College Cost Calculator
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4 years of college starting in 10 years could cost $188,574; projected savings of $55,306 leave a gap of $119,802, or about $776.10 more a month
| Year of study | Starts in | Cost that year | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 years | $44,407 | $44,407 |
| 2 | 11 years | $46,184 | $90,591 |
| 3 | 12 years | $48,031 | $138,622 |
| 4 | 13 years | $49,952 | $188,574 |
Cost inflation and the return are assumptions held steady. Savings are assumed to stay invested at the same return while college is under way, with each year paid at its start.
How to use the college cost calculator
- Enter one year's cost in today's money: tuition, fees, housing and food from the school's cost of attendance, or start from a College Board national average for tuition and fees.
- Enter the years until college starts, the years of study and an assumed yearly rise in college costs.
- Enter what you have saved, what you save each month and an assumed return on those savings.
- Read the projected cost, the savings gap and the extra monthly saving that would close it.
College cost formula
Needed at enrollment = Σ costk ÷ (1 + R)k
Savings at enrollment = S × (1 + i)12Y + M × [(1 + i)12Y − 1] ÷ i
Extra monthly saving = gap × i ÷ [(1 + i)12Y − 1]
C is one year's cost today, g the cost inflation rate, Y the years until college and n the years of study, each paid at the start of the school year. Money you have not yet spent keeps earning the assumed return R, so you need less than the full total on the first day. S is current savings, M the monthly saving and i the monthly rate (1 + R)1/12 − 1. The gap is what you need at enrollment minus what your savings are projected to reach.
Worked example
College costs $30,000 a year today and starts in 10 years. You have $15,000 saved and add $200 a month, assuming 4% cost inflation and a 5% return.
- The first year will cost about $44,407, and four years about $188,574. Because unspent money keeps growing, you need $175,108 on the first day.
- Your savings are projected to reach $55,306, 32% of that, leaving a gap of $119,802.
- Saving another $776.10 a month from now until college would close it.
Four years of average tuition and fees, projected
2025–26 average published tuition and fees from the College Board, grown at an assumed 4% a year. The monthly figure is what you would need to save from zero at an assumed 5% return. Housing, food and books are extra.
| Sector | 2025–26 per year | Starting in 5 years | Starting in 10 years | Starting in 18 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public two-year, in-district | $4,150 | $21,441 $293.59/mo | $26,086 $156.92/mo | $35,701 $96.02/mo |
| Public four-year, in-state | $11,950 | $61,739 $845.41/mo | $75,115 $451.86/mo | $102,801 $276.49/mo |
| Public four-year, out-of-state | $31,880 | $164,707 $2,255.37/mo | $200,391 $1,205.48/mo | $274,250 $737.61/mo |
| Private nonprofit four-year | $45,000 | $232,491 $3,183.56/mo | $282,861 $1,701.58/mo | $387,115 $1,041.17/mo |
Source: College Board, Trends in College Pricing 2025, average published tuition and fees for full-time undergraduates, 2025–26, checked October 19, 2026. These are enrollment-weighted averages of sticker prices; many students pay less after grants and scholarships. The 4% inflation rate is an illustration, not a forecast.
Planning tips
- Use the school's net price. Colleges that take part in federal student aid must publish a net price calculator that estimates grants for your family. It is often well below the sticker price.
- Starting early matters most. In the table, the monthly saving needed for 18 years is a fraction of the amount for 5 years, because returns do more of the work.
- Consider a tax-advantaged account. Growth in a 529 plan is tax-free when spent on qualified education costs. The rules vary by state.
- Balance it with retirement. Students can borrow for college, but nobody lends for retirement. Check both with the retirement calculator, and see repayments in the student loan calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much will college cost in 10 years?
It depends on the school and on how fast prices rise. A college costing $30,000 a year today would cost about $44,407 in its first year 10 years from now at an assumed 4% inflation, and about $188,574 for four years.
What does college cost now?
The College Board puts 2025–26 average published tuition and fees at $11,950 for public four-year colleges (in-state), $31,880 out-of-state, $45,000 at private nonprofit four-year colleges and $4,150 at public two-year colleges. Housing, food and books are extra.
How much should I save each month for college?
In the example above, with $15,000 saved and $200 a month at an assumed 5% return, savings reach about $55,306 by enrollment against $175,108 needed, so you would need about $776.10 more a month to close the gap.
Why is the amount needed at enrollment less than the total cost?
You do not pay all four years on day one. Money for later years stays invested and keeps growing, so you need the present value of the costs at enrollment. In the example that is $175,108 rather than $188,574.
What college inflation rate should I use?
There is no reliable forecast. Published prices have often risen faster than general inflation in the past, but not every year and not at every school. Try a few rates; the calculator treats the figure as an assumption.