The Real Cost Of Sending Kids Back-to-School In Bismarck-Mandan

Kids and parents are getting ready to go back to school in the Bismarck area. It's an exciting and slightly stressful time for everyone. We have to figure out our school bus routes, get registered, and get those back-to-school photos done.

Once you do all of that, you finally get that class schedule sent over, and the list of needed school supplies, and then you think, "uh-oh, that's going to cost me".

I remember back-to-school shopping fondly. I got to pick out my favorite colored folders, a cute backpack, and maybe even get a few new outfits to wear that first week. While I remember this as a positive experience, many parents feel overwhelmed.

Financially, we're already stretched pretty thin—groceries, gas, car payments, and so on.

Like everything in life school supplies haven't gotten cheaper over the years. So, how much does going back to school actually cost in Bismarck?

(Also Read: 11 Things Every North Dakota Kid Should Have In Their Backpack)

According to a new report done by Savings.com, local parents will be spending an average of $600 to $700 per child. If your jaw is on the floor right now, SAME. The source says parents are planning to pay record prices this year.

Oh, and get ready, that number only reflects grade-schoolers; parents of high schoolers expect to spend roughly $800 per child.

The median spend per child, all ages, is coming out to be approximately $628 per child for the year 2025.

Obviously, clothing and tech are the most significant expenses, but notebooks, pens, and binders aren't cheap like they used to be.

Good luck to all the parents bargain hunting right now. Hopefully, you can find ways to cut down the costs here and there. Maybe you can try to give your kids back-to-school haircuts at home. Just watch a few YouTube tutorials, and you will be good to go. Mostly kidding.

To help out, we put together a list of things you might not actually need to buy for the 2025-26 school year. Take a look.