529 Plan Calculator: How Much to Save for College by Age

College costs keep climbing faster than most family budgets. A 529 plan is the best tax-advantaged way to save for education — earnings grow tax-free and withdrawals for qualified expenses are tax-free too. The hard part is figuring out how much to save each month. The answer depends on your child’s age, the type of school you are targeting, and how aggressively you invest. A 529 Plan Calculator does the math for you.

What College Actually Costs

Tuition inflation is the single biggest factor in 529 planning. Historically, college costs have grown around 5% per year — faster than general inflation. The calculator accounts for this with an annual tuition inflation input:

School Type	Approx. 4-Year Cost Today	Projected Cost in 18 Years (5% inflation)
Public, in-state	$110,000	~$265,000
Public, out-of-state	$200,000	~$480,000
Private	$240,000	~$575,000

These are ballpark figures — your actual target depends on where your child is likely to go. The point is that the number you need to save toward is much larger than today’s tuition sticker price.

How the Calculator Works

The 529 Plan Calculator asks for:

• Child’s current age and college start age — typically 18, but some students start at 17 or transfer later
• Current college cost — the 4-year total for your target school type
• Annual tuition inflation — 4–6% is a realistic range
• Current 529 balance — what you have already saved
• Monthly contribution — what you plan to add
• Expected annual return — 5–7% is reasonable for a diversified age-based portfolio
• State tax rate — many states let you deduct 529 contributions from state income tax

Outputs: What the Results Tell You

The calculator returns three key numbers:

• Future college cost — the projected total at enrollment, after tuition inflation
• Projected 529 value — what your current balance plus monthly contributions will grow to
• Monthly savings needed — the contribution that closes the gap between the two

Strategies to Close the Gap

• Start early — $200/month from birth beats $500/month from age 10 because compounding needs time
• Front-load contributions — you can contribute up to $18,000 per year per beneficiary (2026 limit), or superfund 5 years at once ($90,000)
• Claim the state deduction — if your state offers a tax break for 529 contributions, it effectively boosts your return
• Use a grandparent-owned 529 — a strategic option for estate planning and financial-aid timing

Run your family’s numbers through the free 529 Plan Calculator to see exactly what monthly contribution puts you on track — then set up automatic transfers so it happens without thinking.