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Here's how much teachers spend out of their own pockets for their classroom

By Daniel Miller
Published  July 31, 2024 2:02pm EDT
Education
FOX TV Digital Team
article

FILE-Children listen to their teacher as they sit in a classroom on the first day of the start of the school year. (Photo by MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images)

Shopping for school supplies can get expensive for parents stockpiling items for their kids. And this financial weight also extends to teachers using their money to ensure their students have the requisite materials in the classroom. 

To shed light on the financial toll purchasing school supplies has on teachers, Consumer Birds conducted a survey that reveals 93% of these educators are using their own money on these items. 

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Teachers on average spend $915 annually of their money for school supplies, with 26% of respondents saying they have taken a second job, side hustle, or summer job to balance the expenses of their first job.

And the cost affects these educators at all grade levels. The survey finds that elementary school teachers (41%) are spending the most on supplies, followed by high school teachers (36%) and middle school teachers (23%). 

States where teachers spend the least and most money on school supplies

Separately, the type of supplies teachers are investing in to enhance the educational experience for their students also plays a role. 

Approximately 97% of teachers say they purchase consumable supplies, 76% buy classroom decor, 67% buy educational aids (books, games, etc.), another 44% spend their money on snacks, 36% buy cleaning supplies, and 31% say they buy first aid supplies. 

The survey also detailed states where teachers are spending the least and most money on supplies, noting that these financial disparities aren't the same nationwide. 

States where teachers spend more on school supplies

  1. Texas ($1,396)
  2. Pennsylvania ($1,387)
  3. Arizona ($1,375)
  4. Indiana ($1,363)
  5. Missouri ($1,351)

States where teachers are spending less on school supplies 

  1. Louisiana ($456)
  2. Oklahoma ($447)
  3. Idaho ($490)
  4. South Dakota ($502)
  5. West Virginia ($511)

Consumer Birds conducted a survey in July 2024 of 2,500 teachers (50 per state) and 2,500 parents of school-age children (50 per state) on the amount of money they spend on school supplies. 

This story was reported from Washington, D.C.