Using the College Cost Calculator
Decide what your annual cost includes before entering it. Tuition alone and tuition plus housing, books and travel are different budgets. Use the same scope when comparing institutions or education plans.
Worked example
Use the example inputs below to reproduce this result. These are the form's starting values, not recommended targets. Changing your inputs updates your result above; this worked example stays fixed for comparison. Results are rounded for display.
Example inputs
- Current annual cost
- 25000
- Years until enrollment
- 10
- Years of study
- 4
- Annual cost increase (%)
- 5
Example result
- First year cost
- 40,722.37
- Total course cost
- 175,518.49
Method and assumptions
Compounds today’s annual cost through enrollment, then each year of study. Financial aid and investment growth are not included.
Separate contributions from growth
An ending balance can grow because you put more money in, because the assumed return is higher, or because the money has more time to compound. Those are different effects. Keep the contribution schedule consistent when comparing rates, and distinguish a mathematical projection from a return that is contractually guaranteed. Fees and taxes need their own assumptions.
Common question
Why is the total more than the first-year cost times the course length?
The model assumes costs continue to increase during the years of study. Each later year therefore has its own higher projected cost.
Guide updated .