About the Back-to-School Budget Calculator
This back-to-school budget calculator adds up everything a new school year costs per child — classroom supplies, clothing, shoes, a backpack and lunch gear, technology such as a laptop, tablet or calculator, and school or activity fees — then multiplies by the number of children. Sales tax is applied to goods but not to school fees, and you can see the total, the cost per child and the tax separately.
It is meant for parents and guardians who want a number before the August shopping rush rather than after it. Enter what you have already set aside and the weeks left until school starts, and the calculator tells you how much to put away each week so the season is paid in cash.
Spending varies enormously by grade, school and family, so start with your school’s supply list and last year’s receipts. If your state holds a sales-tax holiday on clothing and school supplies, set the tax rate to 0% to see how much shopping that weekend would save.
With the default inputs, the total back-to-school budget is $1,588.20. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the back-to-school budget calculator
- 1Enter how many children you are shopping for.
- 2Fill in per-child amounts using the school supply list and last year’s spending.
- 3Enter your local sales tax rate, or 0% if you will shop on a tax-free weekend.
- 4Add what you have already saved and the weeks until shopping.
- 5Read the total and the weekly savings target, and adjust categories to fit.
Formula and method
Each child’s cost is the sum of taxable goods, plus sales tax on those goods, plus school and activity fees, which are usually not subject to sales tax. Multiplying by the number of children gives the household total. The calculator assumes each child needs the same amounts; for very different ages, run it once per child and add the results.
The savings plan subtracts what you have already put aside and spreads the rest evenly over the weeks remaining before you shop. Sales tax rules and tax-free weekends vary by state, so check your own state’s rate and dates.
- tax
- Combined state and local sales tax rate as a decimal
- fees
- School, lab, sports or activity fees per child (untaxed)
Worked examples
Two children, 7% sales tax, six weeks to save
Goods cost $630 per child, so $1,260 for two, plus $88.20 sales tax and $240 in fees, for $1,588.20 in total ($794.10 per child). After the $100 already saved, you need about $248 a week for six weeks.
One high schooler with a new laptop on a tax-free weekend
With no sales tax, the total is simply $1,190 of goods plus $200 of fees, or $1,390. With $300 already saved, $1,090 remains, which is $136.25 a week over eight weeks.
Three younger children, basics only
Each child needs $290 of goods plus $17.40 tax and $40 of fees, or $347.40. Three children total $1,042.20, which is about $260.55 a week for four weeks.
Frequently asked questions
How much does back-to-school shopping cost per child?+
It varies more by grade than anything else: a young child who needs only basic supplies and a few clothes can cost under $200, while a high schooler who needs a laptop, new clothes and sports fees can easily pass $1,000. Build your own number from the school supply list and last year’s receipts rather than relying on a national average.
What should a back-to-school budget include?+
Include school supplies, clothing and uniforms, shoes, a backpack and lunch gear, electronics, and school, lab, sports or club fees. Many families forget fees, field-trip money, school pictures and the cost of replacing supplies mid-year.
When are sales-tax holidays for school shopping?+
Several US states hold tax-free weekends on clothing, school supplies and sometimes computers, usually in late July or early August. Dates, price caps and eligible items change each year, so check your state revenue department’s website before you shop.
How can I cut back-to-school costs?+
Take inventory of what still works from last year, buy supplies in bulk with other families, shop sales-tax holidays and price-match, buy used electronics or uniforms, and spread clothing purchases into the fall when summer stock is discounted.