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College Finance Calculator

How much do I need to save for my child's education?
Sometimes it must seem like you need a Magic 8 Ball TM. to project the costs of a college education for your young family. While we're not fortune tellers here at Bankrate, we do understand the factors that need to be considered when you're deciding how much to set aside for college costs. Let's get started by answering a few questions about yourself and your prospective student.

First, you need to make a few fundamental decisions. Will your child be attending college in state or out of state? Public university or private? Remember that tuition is only one part of the total expense package. The other costs, such as room and board, books and fees, sometimes equal or surpass tuition costs. Keep in mind that statistics show that the cost of attending public colleges and universities in state can run to tens of thousands of dollars, and private colleges and universities can more than double that.
How much, in today's dollars, do you wish to provide each year for tuition, books, room and board, etc?


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About this index
Student Loan Averages
Product Rate +/- Last week
Stafford Loan Rate-in school 6.80%
6.80%
Stafford Loan Rate-after school 6.80%
6.80%
Plus Loan Rate 8.50%
8.50%
30K FICO-based Home Equity Loan 8.86%
8.83%
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