Investment Simulator Is saving $100 a month for 18 years enough for college tuition?
See what $100 a month could grow to and how it compares with future community college and public university tuition and fees.
Saving $100 a month for 18 years could cover two years of average in-district community college tuition and fees. In this model, the balance reaches $34,666 at a 5% effective annual return, against about $14,550 in projected tuition and fees for two years. The same balance would cover about 40% of the four-year public in-state benchmark of $87,534.
What $100 per month adds up to
You make 216 deposits and contribute $21,600. The table assumes a $0 starting balance, deposits at the start of each month, and a constant effective annual return. It excludes taxes and fees.
| Illustrative annual return | Balance after 18 years |
|---|---|
| 0% | $21,600 |
| 3% | $28,552 |
| 5% | $34,666 |
| 7% | $42,330 |
Even at 0% growth, the $21,600 in contributions exceeds the two-year tuition benchmark under the 3% tuition-growth scenario. If tuition grows 5% a year instead, that two-year benchmark rises to about $20,770, leaving only about $830 of those contributions for other costs.
What two years of tuition could cost
College Board reported average published tuition and fees of $4,210 for in-district students at public two-year colleges in 2026–27. At an assumed 3% annual increase, that becomes about $7,167 for the first year, 18 years from now. Apply one more year of growth for the second year and the total is about $14,550. The calculation adds the two bills in future dollars and assumes no investment growth after enrollment. College Board’s 2026 college pricing figures
Housing, meals, books and transportation are separate. If your plan involves transferring to a four-year school, add the tuition and fees for the remaining years at that school. Published prices are averages before grants and scholarships, and local prices can differ.
Reproduce the balance in Investment Simulator
Enter $0 for the initial amount, $100 for the monthly deposit, 5% for the yearly rate and 18 years for the term. Leave taxes, inflation and additional deposits at zero for this comparison, which puts both savings and future tuition in future dollars. The investment and tuition growth rates are scenario inputs and can vary.
See what $200 a month could cover and how $500 a month compares across college types.