for sticker-shock at the bookstore. Textbook prices have risen 9 percent this year.

If you do the math, since 1977, prices are up more than 1000 percent.

College textbook prices have increased faster than tuition, health care costs and housing prices, all of which have risen faster than inflation. The National Association of College Stores says the average college students will spend $655 on textbooks each year. But some textbooks cost as much as $300 and make that total much higher.

Many opt to rent, buy used, or purchase e-book versions of the assigned texts, which drive down the average textbook cost per student.

If you plan to rent make sure you price-compare on the main sites like Half.com and Amazon. Also, don't just assume these sites will have the best deals. It all depends on the text and edition you need.

You could also check at your college library. Sometimes libraries have a few copies of textbooks you can reserve.