This calculator will help you determine how much money you need to invest on a monthly basis now, in order to be able to pay for your child's college education by the time they are ready to start college. The calculator allows you to choose between In-State and Out-of-State, between Resident and Commuter and between Public or Private – and adjusts the estimated costs according to those selections. Plus, the calculator even adjusts the future cost of attending college based on your own estimated rate of inflation.

Projected Total Four-Year Costs of Attending College: Four-year costs are based on The College Board's Annual Survey of Colleges for the 2005–2006 school year, and include tuition, room and board (adjusted by "resident"/"commuter" selection), transportation, books and other expenses. The costs are enrollment-weighted and inflated based upon your selected estimated annual rate of inflation. An 8% annual return on investment is assumed but does not represent a specific security. The calculator also assumes no additional investments or earnings once the child starts school, and that investments are made at the beginning of each school year.

Detailed instructions/information are displayed in the column to the right of each text box when you click in or tab into it.