The State of College Course Materials in the United States 2023-2025

The State of College Course Materials 2023-2025 report details a wide range of other issues, trends, and forces impacting the market. These include the types of institutions where enrollment is increasing; the growth of distance education; federal and state policy and funding developments; print vs. digital growth in instructional materials; the rise of subscription and inclusive access plans; new technology trends; and company mergers & acquisitions and operating performance of key companies. Publisher provides both sizing and context to the market segments of new course materials, both digital and print.

In sizing the market segments for this report, the publisher follows the procedure it established in 2015 for how it breaks down market segments. The publisher uses the market size for new course materials as provided by annual sales figures from the Association of American Publishers. The publisher further breaks down that segment into new print textbooks and digital materials. Those breakdowns are estimates based on ongoing research in the area of instructional materials in higher education.

Additionally, the publisher tapped other third-party resources, and their contributions are cited throughout the report. Among those sources are: The College Board, the State Higher Education Executive Officers, the National Association of College Stores, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, the U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics/ Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), the U.S. Department of Labor, Bay View Analytics, Student Monitor; National Student Clearinghouse Research Center (NSCRC); leading trade and news publications, World Economic Forum; State Higher Education Finance; National Governors Association; Apprenticeship.gov; Gallup; AAP; and company reports and financial statements.

The report covers the following major categories outlining and impacting the market:

Market Size and Enrolment
Public v. Private Institutions
Distance Learning
For-Profit Institutions
Federal Policy and Budget
State Policy and Budget
Workforce Development
Apprenticeships
Course Materials Spending
Open Educational Resources (OER)
Declining Confidence in Higher Education
Changing Course Material Models
Online Learning
Company Acquisitions and Divestments

The report contains detailed and granular data and analysis on key trends and developments with a special focus on:

Market Size and Enrollment
Policy and Funding
Course Materials
Industry Trends and Innovations
Competitive Landscape

INTRODUCTIONMETHODOLOGYEXECUTIVE SUMMARY

CHAPTER 1: MARKET SIZE AND ENROLLMENT

INSTITUTION TYPES AND NUMBERS
Table 1.1. Number of U.S. Title IV Postsecondary Institutions, 2022-2023 vs. 2021-2022
Public vs. Private
For-Profit Private Institutions Outnumber Nonprofit Schools
Institutions with First-Year Undergraduates
Table 1.2. Degree-Granting Institutions with First-Year Undergraduates, 2022-2023 vs. 2020-2021 vs. 2000-2001
Distance Education
Forthcoming (2024)
2023
Shifting Market for For-Profit Institutions
Figure 1.1. Interest in Short-term Credentials Increased in 2023
Figure 1.2. First-year Student Enrollment Fell at Four-year Colleges
Figure 1.3. Enrollment Changes by Credential Type
Table 1.4. Enrollment Changes by Award Level and Sector, Fall 2022 & Fall 2023
Figure 1.4. Freshman Enrollment Changes by Age
Figure 1.5. Freshman Enrollment Changes by Sector
Table 1.5. Enrollment Changes in Top Ten Majors by Credential Type, Fall 2022 & Fall 2023
THINKING ABOUT STUDENT DATA
Disciplines, Majors and Job Growth as Drivers

CHAPTER 2: POLICY & FUNDING

INTRODUCTION
COSTS OF ATTENDING COLLEGE IN 2022-2023
Table 2.1. Undergraduate Tuition and Fees, 2021-2022 vs. 2022-2023
COSTS OF ATTENDING COLLEGE IN 2023-2024
Table 2.2. Undergraduate Tuition and Fees, 2022-2023 vs. 2023-2024 (dollars)
Table 2.3. Costs of Attending College Estimates, 2024-2027 (dollars)
FEDERAL FUNDING FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
Table 2.4. Selected Higher Education Programs in President Biden’s Department of Education Budget Request, FY 2022-FY2024P (million dollars)
HEERF Funds 2023
STUDENT LOANS
Table 2.5. Average Cumulative Debt Levels in 2022 Dollars: Bachelor’s Degree Recipients at Public and Private Nonprofit Four-Year Institutions, 2006-07 to 2021-22, Selected Years
Table 2.6. Distribution of Outstanding Federal Borrowers by Borrower Age, Second Quarter FY 2017, FY 2020, and FY 2023
Table 2.7. Distribution of Outstanding Federal Loan Dollars by Borrower Age, Second Quarter FY 2017, FY 2020, and FY 2023
IMPACT OF STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS
CONTINUED PUSH FOR OVERSIGHT
Programs and Colleges Impacted
DOE Introduces New Student Protections
STATE SUPPORT FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
State Funding
Table 2.8. Sources of State and Local Higher Education Funding by State, FY 2022
Student Share
Table 2.9. Net Tuition as a Percentage of Total Education Revenue by State (excluding net tuition revenue used for capital debt service), FY 1980-2022
SHEEO STATE HIGHER EDUCATION FINANCE: FY 2022
Looking Ahead
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Table 2.10. Federal Workforce Development Grants, 2023
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS
Table 2.11. State Policies and Programs to Support Employer Led RAPs
Figure 2.1. Map of OA and SAA States
Career, Technical, and Adult Learning

