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Your Complete College Funding Plan — Not Just a Calculator

Skip the scattered tools. Get a guided, step-by-step plan that walks the full college-funding lifecycle — with a printable one-page plan and a funding-gap check you can act on.

Guided lifecycle Printable plan Funding-gap check Sourced & cited

Monthly Living Cost Estimator

Adjust the numbers to see your estimated monthly budget instantly.

$1,500
$250
$600
$400
$200
$300
Estimated Monthly Cost
$3,250

For detailed breakdowns and full settings, use our full Monthly Living Cost Calculator.

✓ 100% free — no sign-up✓ Sourced & cited data✓ Tuition, loans & living cost tools✓ Printable funding plan
New · By state

Find your state’s college aid & net price

Pick your state to see typical tuition, estimate your net price after grants, and link straight to your state’s financial-aid agency and flagship grant program.

Open the State Aid Explorer

Why Choose EdCost?

Trusted tools built for real-life financial decisions.

Instant Results

No page reloads or waiting. Change inputs and see answers immediately.

Privacy First

Your data never leaves your browser. No accounts, no tracking, no spam.

100% Free

All calculators and guides are free to use, supported by display advertising.

Always Accurate

Formulas are updated regularly using official U.S. data sources.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are EdCost calculators really free?

Yes. Every calculator on EdCost is 100% free to use. We do not require registration, credit card information, or personal data.

Is my financial data saved or shared?

No. All calculations run locally in your web browser. We do not store your inputs on our servers or share your information with third parties.

How accurate are the cost estimates?

Our estimates are based on publicly available data from sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, IRS, College Board, and Census Bureau. They are designed to provide realistic planning estimates, not exact figures.

Can I use these calculators for business decisions?

EdCost tools are intended for personal financial planning and educational purposes only. They are not a substitute for professional financial, tax, or legal advice.

Do the calculators work on mobile phones?

Yes. Every calculator and article is fully responsive and works on smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. No app download is required.

Data sources & methodology

Methodology and citations are maintained by the EdCost editorial team. Where an official schedule is not yet loaded, results are shown as model estimates and the source is stated as a reference.

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