College textbook prices
have increased at nearly four times the rate of inflation for all finished goods
since 1994 and textbook publishers engage in practices that artificially inflate
textbook costs, according to a
new study by the state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs). With
textbook costs already high—an average of $900 a year, or one fifth of the cost
tuition at a public four-year university—the state PIRGs called on publishers
to stop needlessly inflating textbook costs.
"This report shows that
publishers use needless new editions and gimmicks to drive up the cost of textbooks.
The losers in this scam are students who will have a harder time paying for
college," says Luke Swarthout, Higher Education Associate with the State PIRGs.
Student volunteers and staff
of student PIRG chapters conducted the study, which looks at the five most commonly
purchased textbooks at 59 universities across the country. Among the report's
findings:
Prices are skyrocketing. Textbook prices are increasing at more than
four times the inflation rate for all finished goods, according to the Bureau
of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index.
New editions are costly.
Publishers issue new editions that are often unnecessary, making used books
obsolete and forcing students to pay more for the latest textbook edition.
- A new edition of a textbook will, on average, cost 45 percent more than a
used copy of the previous edition.
- The price of the average new edition is increasing at twice the rate of inflation
compared to the previous edition. The survey found price increases as high as
21 percent between editions, more than 3 times the rate of inflation.
Bundling costs a bundle.
Publishers increase textbook prices by adding unnecessary bells and whistles—such
as CD-ROMs and workbooks, and contrary to industry claims, the cheaper unbundled
versions often cannot be found on shelves.
- The bundled books surveyed were 10 percent more expensive than their unbundled
versions, with examples of price differentials of up to 47 percent.
- 50 percent of all bundled books surveyed did not have an accompanying unbundled
version on the shelf.
New editions are often
unjustified. 76 percent of the faculty surveyed in PIRG's Fall 2003 study
said that new editions were only justified "half the time" or less. Furthermore,
65 percent of faculty surveyed used these additional items "rarely" or "never".
American students pay
more. Publishers charge American students more for the same textbook than
students in other countries.
- The books surveyed were 20 percent cheaper on www.Amazon.co.uk, with examples
of books that were more than twice as expensive in the U.S. than in the UK.
- Even greater disparities in US and overseas prices can be found on some publishers'
websites. For example, according to Thomson Learning's website, all of their
books found in the survey cost an average of 72 percent more in the U.S. than
in the U.K., Africa and the Middle East.
The survey uncovered a number
of particularly egregious examples. One example is Physics for Scientists and
Engineers, published by Thomson Learning. The 5th edition (issued in 2000) was
on the market for just four years before the 6th edition was issued (2004),
yet there is little to no substantive difference between the two editions. The
differences that do exist, such as some of the new problem sets and technological
tools, could have been easily provided via supplement instead of an entirely
new edition. In addition, according to Thomson Learning's website, the 6th edition
sell for $134.96 in the U.S., but only $72.43 to students in the UK, Africa
and the Middle East.
"It's unbelievable that
textbook publishers purposely drive up the cost of textbooks when these higher
costs make college more unaffordable," explains Katherine Imp, a sophomore at
the University of Maryland, College Park.
The state PIRGs have called
on the publishing industry to adopt "Best Practices" policies that would ensure
that publishers keep production and pricing costs as low as possible while maintaining
educational value; issue new editions only when there is justifiably new educational
content; disclose to the faculty and public all of its products, prices and
the length of time that a product is expected to be on the market; and pass
the cost savings from online books on to students.
Last year, the State PIRGs
asked the Association of American Publishers to issue these recommendations
to its member companies. To date, the AAP has refused to issue such recommendations.
Meanwhile, moreover 500 mathematics professors from 150 universities called
on publisher Thomson Learning to commit to issuing a new edition of its popular
Calculus textbook only when there is new information about the field. Thomson
has also refused this request.
"Textbook publishers should
address the impact their rising prices are having on struggling college students,"
said Ms. Imp.
