What If Scenario
What If You Invested Your College Tuition in the S&P 500?
The average 4-year college cost $30,000 in 2000. If you had put that into the S&P 500 instead, here is what it would be worth today.
3 min read
Class of 2004 (invested 2000)
$30,000 invested in 2000
Worth today
$251,582
26.4 years
+8.4% annualized
Class of 2009 (invested 2005)
$44,000 invested in 2005
Worth today
$404,713
21.4 years
+10.9% annualized
Class of 2014 (invested 2010)
Best$58,000 invested in 2010
Worth today
$530,763
16.4 years
+14.4% annualized
Class of 2019 (invested 2015)
$76,000 invested in 2015
Worth today
$338,330
11.4 years
+14.0% annualized
Class of 2024 (invested 2020)
$92,000 invested in 2020
Worth today
$230,075
6.4 years
+15.4% annualized
Based on price data through 2026-05-01. Price return only (no dividends).
About this calculation
Average published tuition + fees + room & board for 4-year institutions (NCES).
Returns are based on price appreciation only (no dividends reinvested). Past performance does not guarantee future results. Not financial advice.
Try the calculator
Pick any stock, any year, any amount. See the result instantly.
Compare two stocks
See which investment would have won head-to-head.
Numbers worth sharing
Occasional data drops when something interesting surfaces. No schedule, just signal.
More scenarios
The average wedding costs $30,000+. What if you had invested that in Amazon instead?
What If You Invested During the 2020 Crash?The March 2020 crash was terrifying. Here is what happened if you invested $10,000 at the bottom.
What If You Invested $100/Month for 20 Years?Dollar-cost averaging $100/month into the S&P 500 or top stocks. We calculated the real returns over 20 years.
What If You Invested Your First Paycheck in Bitcoin?The average first paycheck is about $1,500. What if you had put it all into Bitcoin at different points in its history?
What If You Had $10,000 Invested Before Liberation Day?On April 2, 2025, Trump announced sweeping tariffs. Markets panicked. Here is what happened to Bitcoin, Gold, and the S&P 500 if you had stayed invested through it all.