Textbooks can be one of the costliest parts of attending college and it’s only getting more expensive.

According to a report from the United States Public Interest Research Group, textbook prices have increased 73% since 2006. The average student pays over $300 per semester for books.

Two North Carolina schools offer textbooks through two fairly different systems. At Appalachian State, students get their textbooks through a rental program. Lorraine Childers is the director of the bookstore at Appalachian State.

“Because App State had this rental program we felt like we were ahead of the game. There are many universities that are implementing different rental models into their business model as well, but it’ unusual to have a program as comprehensive as ours,” said Childers.

At Appalachian State, students pay $135 dollars a semester in fees for the rental textbook program.

At UNC, students buy most of their books upfront. Kelly Hanner, who manages course materials at the UNC Student Stores, says a rental textbook program can be restrictive to faculty.

“The faculty member’s academic freedom to select their own course materials, with the App State model the faculty members are locked into a particular book for X amount of semesters,” said Hanner.

A book must be in use for two years at Appalachian to be part of the textbook rental program.

UNC does offer a rental book program but, according to Hanner, only about 6% of students at UNC rent their books.

More popular is UNC’s guarantee buy back program. Jim Powell, the interim director of the Student Stores, said it is almost as cost effective as a rental program.

“We can post it on the book that if you buy this book then at the end of the semester we guarantee we’ll buy it back, guaranteed, at a very high price. So it really works out about the same as the money that would outlay for rentals,” said Powell.

But according to Childers, Appalachian State starts to make a profit on renting a textbook after about one year of use. It takes UNC almost two years to pay back a rental book.

“So we feel like we really get a lot of bang for our buck from beginning to end,” said Childers.

But a solution that might incorporate academic freedom and cost are digital textbooks. Hanner said it’s the most affordable option but so far they haven’t been embraced by students or professors.

“It’s probably going to take a while to get off the ground because, again, digital is just not embraced at this point in academia,” said Hanner.

Childers said there has been a similar response to digital books at Appalachian State. It seems like students and facility still favor having those hard copies, even if it comes at a price.

Related Stories
‹
Art’s Angle: Gloating Rights
Carolina was on the wrong side of history Saturday in its own house. The Tar Heels’ 34-31 loss to opportunistic Appalachian State gave the Mountaineers from Boone their first major college win since the famous upset of Michigan in 2007. And their first win over an ACC school since beating Wake Forest in 2000 will […]
Which North Carolina College Football Program is the Most Successful?
Which college football program in North Carolina deserves the claim as the premier program in the state. UNC, NC State, Duke and App State all have a fair shot.
UNC Softball's Season Ends in NCAA Knoxville Regional
The UNC softball team’s 2025 season came to an end with a pair of losses to Ohio State and Miami-Ohio in the NCAA Tournament’s Knoxville Regional during the weekend. Carolina took an early lead against the Buckeyes in the opening game Friday, scoring three runs in the top of the first. But Ohio State chipped […]
UNC Begins South Building Roof Replacement, Closes Columbia St. Sidewalk for Steam Tunnel
UNC announced two construction projects: A roof replacement for South Building, and a steam tunnel that will require sidewalk closures.
UNC Baseball Drops Series Finale at No. 2 Florida State, Will Be No. 3 Seed in ACC Tournament
No. 2 Florida State scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to snatch the lead away from the Diamond Heels and win 5-4 in the regular-season finale for both teams Saturday afternoon in Tallahassee. Carolina trailed for much of the day after the Seminoles struck for three runs in the bottom of […]
UNC Women's Tennis Falls to No. 1 Georgia in NCAA Semifinals
Playing without ACC Player of the Year Reese Brantmeier, UNC struggled in its national semifinal match against No. 1 Georgia in Waco, TX Saturday. The Bulldogs controlled the match throughout and defeated the Tar Heels 4-0, ending Carolina’s season. Georgia won the doubles point thanks to wins on No. 1 and No. 2 court. UNC […]
UNC Baseball at Florida State (2025): How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Start Times
The Diamond Heels will wrap up the 2025 regular season with a three-game series at No. 2 Florida State in Tallahassee this week. UNC faced the Seminoles in the 2024 Men’s College World Series, with Florida State winning and eliminating Carolina from the competition. If you aren’t taking the trip down south with the Diamond […]
UNC Baseball Blasts No. 2 Florida State, Clinches Series Via Run Rule
UNC scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to take an 11-1 lead at No. 2 Florida State Friday night, and a clean bottom of the inning secured a dominant, 10-run rule victory for the Diamond Heels to clinch the series from the Seminoles. RUN RULE SECURES THE SERIES!! The Heels run […]
On Air Today: Nabarun Dasgupta of UNC's Opioid Data Lab on Addressing National Overdose Deaths
UNC epidemiologist and senior scientist Nabarun Dasgupta joins 97.9 The Hill's Brighton McConnell on Friday, May 16.
Bill Belichick Talks UNC, Jordon Hudson and More on 'Good Morning America.' Check Out the Full Interview:
UNC head football coach Bill Belichick joined ABC’s “Good Morning America” Friday morning for an interview with anchor (and NFL Hall of Famer) Michael Strahan. The two discussed numerous topics, including Belichick’s new book, “The Art of Winning,” working with Tom Brady and his transition to college football after a career in the professional ranks. […]
›