10 Free Online Calculators to Estimate College Costs
Wondering how much college is going to cost you? You can calculate tuition, living costs, student loan debt and other common college costs using these free online college calculators.
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1.) CNN Money College Cost Finder
CNN Money is the perfect place for aspiring college students to begin estimating college costs. The site's college cost calculator can find the cost of any U.S. college or university. All you have to do is type in the name of the school or search for the school by state.
2.) CollegeBoard College Cost Calculator
The CollegeBoard College Cost Calculator can help you estimate college costs in today's dollars or supply projected costs adjusted for inflation if you do not plan on attending college immediately. Actual costs are provided for users who have a particular college in mind, and average costs are provided for users who aren't sure which school they will attend.
3.) NY Times College Cost Calculator
This free online calculator from The New York Times can estimate the future costs of tuition, fees and room and board based on the rate at which college costs typically increase. The calculator works well for students who plan on attending college one year from now, 10 years from now or 20 years from now.
4.) FinAid College Cost Projector
The FinAid College Cost Project helps students estimate how much college tuition will cost when they are ready to enroll in a college program. The calculator uses an average inflation rate of 7% and can estimate the cost of a two-year college or a four-year college.
5.) Edwise Online Financial Planning Guide
Developed by EdFund and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), the EdWise Online Financial Planning Guide can help students estimate college costs, create a college budget and calculate student loan costs. The guide works best for users who have personal financial information, estimated college costs and financial aid award information.
6.) College Tuition Planner
Salary.com's College Tuition Planner helps students estimate how much they need to save for college based on their age, college location and the duration of college programs. The planner can also estimate average costs for students who aren't sure which school they will attend in the future.
7.) MSN Money Tuition Savings Calculator
MSN Money's free online calculator is designed to help parents estimate the costs of college and establish a realistic savings goal. The calculator projects how fast tuition is rising and how much interest can be earned from savings accounts.
8.) Salary.com Cost of Living Calculator
This free online calculator from Salary.com helps students estimate and compare the cost of living in 300+ cities around the nation. The calculator works especially well for students who will be living off campus because it provides the salary needed to maintain your preferred standard of living.
9.) Citi Student Loan Calculator
The Citi Student Loan Calculator is an excellent tool for students who are trying to determine how much they need to borrow to cover college costs. The calculator considers everything from tuition and itemized fees to school supplies and room and board.
10.) Sallie Mae Loan Repayment Calculator
Sallie Mae's Loan Repayment Calculator displays monthly payments as well as interest payments under various repayment plans so that students can calculate the differences and choose the best loan repayment option.
Earn Real Credit from Free Courses
While the free courses above don't award credit directly, you can earn credit by passing an exam and transferring credit to your college. There are two widely recognized and affordable options for exams that award credit.
Option #1: CLEP Exams
The College Board's 33 CLEP exams allow you to test out of your general education requirements. Credit is accepted at 2/3 of colleges and universities in the U.S.
Option #2: Excelsior College's Credit-by-Exam
Excelsior College offers over 40 exams that lead to transferable credit. You can also earn three full degrees by taking free online courses and earning your credit by exam.
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