Whether you’re a small K12 school or a large university, providing students, staff, and visitors with a form of identification has become increasingly important. As technology advances, so does the education system with it, and as such, many institutions have heightened the use of identification cards for students. 

Why Use School ID Cards?

You may be wondering about the need for school ID cards in the first place. We covered many of these aspects a short while ago in “The Benefits of Multi-Use School ID Cards” but let’s go over a few more. 

One of the first, and perhaps most obvious reasons is the general importance of providing a young person with a photo ID. ID cards can be used for easily tracking attendance. A magnetic stripe swipe, a proximity, or a smart card can all be used for swift school and/or classroom check-ins. This overall increases the efficiency of attendance tracking and allows staff to notify parents of an absence. 

Additionally, school ID cards can be used for multiple purposes all in one. Having a printer that can easily print a barcode can mean that part of the card can be used as the library card. Cards can also be linked to an account and make forgetting to bring school lunch money a thing of the past. 

Another prominent reason for implementing an ID card program is that it increases safety.  They can help to monitor who is entering and exiting the school premises. This data can not only be tracked, but the technology that does so can also be implemented so that entrances into the school may only be accessed by students and/or the appropriate staff. If an automated access control system appeals to your school board or parents within the district, keep reading to learn some of the best ID Printers for schools. 

Best School ID Cards: 

Magicard 300

This ID card printer from Magicard is ideal for mid-sized schools and colleges. Since most school ID’s require a photo, this printer is perfect with its quick and reliable printing while ensuring super-clear images. It can print nearly 160 full-color cards per hour. That’s only 23 seconds per card and if you’re printing in black and white, it's only 6 seconds! Additionally, Magicard 300 comes with their patented Holokote technology and a digital shredding feature for extra security assurance, So, not only is a holographic watermark and option for cards, but also the data used for each print job is fragmented and dispersed so that it can't remain and be stolen. 

Perhaps you only need single-sided ID cards when you first look into an ID card printer. Later, the school wishes to change student IDs into a multi-use system. If you have the Magicard 300 instead of purchasing a whole new system or installing new components, you only need a new type of ribbon! Additionally, if needed, you can request a factory upgrade magnetic stripe, smart chip and contactless encoding at the time of purchase. 

Magicard 600 

Magicard 600 is perfect for schools with 2000 students or more with its array of fantastic built-in features which make for quick and effective printing. A more advanced model from Magicard, this printer is capable of both single and dual sided printing. Like the 300, this model can easily be upgraded to dual-sided capabilities and comes equipped with guaranteed data privacy and security features. 

With an ultra user-friendly design and simple Wifi connectivity, you can start printing cards right out of the box. This printer comes with 10 Template card designs but is fantastic for customization as well. Photos and school symbols and/or logos can be printed onto each card with optimized color-profiles for crisp letter detailing and rich vibrant color. If your school is in need of a larger output of student IDs, the Magicard 600 is one of the best ways to go.

Evolis Primacy 2

Evolis Primacy 2 is an ideal pick for medium to large schools or universities. This ID Printer is perfect for creating high quality, custom designed dual-sided cards. Available to meet your schools needs, like others, it also offers dual sided upgrades as well as smart and magnetic stripe encoding. 

ID Cards can commonly be issued during orientation, in which large groups of students will need to be registered into the system and issued an ID card. During an already hectic day, a fast and efficient printing system is needed to ensure a smooth process for everyone. Evolis Primacy 2 printing system offers an incredible speed for large batch printing, at 13 seconds per card for multi-color and 5 seconds for black and white.

Fargo DTC1250e

This ID card printer from Fargo is ideal for smaller schools in need of efficient and cost effective printing. It's not only affordable, it's also high speed and comes with additional cost-effective options.

School staff already have a lot of information to organize and keep track of, and keeping track of a small machine may not be at the top of the list. The DTC1250e id printer comes with Fargo Workbench diagnostic software, so you’ll be made aware of routine maintenance when needed. Not only that, but integrated card cleaning rollers ensure each card is printed to ensure outstanding print quality and long-lasting hardware health. 

Zebra ZC 350 ID Card Printer

This dual-sided school ID card printer is ideal for schools with medium to high printing needs. It’s reliable, high quality and most importantly, long-lasting and low cost print for print. If budget concerns are on your district's mind, this printer is certainly an ideal choice for student IDs. Also, It's ready to use the moment you get it, and free software updates are readily available. 

Additionally, the ZC 350 is incredibly user-friendly with their intuitive design. Not only are the ribbon cassettes longer lasting than most, but when they do run out, the ribbon cassettes snap in easily and are recognized instantly by the printer. Also, the LCD display notifies the user of any status or alerts. So, no fickle configuring or fiddling required! 

IDP Smart 31

Ideal for small to medium sized businesses, the IDP Smart 31 is one of our top picks for ID card printers for school access passes, ID cards and staff badges. It offers direct-to-card, edge to edge printing in both full color or monochrome. This printer also features a convenient and easy to use interface with USB and or ethernet connectivity capabilities. 

This printer offers the option for an additional layer of durability and security with UV printing. Though an additional ribbon is needed for this, its low-cost means it's a budget friendly option for greater safety assurance. 

The Best ID Printer for your School

All in all, in-house id card printers are an ideal choice for schools in need of student ID Cards, access passes, library cards, staff badges, school lunch payment cards, or a combination of these. We’ve gone over some of our top-picks for school identification card printers and some of their benefits. Make the most out of your ID printer investment and find the one that's right for you at Bodno!