CHAPTER 3: COURSE MATERIALS

INTRODUCTION
LONG-TERM DECLINE IN COURSE MATERIALS SPEND CONTINUES
Table 3.1. Average Cost of Books and Supplies for First-Year, Full-Time Undergraduates, 2021-2022 (dollars)
Figure 3.1. Average College Student Spending on Course Materials, 2007-2022 (dollars)
Figure 3.2. Average College Student Spending on Course Materials by Major, 2022-2023
THE IMPACT OF TEXTBOOK AND COURSEWARE COSTS
Potential Solutions
Figure 3.3. Most Common Free Materials Assigned by Faculty
Federal and State Governments Continue to Push OER
Figure 3.4. Open Textbooks (OTP) Program Fiscal Year 2023 Summary of Funding
State Governments Continue to Support OER
OpenStax Expands Implementation, Gains Federal Funding
Course Hero, Lumen Pair to Expand Access to OER
More Institutions Encourage Adoption, Creation and Use of OER
Table 3.2. Putting OER to Work, 2022-2024
OUTLOOK FOR COLLEGE COURSE MATERIALS
Table 3.3 Sales by Segment of Key College Course Materials, 2022-2025P (million dollars)
Recommendations for Publishers

CHAPTER 4: INDUSTRY TRENDS AND INNOVATIONS

DECLINING CONFIDENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Gallup Research on American Institutions
Figure 4-1. Gallup Poll on American Confidence in Higher Education
Eroding Value of a College Degree
Businesses Drop College Degree Requirements
Fallout from Campus Protests on Israel-Hamas War
Education in Flux
CHANGING COURSE MATERIALS MODELS
Subscription Services
Inclusive Access and Equitable Access
Inclusive Access
Equitable Access
Implications
ONLINE LEARNING
Changing Perceptions
Growing Market
eSpelman
What the Rise of AI in College Classrooms Means for the Industry
A Snapshot: Where Things Stand Now
How are Students and Faculty Using AI?
Figure 4-2. University Leader Perspective on AI
PRACTICAL MATTERS: SETTING POLICIES
The Educational Publisher’s Imperative
CHAPTER 5: COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
BACKGROUND
ACQUISITIONS, DIVESTMENTS AND FUNDING
2022 Activity
Chegg Exits Course Materials Business
Table 5-1. Acquisitions, Divestments and Funding for Higher Education Competitors, 2022
2023 Activity
Two OPM Divestments
Barnes & Noble Divests DSS
New Funding
Notable Acquisitions
Inclusive Access and Equitable Access
The Pursuit of Non-Traditional Students
Clarivate Incubator
Table 5.2. Acquisitions, Divestments, and Funding for Higher Education Competitors, 2023
MAJOR COMPETITORS
Table 5.3. Performance of Higher Education Competitors: Total Corporate and Higher Education Segment (million dollars)
PEARSON
Pearson+
Corporate Strategy
Figure 5-1. Pearson Strategic Overview by Segment
Leadership Change
CENGAGE LEARNING
Reorganization
Higher Education Segment
Cengage Unlimited
Strategic Directions
Accredible Partnership
MCGRAW HILL
Higher Education
Strategic Directions
TikTok for Studying
McGraw Hill GO
WILEY
Divestment Plan
Learning Segment
Strategic Directions
CHEGG
Performance
Bracing for Impact
Strategic Directions
DSS Spinoff
Business Segments
Retail
Wholesale
First Day Inclusive Access and Equitable Access
Strategic Directions
PERFORMANCE
Competitive Performance Year-to-Date
Table 5-4. 2023 Performance and Guidance for Higher Education Competitors

Companies Mentioned

Barnes & Noble
Cengage
Chegg
Course Hero
Lumen
McGraw Hil
OpenStax
Pearson
Wiley

Methodology

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The report covers the following major categories outlining and impacting the market:

The report contains detailed and granular data and analysis on key trends and developments with a special focus on:

Table of Contents

Companies Mentioned

Methodology

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