Table of Annual Contribution Required to Fund College — Starting at Child's Current Age
Instructions: Enter your own data in the highlighted cells
Average yearly rate of return. 6% is a moderate assumption
4% is historical average
should equal (18 - age)
$0 if no funding now
| College tier | Default values | Annual cost today | Number of years | Total 4yr cost* | Annual Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top Private College | $85,000 |
|
|
$340,000 | $13,051 |
| Average Private College | $65,000 |
|
4 | $260,000 | $7,807 |
| Out-of-State Public College | $47,000 |
|
4 | $188,000 | $3,087 |
| In-State Public College | $28,000 |
|
4 | $112,000 | -$1,894surplus |
College cost figures are averages for the 2025-2026 academic year.
*Includes Tuition, Room and Board (on campus) but not books, computers, transportation etc
Inflation rates for private colleges are estimated to have been about .4% higher than public colleges (no adjustment used here).