Scenario A
Your current plan
$58,527
Estimated savings at age 18
$124,395 short of this goal
Goal: $182,922. Your inputs, unchanged.
College savings / 529 calculator
See what college could cost, how much you may have, and a monthly savings plan to close the gap. Start with your own numbers—or explore the example.
Plan for one student at a time.
Use today’s prices. We project cost increases separately.
Include the costs you want to cover: tuition, fees, housing, meals and books. $30,000 is an example—not a school quote.
100% means your savings plan covers all costs left after the aid below.
Optional · $0 if unknown. Today’s dollars; assumed to rise with college costs. Not a financial-aid prediction.
Include money already set aside for this student.
Optional · separate from savings already entered.
An assumption, not a guaranteed return.
Optional · deducted from both return assumptions. Enter 0 if your returns already include fees.
Optional · starts after the first 12 months, before enrollment only.
Optional · $0 means stop saving at enrollment. Later deposits cannot cover the first year’s bill.
Your college plan · enrollment at age 18
$124,395 to close the gap
At age 18, your savings could reach $58,527. Your plan needs $182,922 at that time to fund your share of the college bills.
Estimated savings at age 18
$58,527
Before the first college bill is paid.
College savings goal
$182,922
The amount needed when college starts—not just the first year’s cost.
Monthly saving needed to reach this goal
$1,015.64
Total starting monthly amount—not an extra amount.
Add $765.64 more each month before college.
$250.00 you save now + $765.64 more = $1,015.64 per month.
Start with $30,000 a year today. Each academic year’s cost rises 4% per year until that bill is due.
Never more than the college cost. This is your estimate, not an aid award.
($188,574 − $0) × 100%
During college we assume 2% yearly growth after fees and $0 deposited each month. The first bill is due immediately; only later bills benefit from later deposits.
This is the college savings goal used in your result and scenarios. All displayed amounts are future dollars, rounded for readability.
Every scenario starts college at age 18. Only the change named on the card is different.
Scenario A
$58,527
Estimated savings at age 18
$124,395 short of this goal
Goal: $182,922. Your inputs, unchanged.
Scenario B
$74,774
Estimated savings at age 18
$108,148 short of this goal
Goal: $182,922. Save $350 each month before college.
Scenario C
$99,145
Estimated savings at age 18
$83,777 short of this goal
Goal: $182,922. Save $500 each month before college.
Scenario D
$51,476
Estimated savings at age 18
$131,446 short of this goal
Goal: $182,922. 4% yearly return before college, instead of 6%.
Your main plan stays unchanged.
Estimated savings at age 18
$99,145
$83,777 short of this goal
Your deposits and investment growth build toward the amount needed at enrollment. Move the slider to inspect each year.
Bills are paid at the start of each academic year. Any unfunded amount is money you would need from another source—not an automatic loan.
| School year | Total cost | Aid | Your share | Paid by savings | Unfunded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1Age 18 | $44,407 | $0 | $44,407 | $44,407 | $0 |
| Year 2Age 19 | $46,184 | $0 | $46,184 | $14,402 | $31,782 |
| Year 3Age 20 | $48,031 | $0 | $48,031 | $0 | $48,031 |
| Year 4Age 21 | $49,952 | $0 | $49,952 | $0 | $49,952 |
A 529 is an account for education savings—not a guaranteed investment return.
This model assumes no tax on investment growth or qualified withdrawals. Federal rules and state treatment must be checked for your plan.
Not every cost in a college budget qualifies for tax-free 529 withdrawals. Housing has conditions and limits. Use other funds for ineligible costs.
State deductions, credits, account limits and financial-aid effects are not calculated. There is no federal contribution deduction.
Costs and aid start in today’s dollars and rise at the same college-cost inflation rate. Outputs are future dollars. Scholarships are deducted first; then your chosen funding percentage applies.
Annual returns minus fees are converted to equivalent monthly growth. Deposits happen at month end; the first college bill follows the final pre-college deposit. In-college contributions arrive between annual bills, ending at the last bill. The goal is worked backward so every bill can be paid when due.
Returns are constant assumptions, not a probability forecast, an age-based investment portfolio or a promise. Market losses, taxes on nonqualified withdrawals and state benefits are not modeled. Research reviewed September 17, 2026.
Planning estimate, not a quote, approval, tax calculation, or promise of returns.
Enter the student's age, enrollment age, annual college budget, current savings and monthly saving amount. The calculator projects each college year's costs and estimates the total starting monthly deposit needed to reach your enrollment goal. A separate result shows how much more that is than your current monthly saving. Optional annual deposit increases use the same rule in both estimates.
The goal is the amount needed when college starts. The first bill is due immediately, while later bills may be partly funded by investment growth and any monthly deposits you plan to continue during college. The calculator works backward from the bills and never uses a later deposit to pay an earlier bill. Negative assumed returns can increase the reserve needed.
Enter annual college costs and scholarships in today's dollars. Both rise at your selected college-cost inflation rate until each academic year. Results are future-dollar estimates. Scholarships are capped at costs, then your selected family funding share applies. The example college budget is illustrative, not a national average or a school quote.
No. The projection assumes no tax on investment growth or qualified withdrawals, but does not calculate federal or state tax benefits, plan limits, aid awards or effects on financial aid. Contributions are not federally deductible. Not every college-budget expense qualifies for tax-free 529 withdrawals; check eligible expenses and your plan's rules. Returns are assumptions, not guarantees.