Understanding the college cost calculator
College costs have risen faster than general inflation for decades, so the price when your child enrolls can be far above today's sticker. This calculator inflates the current annual cost to each future year of attendance, sums it across the degree, and compares it with what your current savings plus monthly contributions will grow to by then.
A shortfall isn't a verdict it's a planning signal. Closing it can come from saving more each month, starting earlier so compounding does more work, financial aid and scholarships, or a lower-cost school. Tax-advantaged 529 plans, where investment growth used for education is tax-free, are the most common vehicle for the savings side of this equation.
Results are estimates for education only and are not financial advice.