529 College Savings Calculator
Monthly saving needed to cover future tuition.
Enter your values
ⓘ Live results
Results
- Monthly contribution needed
- $560.19
- Total future cost
- $201,249.50
- Your funding goal
- $140,874.65
- Current savings at college start
- $19,161.87
- Total you will contribute
- $80,667.14
- Growth earned
- $51,207.51
- First-year cost then
- $46,692.26
Quick answer
Future college cost = today's cost × (1 + education inflation)^years, and the monthly saving is the annuity payment that reaches that figure.
Future cost = today × (1 + inflation)^years
How to use the 529 College Savings Calculator
- 1Enter today's annual cost of the college you have in mind.
- 2Set years until enrolment and years of study.
- 3Choose what share of the cost you intend to cover.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Annual cost today26000 $
- Years until college12
- Years of study4
- Education inflation5 %
- Investment return6.5 %
- Already saved9000 $
- Share you plan to cover70 %
Results
- Monthly contribution needed$560.19
- Total future cost$201,249.50
- Your funding goal$140,874.65
- Current savings at college start$19,161.87
- Total you will contribute$80,667.14
- Growth earned$51,207.51
- First-year cost then$46,692.26
Frequently asked questions
What is education inflation?
College costs have historically risen 4–6% a year, faster than general inflation, which is why the future figure looks so much larger than today's price.
What if my child does not go to college?
529 plans can be moved to another beneficiary, used for trade schools and apprenticeships, or partially rolled into a Roth IRA under current rules.
About this calculator
- Built and reviewed by James Whitfield · How we build and test calculators
- Report an error
Results are estimates for general information. For medical, legal, structural or financial decisions, confirm with a qualified professional.