{
  "id": "college-cost-calculator",
  "version": "7.0.0",
  "name": "College Cost Calculator",
  "shortName": "College Cost",
  "description": "Estimate the future cost of college and determine if your current savings plan is on track.",
  "category": "Finance",
  "categorySlug": "finance",
  "keywords": [
    "college",
    "cost"
  ],
  "status": "live",
  "workStatus": "pending",
  "reviewStatus": "pending",
  "migrationStatus": "migrated",
  "migratedDate": "2026-08-18",
  "engine": "legacy-react",
  "creator": null,
  "reviewer": null,
  "quality": {
    "availability": "live",
    "technicalReviewRecord": "/reviews/college-cost-calculator.json",
    "qualifiedReview": "pending",
    "qualifiedReviewer": null,
    "qualifiedReviewDate": null,
    "formulaVersion": "7.0.0",
    "referenceCoverage": "references-pending",
    "releaseTestScope": "Catalog and regression checks are not a professional formula audit; consult release evidence.",
    "historicalMetadataDate": "2026-08-18",
    "historicalMetadataNotice": "The imported date is not evidence of a completed human review."
  },
  "urls": {
    "page": "/calculator/college-cost-calculator/",
    "definition": "/calculator/college-cost-calculator/definition.json",
    "schema": "/calculator/college-cost-calculator/schema.json",
    "llms": "/calculator/college-cost-calculator/llms.txt",
    "legacyDefinition": "/calculator/college-cost-calculator.json"
  },
  "queryExample": "https://askcalculators.com/calculator/college-cost-calculator/?childAge=5&collegeAge=18&annualCost=25000&yearsInCollege=4&currentSavings=10000&monthlyContribution=500&returnRate=6&inflationRate=3",
  "queryParameters": {
    "childAge": {
      "label": "Child's Current Age",
      "type": "number",
      "required": false,
      "default": 5
    },
    "collegeAge": {
      "label": "College Start Age",
      "type": "number",
      "required": false,
      "default": 18
    },
    "annualCost": {
      "label": "Annual Cost (Today)",
      "type": "number",
      "required": false,
      "default": 25000
    },
    "yearsInCollege": {
      "label": "Years in College",
      "type": "number",
      "required": false,
      "default": 4
    },
    "currentSavings": {
      "label": "Current Savings",
      "type": "number",
      "required": false,
      "default": 10000
    },
    "monthlyContribution": {
      "label": "Monthly Contribution",
      "type": "number",
      "required": false,
      "default": 500
    },
    "returnRate": {
      "label": "Exp. Return",
      "type": "number",
      "required": false,
      "default": 6
    },
    "inflationRate": {
      "label": "Inflation",
      "type": "number",
      "required": false,
      "default": 3
    }
  },
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "childAge",
      "label": "Child's Current Age",
      "type": "number",
      "defaultValue": 5
    },
    {
      "id": "collegeAge",
      "label": "College Start Age",
      "type": "number",
      "defaultValue": 18
    },
    {
      "id": "annualCost",
      "label": "Annual Cost (Today)",
      "type": "number",
      "defaultValue": 25000
    },
    {
      "id": "yearsInCollege",
      "label": "Years in College",
      "type": "number",
      "defaultValue": 4
    },
    {
      "id": "currentSavings",
      "label": "Current Savings",
      "type": "number",
      "defaultValue": 10000
    },
    {
      "id": "monthlyContribution",
      "label": "Monthly Contribution",
      "type": "number",
      "defaultValue": 500
    },
    {
      "id": "returnRate",
      "label": "Exp. Return",
      "type": "number",
      "defaultValue": 6
    },
    {
      "id": "inflationRate",
      "label": "Inflation",
      "type": "number",
      "defaultValue": 3
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "result",
      "label": "Result",
      "format": "text",
      "primary": true
    }
  ],
  "formula": {
    "expression": "Future annual cost = current annual cost × (1 + education inflation)^years; projected total is the sum of each attendance year, less current savings growth."
  },
  "examples": [
    {
      "label": "Reproducible default-input example (not a personal recommendation)",
      "inputs": {
        "childAge": 5,
        "collegeAge": 18,
        "annualCost": 25000,
        "yearsInCollege": 4,
        "currentSavings": 10000,
        "monthlyContribution": 500,
        "returnRate": 6,
        "inflationRate": 3
      }
    }
  ],
  "sources": []
}