The Cost of Lost College ID Cards

For college students, ID badges are the cornerstone of university life; they provide access to dorms, cafeterias, libraries, gyms, and for some, they even serve as a debit card. But losing an ID card is more than inconvenient — it’s expensive. We surveyed 50 US colleges to understand just how much the cost of lost ID cards can impact college life. 

How much do cards cost?  

Though the prices range from $5-50, the average cost of replacing a card is a little more than $22. 

How frequently do they go missing? 

According to our research, about 19% of students lose their ID cards every year. That means about 1 in 5 students will be stuck without their lunch ticket, library pass and house keys every year. Nationally, that means that 3.8 million cards go missing every year.  

How much does America spend on replacing ID cards? 

Based on the the average cost of ID cards, and the number of cards that go missing every year, college students spend approximately $83.6 million on replacing their cards each year.  

How can you help your college student avoid losing their card? 

College is the perfect storm for losing the little things. Not only are students in a new and confusing environment, they’re also focusing as much of their memory as they can on retaining information for their classes.  

Studies have shown that you can only remember 5-7 things at a time, so keeping track of something, like an ID card, might be pretty difficult while also trying to master organic chemistry or physics. Tile is a great way to keep track of the small stuff, so you can focus on the bigger priorities. We’ve found that it takes people about 15 seconds to find their misplaced keys with Tile. This means, if you've left your ID card across campus, the Life360 app will always be able to tell you where you had it last.  

Whether it’s an ID Card, a wallet, or a phone to play Pokémon GO, make sure they never lose track of it again, with Tile.