Future cost calculator
Future Cost of Public Out-of-State Four-Year College
An example $30,000 public out-of-state four-year college bill modeled at 3.7% reaches $57,695 in 18 years, at these assumptions. The sourced figure is 3.7% trailing 10-year CAGR from College Board Trends 2024, retrieved June 1, 2026, at these assumptions.
Direct answer
Modeled result
Using College Board Trends 2024's 3.7% trailing 10-year CAGR for public out-of-state four-year college, an example $30,000 annual bill becomes about $57,695 over 18 years, at these assumptions. That is a modeled lens, not a prediction or advice; change the starting cost, horizon, or rate in the calculator.
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At these assumptions
$57,695
An example $30,000 public out-of-state four-year college bill modeled at 3.7% reaches $57,695 in 18 years, at these assumptions. The range is $48,461 to $68,574, at these assumptions, using the sourced rate plus or minus one percentage point.
- Starting cost
- $30,000 at these assumptions
- Sourced rate
- 3.7% at these assumptions
- Horizon
- 18 years at these assumptions
- Source figure
- 3.7% trailing 10-year CAGR retrieved June 1, 2026
Change the assumptions
This row is a source-backed starting point, not a household-specific answer. The useful move is to change the starting cost, horizon, or annual cost-growth assumption in the front-door calculator and compare the result with the resources you expect to bring to that future.
Sources
- College Board Trends 2024. 10yr average annualized increase in published tuition + fees. Retrieved June 1, 2026 from College Board Trends 2024.
- Method: source-derived trailing 10-year compound annual growth rate, then futureGoalCost from lib/aspire.js applies compound growth to the starting cost at these assumptions.