How Much Do Educators Print? [Infographic]

Despite an increase in digital resources, there are still many ways educators use print in schools. From worksheets and homework assignments to study guides and tests, educators are still printing a lot of documents each school year.

In one survey of school district technology officials, while most forecasted an increase in digital materials, that doesn’t necessarily mean that print will be going away any time soon. In fact, 34 percent of educators surveyed predicted they would always use at least a 50/50 blend of digital and print resources in schools.

The amount of documents printed in schools can quickly add up to become a costly expense for school districts. So exactly how much are educators printing, and what can be done to reduce printing costs for schools?

How Much Schools Spend on Printing

A school district with 10,000 students, teachers and staff uses approximately 28 million sheets of paper per year.  Some teachers use as many as 75 sheets of paper in a day, according to this survey. That said, costs for printing include much more than just the cost of paper.

In fact, approximately 10 percent of a school’s annual budget is spent on printing, and the average school spends about $3,000-$4,000 on paper, ink and toner each month.

Tips to Reduce Your School’s Printing Costs

With printing costs making up a large portion of school budgets, many budget-conscious school districts are looking for ways to reduce costs. There are a few things educators can do to cut down on printing costs.

One way schools can reduce their print costs is by changing the default setting on printers and copiers to double-sided printing. It also helps to post signs to encourage double-sided printing. Another option is to implement a print management program to keep wasteful printing to a minimum and reduce school-wide printing costs by up to 50 percent.

Lastly, you can conduct a print assessment with a trusted expert like Cartridge World to identify additional areas of opportunity to reduce your school’s printing costs.

It costs schools hundreds of thousands of dollars per year to print, so it’s no wonder that school districts are looking for ways to gain control of their school’s print expenses.