With January Back to School finally here, the cost of college has skyrocketed in recent years, leaving students, families, and even many academic institutions themselves grappling with financial challenges like never before. According to the Education Data Initiative, the average annual cost of attending a four-year college in the U.S., including tuition, fees, and living expenses, now exceeds $35,000 for private institutions and $25,000 for public ones. And for out-of-state or international students, these numbers can easily be even higher. 

Beyond just tuition though, the issue is the rising cost of college textbooks which have seen a staggering increase of over 1,000% since the 1970s, outpacing inflation and most other consumer goods categories. For those of us who have already done our time in school, we can only imagine even the cost of Ramen noodles has gone up tenfold.  

Textbook prices and new semester supplies have reached record highs, driven by limited competition among publishers, frequent new editions, and the bundling of materials with non-resalable access codes. However, the impact of these rising costs extends beyond just those for students. Faculty and staff often face reduced budgets for teaching materials, professional development, and other tools to support classroom engagement. Institutions, too, have tight budgets, often leading to difficult choices as far as resource allocation, competition between colleagues and departments, and often, unfortunately, reducing the availability of up-to-date materials for both teaching and learning and arguably less than ideal food service providers, am I right?  

To reduce some of these financial burdens, digital resources and software solutions prove to be cost-effective and versatile alternatives for students and educators alike! At OnTheHub, our mission is simple, to support the academic community by removing barriers to education through access to affordable software.  

How OnTheHub Helps Reduce Costs 

We collaborate directly with software publishers and academic institutions to negotiate lower prices specifically for students, faculty, and staff. By leveraging these partnerships, we’re able to offer discounts up to 90% or more on industry-leading tools for academic and professional success. This guarantees vital resources for back-to-school shopping stay within reach for those who need them most, reducing financial pressures brought on by escalating costs for textbooks and resources. 

Why Digital Solutions Make Sense 

Unlike physical textbooks, digital resources provide additional flexibility, accessibility on the go, and often automatic maintenance and updates. Software solutions remove the downsides of hard static information, offering practical and collaborative features that encourage hands-on and lifelong learning practices. This go-around for your college semester prep, empower yourself with top tools and titles like these designed to help you protect, prepare, and reset for success: 

Adobe Creative Cloud 

For those in creative fields like graphic design, video editing, and digital marketing, Creative Cloud is a top-of-the-line resource. With instant access to the entire Adobe suite including Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, InDesign and more, students and professionals can create stunning visuals, edit high-quality content, and bring ideas to life with unmatched precision and flexibility. Through our partnership with Adobe, students can purchase Creative Cloud at a fraction of the retail cost, making it an affordable alternative to expensive design textbooks or physical materials. 

NordVPN & NordPass by Nord Security 

With increased cyber-crime activity, security is a growing concern, especially with the increased reliance on online platforms for coursework and research. NordVPN offers advanced encryption and threat protection, while NordPass simplifies password management for up to six different devices for one account. 

EndNote 

Managing citations and references can be one of the most time-consuming tasks in academic writing. EndNote streamlines the process by organizing research materials and generating citations in whatever format you need. Whether you’re tackling a thesis, dissertation, or research paper, EndNote eliminates the manual management throughout so you can focus on what’s really important in your work. 

Minitab Workspace 

For those focused in data analysis, engineering, or business, Minitab Workspace provides intuitive tools for project management, brainstorming, and process mapping. It replaces the need for multiple textbooks on statistical methodologies and business strategies with a single, comprehensive digital solution. 

Parallels 

Running multiple operating systems is often necessary for software compatibility in technical fields. Mac-users rejoice — Parallels allows users to run Windows on their Mac devices seamlessly, ensuring seamless access for any required programs. Instead of the dreaded crash and reboot, students can rely on Parallels for an all-in-one solution. 

Setapp 

Setapp offers a subscription-based platform that includes over 220 curated quality Mac apps, spanning productivity, coding, design, and more. With a preloaded set of apps, eliminate having to search for the best and get everything you need in one easy bundle from Setapp. 

The OnTheHub Advantage 

With OnTheHub, you don’t have to wait for spring semester deals! By negotiating directly with publishers and vendors in the higher education space, we’re able to pass on unparalleled savings to students and faculty throughout the year that would be impossible at the individual level. This enables students, faculty, staff, and institutions to access the tools they need and want without paying more. 

Say goodbye to overpriced textbooks and hello to software that delivers! Explore our full online catalog of discounted digital resources today and enjoy big savings on all your educational essentials for 2025.