NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - USA Today, the nation's best selling newspaper, is raising the single-copy price of the paper to 75 cents from 50 cents, the paper announced in its Wednesday edition.

YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS USA Today Newspaper and Magazines Shareholder Relations or Create your own Manage alerts | What is this?

The price increase takes effect Sept. 7. The paper, which has an average Friday circulation of 2.6 million and an average circulation of 2.2 million from Monday through Thursday, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulation, has not had an increase in price in 19 years, according to the paper.

The nation's No. 2 circulation paper the Wall Street Journal and No. 3 New York Times both charge $1 for a single copy, although each relies more upon subscribers than single-issue sales for their circulation base.

USA Today is published by Gannett Co. (GCI: Research, Estimates), the nation's largest newspaper publisher. Chief Financial Officer Gracia Martore told an investors conference Tuesday that the company expects second-quarter earnings per share in the $1.28 to $1.30 range. Shares of Gannett lost 12 cents to $86.65 in trading Tuesday.