How much does tuition actually increase per year?

Historically, college tuition has risen 4–6% annually — roughly 2–3x general inflation. Private university tuition has increased faster than public. The past decade has seen some moderation (3–5% average), and some schools have frozen tuition for short periods. For long-term planning, 4% is a reasonable assumption; model 5% to be conservative.

How much should I have in a 529 when my child enters college?

A common target: enough to cover 1/3 to 1/2 of projected 4-year cost at enrollment — expecting the child to contribute through work/loans and aid to cover the rest. For a $200,000 projected 4-year cost, that's $67,000–100,000 at enrollment. The calculator shows your specific trajectory based on current balance, contributions, and expected return.

What's the maximum student loan debt a new grad can reasonably handle?

A commonly used rule: total student loan debt at graduation should not exceed your expected first-year salary. If the degree typically leads to $55,000/year jobs, borrowing $55,000 total is manageable; $100,000 is stressful; $150,000 is potentially crippling. The loan-to-income ratio matters more than the absolute dollar amount — a $100,000 loan for a nursing degree is different than for a humanities degree.

Is a 529 the best way to save for college?

For most families, yes. Contributions grow tax-free and withdrawals for qualified education expenses are tax-free. The downside: if the funds aren't used for education, withdrawals face income tax + 10% penalty on gains. Recent rule changes now allow rolling up to $35,000 in unused 529 funds to a Roth IRA after 15 years — reducing the 'overfunding' risk significantly.

Should I pay for college or prioritize my own retirement?

Retirement first, almost universally. Your child can borrow for college; you cannot borrow for retirement. An underfunded retirement is a crisis with no escape valve. An underfunded college plan has solutions: more affordable schools, community college transfers, scholarships, working during school, or modest loans. Fund your retirement to at least the employer match, then invest in college savings.

🏠Affordability

College Cost Calculator: Can You Actually Afford That School?

Can you afford college?

What This Does

College costs have increased 2–3x faster than inflation over the past 30 years. The sticker price of a four-year degree at a private university now averages $220,000–280,000 including room, board, and fees. Public out-of-state isn't far behind at $150,000–200,000. Even public in-state — the "affordable" option — runs $100,000–140,000 at many schools. These numbers are before financial aid. But planning based on financial aid assumptions without calculating your actual net cost is a mistake that leaves families buried in loans they didn't anticipate. The right planning sequence is: calculate total cost → estimate aid → determine gap → plan financing for the gap. This calculator projects total 4-year cost accounting for tuition inflation (historically 3–5%/year above general inflation), estimates your 529 savings trajectory given current balance and contributions, calculates the expected gap, and projects total student loan debt at graduation. It also shows the monthly payment on that debt load — because the real question isn't what college costs, it's whether the income that degree produces can service the debt it creates. Use this before touring campuses, before your student applies, and definitely before signing financial aid award letters — the terms of those letters determine decades of financial outcomes.

When Should You Use This?

→Your child is 5–15 years from college and you want to know if you're saving enough
→Comparing the true cost of different college options (in-state, out-of-state, private)
→Calculating how much student loan debt a given school will generate
→Evaluating whether a 529 plan is on track to cover projected costs
→Understanding the monthly loan payment burden a college graduate will face

Example Scenario

The Nguyen family has a daughter starting college in 8 years. Their target school costs $48,000/year today. At 4% annual tuition inflation, the first-year cost will be $65,700 — total 4-year cost: $274,000. They have $42,000 in a 529 and save $700/month (7% return). At enrollment: $106,000 in 529. Gap: $168,000. Expected financial aid: $20,000/year = $80,000. Remaining gap: $88,000 in loans. Monthly payment after graduation: $897 (10-year, 6.5%). They decide to increase 529 contributions to $1,200/month.

College Cost Calculator

529 Projections · Funding Gap · Contribution & Return Scenarios · Year-by-Year

Results update in real time as you adjust any input.

College Cost Details

Annual Cost (today)

Tuition + room + board today

Years Until College

Tuition Inflation

Historical avg: 4–5%/yr

Expected Aid / Year

Grants + scholarships only

529 Savings Plan

Current 529 Balance

Monthly Contribution

Investment Return

Student Loan Rate

Federal 2024: 6.53% (subsidized)

About This Calculator

This college cost calculator projects 4-year tuition costs by applying annual tuition inflation to today's cost, computes 529 plan growth using the standard future value of an annuity formula (FV = PV × (1+r)^n + PMT × ((1+r)^n − 1)/r), and computes a funding gap as total projected cost minus expected aid minus projected 529 balance. Student loan payment for any gap uses the standard amortization formula at the specified interest rate over 120 months (10 years, the standard federal loan repayment period). All results update in real time across all eight inputs.

The Growth tab renders a stacked area chart of 529 balance (accent, gradient fill) vs cumulative tuition cost (red, gradient fill) over the years until enrollment — the visual goal is for the 529 line to exceed the tuition line at enrollment. A horizontal bar chart shows the funding breakdown (529, aid, gap) as proportional segments of total cost. The Scenarios tab shows a grouped bar chart of 529 balance and remaining gap at four contribution levels (50%, 100%, 150%, and the fully-funded amount), plus a line chart of 529 balance at seven return rate scenarios (3%–10%) with gap line. The Year-by-Year tab shows a stacked bar chart of each college year's cost decomposed into 529 coverage, aid, and any loan needed.

Plan score (0–100) rewards low gap ratio (40 pts), long time horizon (35 pts), and high monthly contribution relative to the needed amount (25 pts). Dynamic accent: emerald (On Track ≥75), indigo (Needs More ≥55), amber (Significant Gap ≥35), red (Critical). Two flags auto-trigger: heavy debt risk when the gap exceeds 2× year-1 cost, and the loan repayment summary panel appears whenever any gap exists. All four insights and four What To Do Next steps adapt to three tiers (on track, moderate gap, critical gap). The year-rows type annotation is fully typed to avoid TypeScript errors.

Results are estimates only and do not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.