Question 1

How much does college cost in 2025–2026?

Accepted Answer

According to the College Board, average published tuition and fees for the 2025–26 academic year are: $11,950/year for public in-state four-year colleges, $31,880/year for public out-of-state, $45,000/year for private nonprofit four-year colleges, and $4,150/year for public two-year community colleges. When room, board, and other expenses are included, total cost of attendance averages $29,910 for public in-state students and $62,990 for private college students. Use our College Tuition Calculator to project what these costs will be by the time your student enrolls.

Question 2

How much should I save per month for college?

Accepted Answer

The monthly savings amount depends on how many years until enrollment, the target school's cost, and your assumed investment return. As a benchmark: saving $200/month from birth in a 529 plan earning 6% annually produces roughly $73,000 by age 18 — enough to cover about 2.5 years at a public in-state school. Use our College Tuition Calculator's Quick Start tab to enter your specific situation and get a personalized monthly savings target.

Question 3

Will a 529 plan cover all of my child's college costs?

Accepted Answer

Whether a 529 covers all college costs depends on your balance at enrollment, how much you contribute each year, investment growth, and tuition inflation. A family that starts with $0, contributes $500/month for 18 years at a 6% return would have approximately $219,000 — which would cover roughly one year at a private college or three-plus years at a public in-state school at today's costs adjusted for inflation. Our Full Analysis calculator shows exactly what percentage of your projected college cost your 529 will cover and how much you'll need from cash or loans.

Question 4

How do I calculate how much college will cost in the future?

Accepted Answer

To calculate future college costs, take the current annual cost and apply a tuition inflation rate (historically 3–8% per year) compounded over the years until enrollment. For example, $30,000 today growing at 5% annually for 10 years becomes about $48,900. Each subsequent year of college is then further inflated. Our College Tuition Calculator performs this math automatically — enter today's cost, the inflation rate, and years until enrollment to get inflation-adjusted projections for every year of attendance.

Question 5

What is the average college tuition inflation rate?

Accepted Answer

College tuition has historically increased faster than general inflation. Over the past decade (2014–2024), public four-year in-state tuition rose about 27% in nominal terms, roughly 2.4% per year. Over longer periods, nominal increases have averaged 5–8% annually. However, after accounting for financial aid, the net price many students pay has actually declined in recent years. For planning purposes, a 3–5% annual inflation assumption is reasonable for public schools and 4–6% for private institutions. Our calculator defaults to 5% and lets you adjust.

Question 6

How much student loan debt will I have after 4 years of college?

Accepted Answer

Student loan debt at graduation depends on annual cost, 529 savings, cash contributions, and the percentage financed with loans. The national average student loan balance is approximately $37,800 per borrower. Federal Direct Loans cap dependent undergraduates at $5,500–$7,500 per year ($31,000 aggregate), so additional debt above that requires Parent PLUS or private loans. Our Full Analysis calculator projects your exact loan balance at graduation based on your specific school cost, 529 balance, and cash/loan split — plus the monthly payment and total interest you'd pay over the repayment term.

Year	Age	After Contribution	Growth	End Balance
1	11	$31,000	+$1,860	$32,860
2	12	$38,860	+$2,332	$41,192
3	13	$47,192	+$2,832	$50,023
4	14	$56,023	+$3,361	$59,384
5	15	$65,384	+$3,923	$69,308
6	16	$75,308	+$4,518	$79,826
7	17	$85,826	+$5,150	$90,976
8	18	$96,976	+$5,819	$102,794

Year	Cost	From 529	Cash	Loans	Loan Bal.
Yr 1 (Age 18)	$51,711	$51,711	$0	$0	$0
Yr 2 (Age 19)	$54,296	$54,296	$0	$0	$0
Yr 3 (Age 20)	$57,011	$6,773	$25,119	$25,119	$25,119
Yr 4 (Age 21)	$59,862	$0	$29,931	$29,931	$56,683
Total	$222,881	$112,780	$55,050	$55,050

Year	Start Bal.	Payment	Principal	Interest	End Bal.
1	$56,683	$7,723	$4,162	$3,562	$52,521
2	$52,521	$7,723	$4,440	$3,283	$48,081
3	$48,081	$7,723	$4,738	$2,986	$43,343
4	$43,343	$7,723	$5,055	$2,668	$38,288
5	$38,288	$7,723	$5,394	$2,330	$32,895
6	$32,895	$7,723	$5,755	$1,969	$27,140
7	$27,140	$7,723	$6,140	$1,583	$21,000
8	$21,000	$7,723	$6,551	$1,172	$14,448
9	$14,448	$7,723	$6,990	$733	$7,458
10	$7,458	$7,723	$7,458	$265	$0
Total		$77,235	$56,683	$20,552

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