Tariffs Drive Up Back-to-School Costs as Parents Face Higher Prices
As parents send their kids back to school, Americans are facing higher prices for everyday school supplies due to President Trump's tariffs on imported products.
Economics professor Tibor Besedes at the Georgia Institute of Technology says a good chunk of school supplies, including paper items and computers, are imported. He notes that everything will be more expensive than it was before the tariffs.
The original tariffs were imposed in April 2025 but were struck down by the Supreme Court in February. The Trump administration then implemented new tariffs under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which expired at the end of July. Just ahead of expiration, a fresh round of import taxes was announced on products from 59 countries and the European Union.
According to Besedes, the tariffs have kept prices high for over a year. He attributes this to the fact that prices haven't come down despite inflation decreasing slightly. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that educational books and supplies jumped 9% year-over-year between May 2024 and May 2025 and remain elevated.