The best college student discounts: Where to find them and how to use them

From new backpacks to school supplies, electronics and clothes, back-to-school shopping can be expensive. And inflation is forcing families to increase their back-to-school spending even more.

According to the National Retail Federation, back-to-college spending is expected to reach record highs in 2023, totaling $94 billion — about $20 billion more than the previous year. On average, college students and their families plan to spend nearly $1,370 on these purchases.  

To abate the rising costs of goods, many retailers are offering discounts to college students, along with several states hosting sales tax holidays. There are ways to cut costs by simply showing your college ID, on everything from clothing to food to electronics.

Here's a list of discounts for college students, and a few credit card options to pair with those purchases to save even more.

• Apple: If you purchase an Apple product, such as a Macbook from the Apple Store, you can qualify for a gift card up to $150, 20% AppleCare+ and more. To save even further, the Apple Card gives you 3% cash back on all purchases made directly through Apple.
• Best Buy: There's no specific discount, but you may be able to find special deals through the Back to School Student Hub.
• HP: Get up to 40% off when you register for the Education Store.
• Lenovo: Students can save an extra 10% storewide.
• Logitech: Up to 25% off when you join UNiDAYS.
• Microsoft: Receive up to 10% off on select products.
• Samsung: Up to 30% off when you register for the Education Offers Program.

Many restaurants don't advertise if they offer a student discount. However, if you are in a college town or major metropolitan city, call ahead to see if they do. These are the few that CNBC Select was able to verify.

• Dunkin: Up to 10% off at participating locations.
• Chick-fil-A: Free small drink with any purchase.
• Chipotle: Free drink with a meal purchase.
• DoorDash: DashPass for Students plan available for $4.99/month.

Software is essential for nearly all college students, whether it's a subscription to a streaming service or a necessary program to complete a school project.

Here are the software subscriptions that give college student discounts:

• Adobe Creative Cloud: Students receive a steep discount for the entire Creative Cloud at $19.99 per month for the first 12 months.
• Amazon Prime Student: Free for the first six months, and then half-price ($7.49/month) after that.
• Evernote: Students can get up to 40% off of a full year of Evernote Professional. 
• Microsoft Office: Students are eligible to get the online version of Microsoft 365 Personal for $2.99 per month, plus 1TB of online storage. 
• Prezi: There's a free version, but students can upgrade for a modest $3 or $5 per month.
• Slack: For students wanting to communicate with fellow classmates, Slack is a great option they can use with an 85% discount on Pro or Business+ paid plans.
• Spotify: Spotify Premium Student is available for $5.99/month and includes access to Hulu (With Ads) plan.
• Youtube Premium: Student plan available for $7.99/month.

• Eight Sleep: Up to 10% off mattress and accessories.
• Leesa: Up to $50 off select mattresses.
• Overstock: Join Club O for free, and earn extra benefits including 5% back on all purchases, free returns and price match guarantee.
• Pottery Barn: Up to 15% off

There are an infinite number of clothing brands that give college students discounts. We've rounded up a list of the more widely known retailers currently offering discounts, but a more extensive list can be found on UNiDAYS.

• Adidas: Up to 30% off
• Aeropostale: Up to 15% off
• American Eagle: Up to 20% off
• Calvin Klein: Up to 10% off
• H&M: Up to 10% off
• J.Crew: Up to 15% off
• Meshki: Up to 15% off
• Nike: Up to 10% off
• Shein: Up to 15% off

This is not an exhaustive list of everywhere you can save money with your college ID, so be sure to call your favorite retailer to see if they offer discounts.

In addition to discounts, using a credit card can help you save even further on your purchases. Whether you decide you want to earn cash back or save up your miles for your next trip, a credit card is a useful tool to also build your credit score. Just make sure you use your credit card wisely and try to pay off your balance in full each month.

Here are several of the best credit cards for college students:

• Discover it® Student Cash Back: You can earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases (on up to $1,500 in quarterly purchases, then 1%) for rotating categories each quarter up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, 1% on all other purchases. (See the full Discover cash-back calendar here.)
• Bank of America® Travel Rewards for Students: You can earn 1.5X points per $1 spent on each purchase. The points can be redeemed for travel, gift cards or statement credits to pay for flights, hotels, vacation packages, cruises, rental cars or baggage fees.
• Discover it® Student Chrome: Cardholders earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Plus, earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.

College is expensive, but luckily students have access to plenty of discounts that can help mitigate the costs. If there's a specific brand or store you like shopping from, see if they offer any student discounts. And with a student credit, you can maximize your spending by earning rewards for every purchase.

Catch up on CNBC Select's in-depth coverage of credit cards, banking and money, and follow us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date

For rates and fees for the Discover it® Student Cash Back, click here

For rates and fees for the Discover it® Student Chrome, click here

Information about the Apple Card and the Bank of America® Travel Rewards for Students has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.