College Savings Calculator
Estimate an education target from the selected annual-cost preset, years until enrollment, study duration and annual inflation. Solve a level end-of-month deposit plan using the selected effective annual return, then show the same monthly process in annual rows.
Estimate an education target from the selected annual-cost preset, years until enrollment, study duration and annual inflation. Solve a level end-of-month deposit plan using the selected effective annual return, then show the same monthly process in annual rows.
Method and assumptions
Amounts: at most 1,000,000,000 with two decimal places. Rates: four decimal places. Loan rates and percentages: 0–100; terms: whole years 1–100. Investment returns and inflation: −99–100; horizons: whole years 0–100. Invalid or excessive results are rejected.
Money is displayed to two decimals. Loan interest posts monthly in cents, with an adjusted final payment. Savings compound before each end-of-month deposit; no daily cash-flow dates are modeled.
At return 0%, opening savings 1,000 plus twelve monthly deposits of 100 produce 2,200. Each annual projection adds only its deposits. With no time before enrollment, the current gap is shown without a future saving plan.
Calculations run in this page without sending financial inputs to a calculation service. Drafts are not saved by this calculator. Clipboard and CSV actions use the successful result; editing or reset invalidates it. Site advertising and account policies remain separate. College types use the displayed fixed presets; no student or institution record is retrieved.
Annual-cost presets 22,000 / 40,000 / 55,000 / 80,000 are undated planning scenarios, not current tuition quotes. The full inflated study cost is targeted at enrollment; no withdrawals or growth during college, aid, account fees or tax benefits are modeled.
💡 529 · What must I check before using it?
📈 Savings Projection
| year | Child's Age | Annual Contribution | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| $ | $ |
🏫 College Cost Comparison
| College Type | Current Annual Cost | Future Cost | Total cost over the study period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public In-State | $22,000 | $ | $ |
| Public Out-of-State | $40,000 | $ | $ |
| Private University | $55,000 | $ | $ |
| Ivy League | $80,000 | $ | $ |
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About College Savings Calculator
Estimate an education target from the selected annual-cost preset, years until enrollment, study duration and annual inflation. Solve a level end-of-month deposit plan using the selected effective annual return, then show the same monthly process in annual rows.
Annual-cost presets 22,000 / 40,000 / 55,000 / 80,000 are undated planning scenarios, not current tuition quotes. The full inflated study cost is targeted at enrollment; no withdrawals or growth during college, aid, account fees or tax benefits are modeled.
At return 0%, opening savings 1,000 plus twelve monthly deposits of 100 produce 2,200. Each annual projection adds only its deposits. With no time before enrollment, the current gap is shown without a future saving plan.
Preset scenario; no current local rate or eligibility certification.
Use Cases
How to use
Enter Child's Current Age and the College Start Age you expect them to enrol at.
Choose a College Type: Public In-State, Public Out-of-State, Private University or Ivy League, then set Years of College.
Add what you have put aside in Current Savings and your Expected Return (%) on those investments.
Read Estimated Total Cost on the purple card with current annual cost, inflated future annual cost and years left to save.
Check the three plan tiles: Monthly Savings Needed, Projected Savings and Savings Gap, which turns green when you are ahead.
Scroll the Savings Projection table year by year, and use College Cost Comparison to price the four school types side by side.
Pro Tips
- Enter your values carefully — small differences in inputs can lead to large changes in the College Savings Calculator result, especially for long time periods.
- Use the College Savings Calculator to compare multiple scenarios side by side. Open the tool in several tabs to see how different assumptions impact your outcome.
- Bookmark this College Savings Calculator and return whenever your situation changes — small updates in income, rates, or expenses are easy to recompute.
- Calculations run in this page without sending financial inputs to a calculation service. Drafts are not saved by this calculator. Clipboard and CSV actions use the successful result; editing or reset invalidates it. Site advertising and account policies remain separate. College types use the displayed fixed presets; no student or institution record is retrieved.
- Combine this College Savings Calculator with our other financial tools (loan, tax, budget calculators) for a more complete financial picture.
- Annual-cost presets 22,000 / 40,000 / 55,000 / 80,000 are undated planning scenarios, not current tuition quotes. The full inflated study cost is targeted at enrollment; no withdrawals or growth during college, aid, account fees or tax benefits are modeled.
- Calculations run in this page without sending financial inputs to a calculation service. Drafts are not saved by this calculator. Clipboard and CSV actions use the successful result; editing or reset invalidates it. Site advertising and account policies remain separate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rounding up to the next cent avoids a shortfall caused solely by displaying a smaller monthly deposit. The projection uses that exact deposit.
No. It calculates cash-flow arithmetic only. Tax treatment, deductions, beneficiaries and contribution limits require separate plan and year checks.
Annual-cost presets 22,000 / 40,000 / 55,000 / 80,000 are undated planning scenarios, not current tuition quotes. The full inflated study cost is targeted at enrollment; no withdrawals or growth during college, aid, account fees or tax benefits are modeled.
Calculations run in this page without sending financial inputs to a calculation service. Drafts are not saved by this calculator. Clipboard and CSV actions use the successful result; editing or reset invalidates it. Site advertising and account policies remain separate.