Examining Multiple Layers of Course Materials Cost: Experiences of Private College Students

Students in private, nonprofit (independent) higher education institutions, particularly those who are economically disadvantaged, often struggle with the costs of course materials like textbooks. However, much less is known about these students and how to assist them with these cost barriers compared to their peers at public institutions. It is also not well known how students perceive institutional course marking in which filters are available to identify courses based on the cost of their materials during registration. To address this lack of knowledge, students at four independent, private colleges (N = 316) were surveyed about their experiences with the cost of course materials and initiatives at their institutions. Based on one-way ANOVAs, students indicated the cost of course materials was moderately important and somewhat stressful with students who are economically disadvantaged indicating higher levels of importance and stress than their peers. Nearly all (93.7%) reported searching for cost saving options for course materials. The majority of students (71.9%) were unaware of course marking options for finding no/low cost materials courses. These findings may be used to inform advocacy for private, independent college students and to develop policy for course marking.