Free College Cost Forecast calculator with clear step-by-step results.
Forecasts the sticker price of a degree by inflating tuition and living costs at separate rates - tuition has historically risen faster than general prices - and compounding each academic year to its own start date rather than to enrolment.
Year k tuition
Tuition = today's tuition x (1 + tuition inflation)^(years until enrolment + k)
Programme total
Total = sum over all programme years of inflated tuition plus inflated living costs
No - it is the published cost. Grants, scholarships and institutional aid frequently cut the net price by a third or more at private institutions.
They behave differently. Tuition is set institutionally and has outpaced CPI for decades, while rent and food track general inflation more closely.