College Savings (529) Calculator
A 529 plan grows over years, but college costs are climbing at the same time, so the gap is what matters. Set your current savings, monthly contribution, time horizon, return, and the cost of college today to see where you land. Move any slider and the projection follows.
You’ll have about $145,574 saved. A 4-year degree starting in 18 years is projected near $259,321 at 5% cost inflation — a gap of about $113,747.
Worked examples
Real results from this calculator, computed for a few common scenarios. Move the sliders above to run your own numbers.
| Current savings = $40,000 | You’ll have about $233,677 saved. A 4-year degree starting in 18 years is projected near $259,321 at 5% cost inflation — a gap of about $25,644. |
| Current savings = $100,000 | You’ll have about $409,883 saved. A 4-year degree starting in 18 years is projected near $259,321 at 5% cost inflation — you’re on track to cover it. |
| Current savings = $160,000 | You’ll have about $586,089 saved. A 4-year degree starting in 18 years is projected near $259,321 at 5% cost inflation — you’re on track to cover it. |
Your next step
How this math works
The tool compounds your current savings and adds your monthly contributions over the years until college, using the annual return you set. It then grows the current annual cost by the cost inflation rate to estimate a four-year total at enrollment.
Comparing the projected savings to that projected cost shows whether you have a surplus or a gap. College costs have historically risen faster than general inflation, which is why a separate cost inflation slider is included.
Common questions
What is a 529 plan?
A 529 is a tax-advantaged account for education expenses. Earnings grow tax-free and withdrawals are tax-free when used for qualified costs such as tuition, fees, and room and board.
Why project college costs separately?
College prices have tended to rise faster than everyday inflation, so a flat cost would understate the gap. The cost inflation slider lets you model that faster climb.
Does this guarantee my college costs are covered?
No. Returns are not guaranteed and actual college costs vary widely by school. Treat the result as a planning estimate, not a promise.
Put this calculator on your website
Bloggers, teachers, credit unions, HR teams: embed the live College Savings (529) Calculator free. Copy the snippet below — the tool keeps working and stays up to date automatically, no maintenance on your side.
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