College Savings Calculator

Tuition has historically risen faster than everyday inflation, so today's sticker price understates what you'll actually pay. This projects that future cost and solves for the steady monthly contribution needed to have it saved by enrollment.

College cost today (4 years)Years until enrollmentTuition inflationAlready savedExpected investment return

$938.45 / month to hit the goal

Projected cost when you enroll: $162,889
Growth earned: $45,276

How it works

Today's cost is compounded forward at your assumed tuition-inflation rate to get the price you'll actually face. That future cost becomes the target for the same future-value math used in the savings-goal calculator, solved for the level monthly contribution your current savings and expected return still need.

Explain it to a kid

College costs more by the time you're old enough to go than it does today — kind of like how a candy bar cost less when your parents were kids. This tool guesses how much more it'll cost, then figures out how much to tuck away each month so the money's ready when you need it.

Frequently asked questions

How fast does college tuition really rise?

Published tuition has historically climbed faster than general inflation — often averaging in the mid-single digits annually over long stretches, though the pace varies by decade and by public vs. private school. Adjust the tuition-inflation assumption here to match the sector you're planning for; a lower rate is more realistic for in-state public tuition, a higher one for private schools.

Do I have to use a 529 plan for this?

No — the math here is the savings target and required contribution, which applies to any account. A 529 plan is simply the most common tax-advantaged wrapper: growth and withdrawals are tax-free when spent on qualified education costs.

What return should I assume?

Most 529 plans use age-based portfolios that start growth-oriented and shift toward conservative holdings as enrollment nears, so a blended long-run assumption of 5-7% is common for a plan with many years to go — lower it as enrollment approaches, since the portfolio itself becomes more conservative.

What if I'm starting late?

A shorter runway means a much higher required monthly contribution for the same target, since compounding has less time to work. It's still worth running the numbers — even partial savings reduce how much needs to be borrowed later, see the Student Loan Calculator for that side of the comparison.

Learn more: How fast college costs really rise — Published tuition has outpaced everyday inflation for decades. What's driving the increase, how to tell sticker price from what you'll actually pay, and how to project a real savings target.

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