529 College Savings Plan Calculator
Project your 529 plan balance against estimated college costs.
See if your monthly contributions will cover tuition.
Projected 529 Balance
529 Plan projections use compound growth to estimate future savings against rising college costs.
Future Balance = Monthly × ((((1 + r)^n) − 1) / r) where r = monthly rate, n = months
Projected College Cost = Current Cost × (1 + Inflation Rate)^Years
Current average annual college costs (2025–2026):
- Public in-state: $11,000–$13,000 tuition + fees
- Public out-of-state: $23,000–$29,000
- Private: $42,000–$58,000
- Room & board adds: $12,000–$16,000
529 Plan benefits:
- Tax-free growth and withdrawals for qualified expenses
- State tax deductions in many states
- High contribution limits ($300,000+)
- Can change beneficiary if not needed
Historical returns (balanced portfolio):
- Conservative: 4–5%/year
- Moderate: 6–7%/year
- Aggressive: 8–10%/year
College cost inflation: Historically ~5–6%/year, recently moderating to 3–4%/year