Project the total 4-year cost of college, accounting for tuition inflation between now and enrollment.
Tuition has historically risen faster than general inflation. This calculator compounds today's annual cost forward to the year enrollment begins, then totals four years of the (still-rising) cost.
Cost in Year N = Current Annual Cost × (1 + Inflation Rate)^N
A $28,000/year school today, 8 years out at 5% inflation, would cost roughly $41,400 in year one alone, and about $178,000 total across all four years.
It sums tuition, fees, room and board, books, and other expenses per year, multiplied by the number of years, often with an annual cost-increase percentage applied.
College costs have historically risen faster than general inflation, so projecting a future year's cost without adjusting for this trend would understate what you'll actually pay.
Only if you subtract them separately — this gives the sticker-price estimate; your net cost could be much lower after grants, scholarships, and aid.