Before you sign,
see what you're really paying.
Student loans aren't just tuition. They're years of your life, thousands in interest, and the compounding wealth you could have built instead. See the full picture.
Use the calculator below to see your personal numbers.
Your School
Search for your school or enter costs manually.
Your Major
Affects salary used in repayment calculations.
Loan Details
The Alternative: Investing Instead
What if?Instead of paying off loans, what if that money went into the market? Set your expected annual return below.
7% is inflation-adjusted — a conservative, realistic estimate.
True Cost of This Debt
$54,601
$40,000 borrowed + $14,601 in interest
What This Debt Is Really Costing You
If you invested your loan payments instead (by age 65)
$734.4K
$455/mo × 10 yrs, then compounded to 65
Retirement wealth comparison
Invest from age 18
$4.08M
College path
$965.0K
Taking on this debt means arriving at retirement with $3.11M less than if you had invested that money starting at age 18.
Roth IRA: Starting Now vs. After Debt
Key InsightStart at age 18
$2.56M
Max $7,000/yr to age 65
Start at age 32
$900.2K
After debt is gone
Roth IRA growth is tax-free. Every year you delay costs you exponentially more at retirement.
Assumptions
S&P 500 historical avg: 7% annual return
Effective tax rate: 22% | Salary growth: 2%/yr
This is educational, not financial advice. Consult a licensed advisor.
Net Worth Over Time
College path vs. investing that money instead — same time horizon, very different outcomes.
Invest path assumes loan payment amount + 15% of income invested from age 18. College path assumes 10% savings while repaying, 20% after debt-free. Return rate set by user above.
What the brochure doesn't tell you
The student loan industry is built on decisions made at 17. Here's what you need to know.
Interest starts accruing immediately
On unsubsidized loans, interest builds while you're still in school. A $50,000 loan at 6.54% grows to $64,595 by graduation day — before you make a single payment.
The 10-year plan is brutal
The standard repayment term is 10 years. On $50,000 at 6.5%, that's $567/month — before rent, food, or car payments.
Compounding works against you
The same compounding that builds wealth in the market works against you in debt. Every month you delay paying it off, you owe more.
Your 20s are your most valuable investing years
A dollar invested at 22 is worth more than $21 at 65. Student debt delays your investing by a decade — that gap is enormous.
Not all degrees are equal
A nursing degree from a state school has a 2-3 year payoff. A communications degree from a private university may never break even.
Alternatives are underrated
Trade schools, community college, coding bootcamps, and apprenticeships can lead to $60-100K+ careers with zero debt.
College isn't the only path to a great life.
Before signing any loan, explore every option. The best financial decision is an informed one.