Project the future cost of a college degree with education inflation, and the monthly savings needed.
What this calculator does
College costs rise faster than general inflation. Enter the current annual cost, years until college, years of study and an inflation rate, and this calculator projects the total future cost and roughly how much to save monthly.
It’s a planning estimate to help you start early.
How to fill it in
- Enter the current annual cost.
- Enter years until college and years of study.
- Set an education inflation rate to see the total.
Formula reference
future cost each year = current cost × (1 + inflation)^years
total = sum across all study years
The default scenario, worked through
Worked through, a current cost per year of 25,000, college inflation % / yr of 5 produces a total projected cost of $175,518.49. Underneath, First-year future cost comes out at $40,722.37 and Monthly savings needed at $1,462.65. Change any field and every figure updates as you type.
Frequently asked questions
Why project college costs?
Because tuition tends to rise faster than general inflation, today’s price understates what you’ll actually pay years from now.
What inflation rate should I use?
Education inflation has often run around 5%, though it varies. Adjust to your outlook.
How much should I save?
The tool shows a simple monthly figure ignoring investment growth. Investing the savings can reduce what you need. This isn’t financial advice.