Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Freshman-year cost (inflated)
$60,165
Total 4-year cost (inflated)
$259,321
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How to use this
- 1Enter today's annual college cost ($).
- 2Enter years until college starts.
- 3Enter college cost inflation rate (%/yr).
- 4Read your freshman-year cost (inflated) on the right — it updates as you type.
- 5Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
College costs have historically risen faster than general inflation, so projecting future tuition requires compounding today's cost at a college-specific inflation rate rather than the general CPI. This calculator compounds today's annual cost forward to your child's freshman year and totals the 4-year cost at that inflated rate.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Today's annual college cost: 25000 $
- Years until college starts: 18
- College cost inflation rate: 5 %/yr
Results
- Freshman-year cost (inflated): $60,165
- Total 4-year cost (inflated): $259,321
What each field means
Inputs
- Today's annual college cost ($)
- The today's annual college cost used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 25000 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Years until college starts
- The years until college starts used in the calculation. Starts at 18 so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–18.
- College cost inflation rate (%/yr)
- The college cost inflation rate used in the calculation, measured in %/yr. Starts at 5 %/yr so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 1–10 %/yr.
Results
- Freshman-year cost (inflated)
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Total 4-year cost (inflated)
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
How much will college cost in 18 years?
Today's $25,000/year public college cost, compounded at 5% college inflation for 18 years, grows to about $60,150 for freshman year alone, with the full 4-year cost (accounting for continued inflation) totaling roughly $260,000.
Why use a higher inflation rate for college than general inflation?
College tuition has historically outpaced general CPI inflation for decades, commonly running 4-6% annually versus 2-3% general inflation, though this trend has moderated somewhat in recent years at some institutions.
Should I use public or private college costs?
Use whichever matches your realistic expectation — public in-state college can run $12,000-$28,000/year today while private colleges often run $45,000-$65,000+/year, producing very different long-term projections.
How does this inform my 529 savings target?
Once you know the projected total cost, work backward using a savings growth calculator to determine the monthly 529 contribution needed to hit that inflated target by your child's freshman year.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
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A household with a $60,000 income, $180,000 in debts, and two kids needing $200,000 for future costs needs roughly $850,000 in coverage.
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). How Much Will College Cost in 18 Years?. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/how-much-will-college-cost-in-18-years
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/how-much-will-college-cost-in-18-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How Much Will College Cost in 18 Years? — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [How Much Will College Cost in 18 Years? — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/how-much-will-college-cost-in-18-years) (2026).