How Much Does College Really Cost — And How Do You Pay for It?
The short answer: you pay for college by combining early tax-advantaged savings, smart school choices, financial aid, scholarships, part-time work, and — only as a last resort — student loans. There’s no single trick that makes college free, but stacking several of these strategies together can shrink the bill dramatically.
I recently learned that student loan debt is now bigger than the nation’s total mortgage debt. Frankly, it’s crazy that young people leave school with a burden that follows them around for decades just because they pursued an education. I’m glad some politicians are pushing to make public college free — most countries treat higher education as a basic right and offer it free or at minimal cost, because an educated workforce benefits everyone. I got lucky: I did my Bachelor’s and Master’s abroad for very little money, and only paid full freight when I came to the US for my MBA (I wrote about how I paid for that here). Now, with two young kids, I’m figuring out how to pay for their college without drowning in debt.
The Sticker Shock: What College Actually Costs
I ran the numbers using ScholarShare, California’s 529 plan calculator, using UC Berkeley as a proxy for a public in-state school when my kids turn 18. Sit down for this one.
The estimated cost for one child’s undergraduate degree came to $270,000. For two kids, that’s $540,000 over four years — and that excludes room and board. 😱
Once I stopped panicking, I started researching every legitimate way to bring that number down. Here’s what I found.
Reduce the Bill Before You Even Start Saving
The cheapest dollar is the one you never have to spend. A few strategies can shrink the total cost of a degree before financial aid or savings even enter the picture.
Get Ahead with AP Classes and CLEP Exams
As a parent, I believe it’s my responsibility to pay for college so my kids don’t start adult life in debt. But I also think kids should play their part. That’s why we plan to have our kids take Advanced Placement (AP) classes in high school — these credits often count toward college requirements, shortening the time (and money) needed to graduate.
Also consider the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). “More than 2,900 public colleges and universities in the United States will give students credit for what they already know if they pass a CLEP test,” says Steve Klinsky, founder of Modern States Education Alliance, a nonprofit focused on making college more affordable. Achievement tests and AP coursework can reduce both the number of required classes and total time on campus.
Choose In-State, Public, and Community College Wisely
Staying in-state and choosing a public school over a private one can save tens of thousands of dollars. Using ScholarShare’s California data, the tuition gap alone over four years looks like this:
We live in California, surrounded by excellent public university options, so we plan to encourage our kids toward public schools close to home — especially since my own public school education had a phenomenal return on investment.
Another option: start at a community college and transfer to a public university after two years. You still graduate with the same degree from the same school. In California, the first year of community college is already free, and there’s ongoing discussion about extending that to the second year.
Save Smart: Structure Your Savings to Maximize Financial Aid
Where you save matters almost as much as how much you save. Financial aid formulas — mainly the FAFSA and the CSS Profile — look at your assets and income (from tax returns filed two years before enrollment) to calculate your Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
Generally, 20% of a child’s assets and 5.64% of a parent’s assets count toward EFC, along with up to 47% of parent income and 50% of student income. FAFSA excludes retirement accounts (401(k), 403(b), 457(b), 401(a), IRA) and home equity in your primary residence. The CSS Profile, used by many private schools, is less generous and often counts home equity and retirement savings.
Before saving a dollar, identify your target schools and which form they use. Then prioritize savings in this order:
- Retirement accounts (401(k)s, IRAs) — protected from most aid formulas
- Home equity — excluded under FAFSA
- 529 college savings plans — counted as parental assets, only reducing aid by 5.64% of value
- Brokerage accounts — the least protected option
A 529 plan is worth a closer look. Thirty-five states offer a state tax credit for contributions (it worked for us in New York, though unfortunately not in California), and earnings grow free of capital gains tax as long as they’re used for education. If your child doesn’t attend college, you’ll owe income tax plus a 10% penalty on earnings withdrawn — unless the beneficiary dies, becomes disabled, attends a U.S. military academy, or earns a scholarship (in which case the penalty is waived up to the scholarship amount, though income tax still applies). You can also simply change the beneficiary to another relative. Funds can be used at four-year colleges, community colleges, and trade schools — check eligibility using Savingforcollege.com’s Federal School Code Lookup.
Opening a 529 when your kids are young lets small, steady contributions compound over 15-18 years into a meaningful fund. For a deeper dive, this Forbes guide to FAFSA and CSS Profile is excellent.
Find Free Money: Scholarships, Grants, and Tax Credits
Scholarships and grants are the best kind of college funding — you never repay them. Scholly is a helpful site for finding scholarships, and you should also apply directly through any college that accepts you. At Berkeley, roughly two-thirds of undergraduates receive some form of aid, including scholarships, grants, subsidized loans, and work-study.
In California, Cal Grants (state) and Pell Grants (federal) are the two biggest aid programs. Pell Grants provided up to $5,920 in the 2017-18 school year. To access these, both students and parents must file the FAFSA and, in some cases, the CSS Profile — some UC schools do require the CSS form.
Don’t overlook the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which lets parents reduce their taxes by up to $2,500 per child for tuition, fees, books, and related costs, provided modified adjusted gross income is under $90,000 ($180,000 filing jointly).
Cut Costs While Your Kid Is Actually in School
Even after enrollment, there are ways to keep costs down. Living at home can save the average $10,440-a-year public college room and board cost (or $11,890 at private schools). A part-time job on campus helps too — both my husband and I worked through school. He was a Teacher’s Assistant, and I was an Assistant to the Dean; both jobs paid us and reduced our tuition since we were considered school employees. Paid internships matter too — I saved $6,000 from one grad school internship, which covered a big chunk of my second year’s room, board, and books.
Your College Affordability Checklist
- ✅ Have your kids take AP classes and CLEP exams to earn early college credit
- ✅ Research your target schools’ FAFSA vs. CSS Profile requirements
- ✅ Prioritize savings: retirement accounts, then home equity, then 529 plans, then brokerage accounts
- ✅ Open a 529 plan early and contribute small, consistent amounts
- ✅ Favor in-state public schools or start at community college
- ✅ Apply for every scholarship and grant your child qualifies for
- ✅ Consider living at home or working a part-time campus job
- ✅ Claim the American Opportunity Tax Credit if you qualify
- ✅ Treat student loans as a last resort, not a default plan
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a 529 plan better than a regular brokerage account for college savings? For most families, yes — 529 earnings grow tax-free when used for education, and they’re counted more favorably in financial aid formulas than assets held directly in a child’s name.
Should I prioritize retirement savings or college savings? Retirement first. There are no loans for retirement, but there are for college, and retirement accounts are largely shielded from financial aid calculations anyway.
Does starting at community college hurt my child’s degree? No — if they transfer into a four-year public university, the diploma comes from that university, not the community college.
Bringing It All Together
We still have years before our kids head to college, and I’m sure I’ll keep learning new strategies along the way. The core plan, though, feels solid: encourage AP credits, save early in the right accounts, lean toward in-state public schools, apply aggressively for scholarships and grants, and treat loans as the very last option. If you’ve found other hacks that worked for your family, I’d genuinely love to hear them.
Start Your College Savings Plan Today
The earlier you start, the more compounding — and financial aid strategy — works in your favor.
Additional Resources
- blog.seonwoolee.com/general-gudelines-for-fafsa/
- Forbes: 2017 Guide to College Financial Aid
- ScholarShare 529 College Cost Calculator
- 7 Myths and Realities of 529 Plans
- 6 Ways You Can Save for College
- edsource.org/2018/getting-free-college-tuition-in-california-a-quick-guide/599039