What current savings alone will grow to: $18,193.97
Your Recent & Past Results
Restored a past calculation.
Advertisement
Compare Calculations
Side-by-Side Comparison
A comparison of your scenarios' results
Downloads
Includes your inputs and results for this calculation, plus any additional calculations you've compared.
Share & Print
The link includes your inputs and results, so anyone who opens it sees this exact calculation.
Good to Know
College tuition inflation varies significantly by school and over time — there's no single official rate the way there is for consumer inflation. The rate used here is a plain, editable assumption, not a verified prediction, and this calculator doesn't account for financial aid, scholarships, or tax-advantaged account rules (like 529 plan contribution limits) that could change how much you actually need to save.
Disclaimer
This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, medical, legal, or tax advice. Always consult a qualified professional about your specific situation.
How This Calculator Works
College costs have historically risen faster than general inflation, so a savings goal based
on today’s sticker price will likely fall short by the time a student actually enrolls. Enter
today’s annual cost, how many years until enrollment, an assumed tuition inflation rate, how many
years of college to plan for, current savings, and an expected investment return, and this
calculator finds the monthly savings needed to close the gap.
Every year of attendance is inflated separately — a student’s final year costs more than their
first, since tuition keeps rising the entire time they’re enrolled, not just up until the day
they start.
The Formula
Projected cost in year t=Today’s Cost×(1+Tuition Inflation Rate)t
The total across every year of college sums each of those separately-inflated years. From there,
the required monthly savings is the same future-value-of-annuity
formula used elsewhere on this site, solved for the monthly contribution instead of the resulting
balance — the amount needed to close the gap between the projected total cost and what today’s
savings alone will grow to by enrollment.
Worked Example
$25,000/year today, 10 years until enrollment, 5% tuition inflation, 4 years of
college, $10,000 already saved, growing at 6%:
Projected cost in year 1 of college: $25,000 × 1.05¹⁰ ≈ $40,722.
Projected total cost across all 4 (separately-inflated) years: ≈ $175,518.
What the $10,000 already saved grows to on its own by enrollment: ≈ $18,194.
Required monthly savings to close the remaining gap: ≈ $960/month.
Cómo funciona esta calculadora
Históricamente, el costo de la universidad ha subido más rápido que la inflación general, por lo
que una meta de ahorro basada en el precio de hoy probablemente se quede corta para cuando el
estudiante realmente se inscriba. Ingresa el costo anual de hoy, cuántos años faltan para la
inscripción, una tasa de inflación de matrícula asumida, cuántos años de universidad planeas
cubrir, los ahorros actuales y un rendimiento de inversión esperado, y esta calculadora encuentra
el ahorro mensual necesario para cerrar la brecha.
Cada año de asistencia se ajusta por inflación por separado — el último año de un estudiante
cuesta más que el primero, ya que la matrícula sigue subiendo durante todo el tiempo que está
inscrito, no solo hasta el día en que empieza.
La fórmula
Costo proyectado en el an˜o t=Costo de hoy×(1+Tasa de inflacioˊn de matrıˊcula)t
El total a lo largo de todos los años de universidad suma cada uno de esos años ajustados por
inflación por separado. A partir de ahí, el ahorro mensual requerido es la misma fórmula de
valor futuro de una anualidad que se usa en otras partes
de este sitio, resuelta para la contribución mensual en lugar del saldo resultante — el monto
necesario para cerrar la brecha entre el costo total proyectado y lo que los ahorros de hoy por sí
solos llegarán a ser para el momento de la inscripción.
Ejemplo resuelto
$25,000/año hoy, 10 años hasta la inscripción, 5% de inflación de matrícula, 4 años
de universidad, $10,000 ya ahorrados, creciendo al 6%:
Costo proyectado en el año 1 de universidad: $25,000 × 1.05¹⁰ ≈ $40,722.
Costo total proyectado para los 4 años (cada uno ajustado por inflación por separado): ≈
$175,518.
A lo que crecerán por sí solos los $10,000 ya ahorrados para el momento de la inscripción: ≈
$18,194.
Ahorro mensual requerido para cerrar la brecha restante: ≈ $960/mes.
Why does college cost inflation matter more than regular inflation?
College costs have historically risen faster than general consumer inflation over long stretches, meaning a savings plan based on today's tuition price alone would likely fall short by the time a student actually enrolls. Using a tuition-specific inflation rate (rather than a general inflation rate) accounts for that gap.
Why is each year of college inflated separately?
Because tuition keeps rising the entire time a student is enrolled, not just up until the day they start — a senior year several years in the future costs measurably more than the freshman year that came before it, even at the same school with no other changes.
What if I don't know my child's future school choice or cost?
Use a reasonable estimate based on the type of school you expect (in-state public, private, etc.) — national average cost figures for each category are widely published and updated annually, and this calculator is meant for planning purposes, not a guarantee of an exact future price.
We use cookies for analytics and ads to help support this free site. You can accept all, or decline and we'll only use what's needed for the site to work.