For the average student, paying for a college education isn't easy, nor is paying off a college education. As our nation's collective student loan debt collectively rises, it's apparent that people are really struggling to pay to pursue their dreams.

What also seems infuriatingly unnecessary is the high price of college textbooks. A recent report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, which surveyed 2,000 students from over 150 campuses, claims that "65% of students said that they had decided against buying a textbook because it was too expensive," and that "94% of students who had foregone purchasing a textbook were concerned that doing so would hurt their grade in a course."

Textbook prices are getting so ridiculous that according to the report, almost half the students surveyed were choosing how many/which classes to take based on the cost of textbooks.

Basically, people are deciding not to buy books designed to help them because they're killing their wallets. So the question on everyone's mind is, Why is this even a thing? Why are textbooks so expensive?

Textbooks are typically updated once a year or every few years, which might be a factor in price. Buying the newest addition will cost more than an older one, so as a student, it's important to ask yourself if you really need to buy the newest version of the book. Renting textbooks on websites like Chegg can also save you some money. Amazon also has a great service for buying used textbooks as a more affordable alternative.

Textbooks should make you brainy, not break your bank. Be sure to research what's most affordable for you, and get your learning on.

How much do you spend each year on textbooks? Have you ever elected not to take a class because of the price of the books? Share your experiences with us in the comments section.