AL · 32 · Student Finance & Debt

Parent College ROI Planner

Model your child's full 4-year cost of attendance, project your 529 balance, calculate the SAI/Pell aid gap, and compare loan vs. gift-aid scenarios — entirely in your browser.

NCES IPEDS 2023-24 · Federal Pell Grant 2024-25 · Parent PLUS 7.54% (2024-25)
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Child & Timeline
Age 0–17
Auto-set from age; override if needed
NCES avg COA: $24,440/yr · Tuition $11,260 + R&B $13,180
Student Aid & SAI
Estimated SAI from FAFSA (negative = maximum aid)
Auto-calculated from SAI; editable · 2024-25 max $7,395
Scholarships, university grants, merit awards
Work-study, private scholarships, employer benefits
529 College Savings Account
Diversified portfolio; typical 5–7%
Loan Assumptions
Federal 2024-25 fixed rate; +4.228% origination fee
Historical avg 3–4% · NCES long-run trend

Compare up to 3 school tiers side by side. All aid/529/loan assumptions are shared from the 529 & Aid Gap tab — set your inputs there first, then run the comparison here.

Select School Tiers to Compare
School A
School B
School C
4-Year Cost Summary
529 Projection to Enrollment
Year-by-Year Cost Breakdown
Funding Waterfall
Parent PLUS Loan Detail