See what a college could actually cost your family, across four years.
Tell us the school you're considering. We walk through what it publishes, what could bring that number down, and what may be left for your family to cover.
Some of what college will cost your family is knowable today. Some of it isn't. The free calculator below shows you what is.
About 2,100 colleges. Try Ole Miss, UCLA, or Notre Dame.
Where that borrowing could come from under federal limits
How this scenario works, line by line
This is an illustrative scenario for a new dependent undergraduate with no prior federal student or Parent PLUS borrowing, using the federal loan limits in effect since July 1, 2026. If your student has prior federal loans, or was enrolled in college before July 1, 2026, different limits may apply. See studentaid.gov for the rules that apply to your family.
Federal student loans, in the student's name. Limit: in year one, over four years. In this scenario: in year one, over four years. Illustrative payment: about a month. The student repays these after leaving school.
Federal Parent PLUS loans, in a parent's name. Limit: $20,000 a year, $65,000 total for this student. In this scenario: in year one, over four years. Illustrative payment: about a month. A parent repays these, and payments can begin while the student is enrolled unless the parent requests deferment.
Above the federal limits. in year one, over four years. This portion would need to come from savings, a private loan, a different school, or a smaller gap. Illustrative payment: about a month.
These three add up to the a month shown above.
Year by year, federal loans could cover: in year one, in year two, in year three, and in year four.
These are federal limits, not eligibility. Federal student loans require the FAFSA, at least half-time enrollment, and other conditions. Parent PLUS requires a credit check and an approved parent borrower. Rates are set each July and published at studentaid.gov, and Parent PLUS carries an origination fee. This illustration uses one 6% rate and 20-year term for every portion, allocates borrowing to student loans first, and reflects no actual loan's rate, fee, or term. It assumes full-time enrollment, no prior federal borrowing for this student, and the same annual figures in each of four years. Federal limits under Public Law 119-21 (2025), effective July 1, 2026.
CollegeClearly's 20-year comparison framework, not a specific loan product. See methodology.
The sticker price is the college's. The other number is yours.
Every college publishes a cost. Almost no family pays exactly that. CollegeClearly shows both, side by side, so you decide on the real one.
Type two numbers. Watch the price change.
Ole Miss publishes an automatic merit chart for out-of-state students. A 3.6 GPA and a 31 on the ACT is $15,000 a year, $60,000 over four. We show the tier and what it does to the total.
Try it with Ole MissSee what fits under the limits, and what doesn't.
A dependent student can borrow $27,000 in federal loans over four years. Parents can borrow more, up to a cap. Change what your family plans to pay and the orange part shrinks or grows.
Every college on your list, one screen.
| College | Cost per year | Left to cover | If borrowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Mississippi | $52,938 | $27,938 | $810 / mo |
| Arizona State University | $58,317 | $48,317 | $1,401 / mo |
| University of Michigan | $88,394 | $78,394 | $2,273 / mo |
Example rows. Out-of-state cost of attendance as published by each university; $10,000 a year from the family in each case.
Start with one college.
The college's own numbers, your family's numbers, one screen.