529 College Savings Calculator
Monthly saving needed to cover future tuition.
Enter your values
Enter the annual cost today in $.
Enter the years until college you are working with.
Enter the years of study you are working with.
Enter the education inflation in %.
Enter the investment return in %.
Enter the already saved in $.
Enter the share you plan to cover in %.
Results update instantly as you type — no submit needed. Your values are remembered on this device, and the shareable link reopens the calculator with exactly these numbers.
- 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
- $46,692.26
Quick answer
Future college cost = today's cost × (1 + education inflation)^years, and the monthly saving is the annuity payment that reaches that figure.
Future cost = today × (1 + inflation)^years
At a glance
| What it does | Monthly saving needed to cover future tuition. |
|---|---|
| Category | Finance |
| Inputs needed | Annual cost today, Years until college, Years of study, Education inflation, Investment return, Already saved, Share you plan to cover |
| Main output | Monthly contribution needed |
| Formula | Future cost = today × (1 + inflation)^years |
| Cost | Free — no sign-up, no download |
How to use the 529 College Savings Calculator
- 1Enter today's annual cost of the college you have in mind.
- 2Set years until enrolment and years of study.
- 3Choose what share of the cost you intend to cover.
Inputs explained
- Annual cost today($)
- Enter the annual cost today in $.
- Years until college
- Enter the years until college you are working with.
- Years of study
- Enter the years of study you are working with.
- Education inflation(%)
- Enter the education inflation in %.
- Investment return(%)
- Enter the investment return in %.
- Already saved($)
- Enter the already saved in $.
- Share you plan to cover(%)
- Enter the share you plan to cover in %.
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.
What do I need to enter into the 529 College Savings Calculator?
Just 7 values: annual cost today, years until college, years of study, education inflation, investment return, already saved, share you plan to cover. Every field starts with a realistic example, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result update instantly.
How does the 529 College Savings Calculator work out the answer?
Future college cost = today's cost × (1 + education inflation)^years, and the monthly saving is the annuity payment that reaches that figure. It applies the formula Future cost = today × (1 + inflation)^years and shows the working so you can check each step by hand.
Is the 529 College Savings Calculator free, and do I need an account?
It is completely free with no sign-up, no download and no usage limit. Everything is calculated in your browser, so the numbers you type never leave your device.
Results are estimates for general information. For medical, legal, structural or financial decisions, confirm with a qualified professional.