The average $278 spend on apparel and shoes for back-to-school (bts) this year is “more than twice what they spend on actual school supplies,” according to a report from PwC.
The consultancy firm PwC surveyed 2,080 adults ages 18 and older in the U.S. between May 20 and 22. With budgets expanding, PwC concluded that the bts shopping season “has gotten pricey.” The average bts budget is $922, representing a 47 percent increase from 2025. In addition, “three out of four families are spending” at least $100 on apparel and shoes. The spend on school supplies — such as backpacks, notebooks, binders, pens and pencils — are projected at $122. The spend on technology that includes laptops, tablets and headphones averaged $222.
In the year-ago survey, 28 percent of parents said they planned to spend $100 or less on apparel and shoes for bts. The data last year saw four in 10 parents stating that they planned to cut back. Part of that pullback was due to weakness in consumer confident due to the reciprocal tariffs that were imposed last year. That saw parents focusing on value last year as they made their purchases. Indeed, the tariff impact on shoe prices was a concern, impacting business in the back half.
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This year, parents plan to let their kids have a more direct role: The survey said 61 percent of parents will allow their children some level of direct participation in online shopping. That means that students of all ages from pre-K through high school are “shaping clothing, shoes, and school supply choices.”
Seventy-one percent of families are expected to complete their bts shopping between two weeks and two months before the first school bell. This year, 70 percent of parents plan to shop in-store, down from 79 percent a year ago in just one season. Online channels will pick up the slack, with 67 percent of parents heading to major online marketplaces and 49 percent shopping directly on brand or retailer websites. PwC found that emerging channels will get some traffic too, with 23 percent of parents planning to shop through social media or influencer recommendations.
What didn’t change from a year ago is the planned use of artificial intelligence (AI) to help with purchase decisions. Twenty-three percent said they will find deals using AI, up from year-ago levels as the channel is more meaningfully available this year. In total, 73 percent of families said they will use AI for the bts journey, such as researching brands, comparing products, and even with budgeting.
“Winning back-to-school shoppers means understanding everything that shapes their choices — from school requirements and household budgets to the social platforms, peer networks, and AI tools that increasingly suggest to students what they want before they ever walk into a store or open an app,” PwC concluded.
