529 Calculator

Project a 529 plan balance from current savings, monthly contributions, return assumptions, and years until college, then compare it with future college costs.

Project a 529 balance against future college costs This planner grows the 529 balance to the beneficiary’s start date, then compares it with an inflation-adjusted college-cost path so you can see whether current funding pace is likely to cover the expected bill.

Current 529 balance ($) Monthly contribution ($)

Expected annual return (%) Years until college starts

College cost assumptions

Current annual college cost ($)

Annual college-cost inflation (%) Years in college

Display currency

Switch the display currency for savings and college-cost planning without changing the underlying projection math.

Currency

Assumptions

This planner assumes monthly contributions, a steady annual return, and one college-cost inflation rate. It does not model taxes, scholarships, grant aid, market volatility, or state-specific 529 tax benefits.

Result

$98,300.88

Projected 529 balance when college starts after 10 years of contributions and growth.

Projected funding falls short of the modeled college cost The projected balance covers 59.18% of the modeled 4-year cost, leaving an estimated gap of $67,796.63.

Projected college cost: $166,097.51
First-year cost: $38,824.24
Total contributions: $66,000.00
Investment growth: $32,300.88

Funding share

59.18%

Portion of the modeled college-cost path covered by the projected 529 balance.

Coverage view

2.53 years

Approximate number of first-year-equivalent college years the projected balance could fund at enrollment.

Required monthly contribution to fully fund the modeled cost

$813.70

The current contribution pace trails the modeled fully funded level by $413.70 per month.

529 balance path

Year	Balance	Contributions	Growth
1	$24,044.43	$22,800.00	$1,244.43
2	$30,461.66	$27,600.00	$2,861.66
3	$37,274.69	$32,400.00	$4,874.69
4	$44,507.94	$37,200.00	$7,307.94
5	$52,187.31	$42,000.00	$10,187.31
6	$60,340.34	$46,800.00	$13,540.34
7	$68,996.22	$51,600.00	$17,396.22
8	$78,185.99	$56,400.00	$21,785.99
9	$87,942.55	$61,200.00	$26,742.55
10	$98,300.88	$66,000.00	$32,300.88

Projected college-cost path

School year	Years from today	Projected cost
1	10	$38,824.24
2	11	$40,571.33
3	12	$42,397.04
4	13	$44,304.90

Education Savings

529 calculator guide: project education savings against future college costs

A 529 calculator estimates how a dedicated education-savings balance may grow before a beneficiary starts college, then compares that projected balance with future college costs. It is most useful as a planning tool: it shows whether the current contribution pace looks broadly aligned with the expected funding need, not whether a specific state plan or school cost will be guaranteed.

About this calculator

Reviewed 2026-03-21

Methodology

Projects the current 529 balance forward with monthly contributions and a constant annual return assumption, projects future college costs from a current annual cost and college-cost inflation assumption, and compares the two at the beneficiary’s college start date.

Limitations

Assumes one constant annual return, one constant monthly contribution, and one constant college-cost inflation rate.
Does not model market volatility, plan fees, state tax deductions or credits, scholarships, grants, or student borrowing.
Uses a simplified college-cost path and does not verify qualified education expenses for a specific school or state plan.
This is an education-funding estimate only and not tax, investment, or financial-aid advice.

Disclaimer

Use this result as a planning scenario only. Before relying on it, review your state plan documents, qualified-expense rules, and school-specific net-price or aid information.

Sources

FINRA — 529 Plans — High-trust investor guidance covering 529 plan structure, risks, and account-selection questions.
College Scorecard — Institution data documentation — Department of Education documentation covering institutional cost and net-price methodology used in college-cost planning.
IRS Publication 970 — Tax benefits for education — Official IRS reference for qualified tuition program rules and education tax caveats.

See our calculation methodology and editorial standards for how this estimate is produced.

What this calculator is measuring

The savings side of the model starts with the current 529 balance, adds recurring monthly contributions, and applies a constant annual return assumption until the beneficiary reaches college. That produces a projected balance at enrollment, along with the split between contributions and investment growth.

The cost side of the model compounds a current annual college cost forward by the chosen annual college-cost inflation rate, then repeats that process across the expected years in school. Comparing the two projections creates a funding-ratio view: how much of the modeled college-cost path the projected 529 balance might cover.

Why 529 planning is different from a generic savings projection

A generic investment calculator can project future balance growth, but it usually stops there. A 529 planner is more useful when it also frames the savings balance against a future education-liability estimate, because the real planning question is not just “How much might this account grow?” but “Will that balance cover enough of the education bill?”

That comparison still needs caution. College costs do not rise at a single universal rate, grants and scholarships can reduce the amount paid, and each state plan has its own fees, investment menu, and tax rules. So the calculator should be treated as a funding scenario, not as a quote from a plan provider or a school.

Core maths behind the funding comparison

The 529 balance path uses standard month-by-month accumulation: the current balance compounds, then the recurring contribution is added each month. The college-cost path compounds today’s annual cost forward to each future school year and totals those projected annual costs across the years in college.

The required-contribution estimate then works backward. It solves for the monthly contribution that would be needed for the 529 balance to match the modeled total college cost by the time school starts, using the same return assumption and same enrollment date.

Next 529 balance = Current balance x (1 + monthly rate) + Monthly contribution

Projects the education-savings balance through the accumulation period before college starts.

Projected annual college cost = Current annual cost x (1 + inflation)^years from today

Projects each school-year cost from the current annual college-cost estimate and the selected inflation rate.

What this estimate leaves out

This calculator does not model state tax deductions or credits, individual 529 plan fees, investment-option changes, market volatility, scholarships, grants, student borrowing, or the exact tax treatment of every withdrawal. It also does not decide which expenses will count as qualified education expenses in your specific situation.

For decision-making, the most important next checks are still plan disclosures, fee schedules, qualified-expense rules, and actual school pricing or net-price estimates. Use this result to size the problem and adjust savings pace, not to replace plan documents or aid analysis.

529 Calculator

$98,300.88

529 calculator guide: project education savings against future college costs

What this calculator is measuring

Why 529 planning is different from a generic savings projection

Core maths behind the funding comparison

What this estimate leaves out

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