What will college actually cost by the time you enroll?

Why does college cost more than general inflation?

College tuition and fees have historically risen faster than the general Consumer Price Index for extended stretches, driven by factors like rising administrative costs, facilities investment, and reduced state funding at public institutions. That's exactly why this calculator uses its own adjustable college cost inflation rate rather than borrowing a general inflation assumption from elsewhere.

How much should I be saving now?

Once you have a projected total cost from this calculator, take that number to the Savings Goal Calculator to work backward into a required monthly savings amount that gets you there by your enrollment year, factoring in any expected investment growth along the way.

Does this account for financial aid or scholarships?

No — this projects the gross sticker price only, before any financial aid, scholarships, grants, or tuition discounts are applied. Actual out-of-pocket cost for many families ends up meaningfully lower than the sticker price, so treat this figure as a worst-case planning number rather than the expected final bill.

529 plans — does this calculator model them?

No — this tool only projects future college cost; it doesn't model 529 plan contributions, tax advantages, or investment growth on savings. Pair the total cost figure produced here with a dedicated savings or investment calculator to plan out actual 529 contribution amounts.

Worked example: a college costing $25,000 a year today, 10 years before enrollment, at an assumed 5% annual cost inflation rate, will cost $40,722.37 in the first year of enrollment. Across 4 years of school with the same inflation rate compounding each year, the total cost comes to $175,518.49, or an average of $43,879.62 per year.