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Privacy+
Calculations happen in your browser and don't require an account. When you calculate a result, the specific numbers shown are automatically sent to our AI provider to generate the plain-language summary. If you use the 'Ask a question' feature, whatever you type is also sent for that response. None of this is stored by us, shared with anyone else, or used to train any AI model.
Calculator entries may be saved in this browser so you can come back later on the same device and update them.
College Decision Center submissions and forms, if added later, should not include private financial aid documents, student IDs, account numbers, or other sensitive records.
The site is not designed to sell personal data. Printable report downloads are free and do not require an email address.
Use Clear saved data any time to remove saved calculator information and local preferences from this browser.
Tools+
Choose one of the three college engines, select a level, enter the numbers you know, and click Calculate.
Quick Answer keeps inputs short. Detailed Analysis and Comprehensive Plan reveal more assumptions for users who want a fuller estimate.
Calculation details
Is This College Worth the Cost? estimates total net cost, borrowing, repayment, interest, expected salary, debt-to-income ratio, break-even timing, risk flags, risk flags, and what could change the result.
Public vs Private compares two schools over 20 years using net cost, non-tuition costs, borrowing, repayment, expected earnings, and estimated net wealth.
Student Loan by Major estimates whether a planned debt amount fits the expected starting salary from the major.
The borrowing rules are shown directly: green debt is below 60% of starting salary, yellow is 60% up to 90%, orange is 90% up to 125%, and red is 125% or higher.
Results are estimates. They depend on the inputs, assumptions, and missing details shown in the result.
The Download Report button creates a printable report from the last calculated engine result.
Complete Printable Report+
The calculator results are free to view on this site.
The report is a free convenience export for users who want to save, print, or share their college decision calculation. It is an educational report based on the user's entries, not a professional financial plan.
The printable report includes the selected calculator, information entered by the user, main college answer, key numbers, cost and loan assumptions, risk flags, strengths, weak spots, possible next steps, scenarios when available, assumptions used, and educational disclaimer.
Your results are free. Report downloads are free and only for saving, printing, or sharing your report.
Click Calculate first so the report matches the most recent result shown on the page.
Ads are not included in the printable report.
Disclaimer+
College Decision Center is an educational college decision calculator and decision-support tool. It does not provide financial, legal, tax, admissions, student loan, educational, or professional advice.
Results are estimates based on the information entered and assumptions shown. College outcomes depend on costs, aid, borrowing, repayment terms, graduation, employment, earnings, and personal circumstances.
Read full disclaimerCommon Questions+
Is this financial advice?+
No. College Decision Center is an educational decision-support tool. It can help organize assumptions, estimates, and possible next steps, but it does not provide financial, legal, tax, admissions, student loan, educational, or professional advice.
Do I need an account?+
Calculations happen in your browser and don't require an account. When you calculate a result, the specific numbers shown are automatically sent to our AI provider to generate the plain-language summary. If you use the 'Ask a question' feature, whatever you type is also sent for that response. None of this is stored by us, shared with anyone else, or used to train any AI model.
Where should I get college cost numbers?+
The school's financial aid offer, net price calculator, cost of attendance page, and any loan terms being considered are the source numbers for this calculator. The calculator is only as useful as the numbers entered.
Why do the results show assumptions?+
College decisions depend heavily on assumptions like net price, years attending, borrowing, interest rate, major, expected salary, salary growth, and graduation likelihood. Showing assumptions makes the result easier to question and update.
Can I export my result?+
Yes. After calculating an engine result, use Download Report to export a printable College Decision Report with inputs, key numbers, scenarios, possible next steps, assumptions, and the educational disclaimer. Your results are free; report downloads are free and only for saving, printing, or sharing your report.
Methodology
How the Engines Work
The college value engine estimates total net cost, planned borrowing, monthly loan payment, total repayment, interest paid, expected earnings, debt-to-income ratio, payment-to-income ratio, break-even timing, sensitivity checks, and risk flags.
The public-vs-private engine compares two schools over 20 years. It combines net cost, non-tuition costs, borrowing, repayment, interest, expected earnings, and estimated net wealth to show the stronger financial outcome.
Net price means cost of attendance less grants and scholarships. Family contributions, work-study earnings and employer funding pay that price; they do not lower it. Work-study earnings are assumed, not guaranteed. The calculation details separate the program price, these funding sources, loans and any remaining funding need. This follows the Federal Student Aid net-price definition.
The value model subtracts the program price and loan interest from added earnings. It counts loan principal once, as part of that price. College Worth Comprehensive also subtracts entered lost wages and forgone investment growth on the cost paid without loans. The two-school comparison uses its stated opportunity-return assumption. Changing family funding without changing price or loans changes the funding gap, not the economic cost.
The student-loan-by-major engine estimates how much borrowing a major can reasonably support using expected starting salary, monthly payment, take-home pay, and the shown debt and payment safety rules.
The borrowing rules are intentionally visible: green debt is 60% of expected starting salary or less, yellow is 60-90%, orange is 90-125%, and red is above 125%. Monthly payment safety is green at 8% of gross monthly income or less, yellow at 8-10%, and red above 10%.
The engines show the entered assumptions, the key ratios, the risk flags, and the specific inputs most likely to change the result. That keeps the estimate tied to numbers a user can check.
This methodology is intentionally transparent. It is built for planning clarity, not financial, legal, tax, admissions, student loan, educational, or professional advice.
College Decision Center keeps this page focused on the college calculators. The broader AnswerWorth Methodology Index describes shared network principles, and the Trust Standard describes network-wide editorial, privacy, accessibility, and transparency commitments.