Check out these free, easy-to-use online tools to help you and your family estimate college costs and the amount of financial aid you might receive. You will also find tools to help with budgeting, saving, and learning about money. Our worksheets and partner resources can help you compare financial aid offers you receive from colleges and universities so you can make an informed college decision.
Federal & State Aid Estimators
Federal Student Aid Estimator
Estimates your eligibility for federal student aid. This includes the Pell Grant, federal work study and student loans. It can also help you estimate your Student Aid Index (SAI), which is a number that the federal government uses as a guide to determine your financial need.
You will need your SAI to use the Monetary Award Program (MAP) Estimator, below.
Monetary Award Program (MAP) Estimator
Planning to attend an Illinois college? Use the MAP Estimator to get an idea of your eligibility for the Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP). If you are a dependent student , you will need the following to use the tool:
- your adjusted gross income (AGI) for the appropriate tax year
- your cash, savings and checking account balances
You will also need to know your Student Aid Index (SAI) to use the MAP Estimator.
If you don’t already know your SAI, find it using the Federal Student Aid Estimator.
Loan Repayment Tools
Federal Student Loan Simulator
Helps you pick a repayment plan that is best for you and estimates loan payments. This simulator can also help you determine if loan consolidation might be an option for you.
Learn About Money, Saving, Budgets, and More
Mapping Your Future offers free, easy-to-use calculators and a helpful 12-Step Guide to Financial Success. You can learn about smart credit card use, investing, loan repayment, and much more. Calculators can help with budgeting, savings, loan consolidation, and debt-to-salary comparisons.
College Cost and Savings
Financing is a big part of planning for college. This calculator provides an estimate of how much college may cost when a student is ready to attend. With careful planning and the help of financial aid, funding a college education can be achieved. To get an idea of how much financial aid you might be eligible for, use the Federal Student Aid Estimator and MAP Estimator.
Annual Cost of College for 2025-26*
| Public Community College | Public 4-Year College | Private 4-Year College |
|---|---|---|
| $21,320 | $30,990 | $65,470 |
| * National average cost estimates are from the College Board and are updated each fall (next update is anticipated for fall 2026). Actual costs are determined by individual colleges every fiscal year. | ||
Note: Please do not use commas.
Disclaimer: Calculators are provided for reference only. Any rates and costs are subject to change without notice. The costs, rates or payment amounts provided from these calculators are not guaranteed.
This calculator helps assess one’s current savings plan. Use it to estimate the savings plan’s value at the time a student is ready for college.
Note: Please do not use commas.
Disclaimer: Calculators are provided for reference only. Any rates and costs are subject to change without notice. The costs, rates or payment amounts provided from these calculators are not guaranteed.
A savings goal is more easily attainable when the target sum needed is broken into smaller monthly amounts. Use this calculator to determine how much money should be saved each month to cover college costs.
Note: Please do not use commas.
Disclaimer: Calculators are provided for reference only. Any rates and costs are subject to change without notice. The costs, rates or payment amounts provided from these calculators are not guaranteed.
Financial Aid Basics
Fin Aid Game
Learn and test your knowledge about student financial aid with this fun interactive quiz. Do you know your stuff?
Compare Financial Aid Offers
You’ve received financial aid offers to the schools you have been admitted to, but now you want to compare offers to help you decide which school is right for you. Check out these free tools to help you make an informed financial decision about college.
Financial Aid Comparison Worksheet
Use this worksheet to compare financial aid offer letters (up to 3) that you’ve received from colleges and universities to which you’ve been admitted. Offer letters detail how much a college can offer in terms of financial assistance.
You will need to know your Student Aid Index (SAI). If you don't already know it, use the Federal Student Aid Estimator to find out.
To save your Comparison Worksheet, you will need to login and create a profile.
Tuition Fit
View actual financial aid offers students similar to you have received from the same and comparable colleges.
Additional Resources
College Cost and Savings
College Cost Calculator
Estimates the future cost of a child's college education. Costs are based upon annual increases and the anticipated years spent in college.
Future Savings Calculator
Assesses a family’s current savings plan based on a family's future educational needs.
Monthly Savings Calculator
Estimates the amount of money a family or student needs to save each month to cover college costs.