🏫 College Cost Calculator
College prices rise faster than general inflation, so today's sticker price badly understates what a young child will eventually pay. Compounding the current cost forward gives a realistic savings target.
Enter the current annual cost, how many years until college starts, and an expected inflation rate. The calculator projects each of the four years and totals them.
How to use this calculator
Enter today's annual college cost, the years until enrollment and an inflation rate to project the total cost of all four years.
- Type the Current annual cost of the college.
- Enter how many Years until college starts.
- Set the Annual cost inflation rate.
- Press Calculate for the projected 4-year total and the first and final year costs.
Frequently asked questions
How is the future cost projected?
Each of the four college years is compounded forward separately: today's cost grown by the inflation rate raised to the power of the years until that school year, then summed.
What does a sample projection give?
At $25,000 a year today, 10 years out, with 5% annual inflation, the first year costs about $40,722 and the four years total roughly $175,518.
What inflation rate should I use?
College costs have historically risen faster than general inflation, so many planners use 4% to 6%; the calculator lets you test any rate.
Does this include room and board?
Only if the annual cost you enter includes it. Use the college's published total cost of attendance for the most complete figure.