Ohio 529 Plan Calculator: CollegeAdvantage, the $4,000 Any-State Deduction, and How Much to Save

Ohio gives residents a $4,000-per-beneficiary state income tax deduction with unlimited carryforward, and since 2023 it applies to any state's 529 plan, not just CollegeAdvantage. That means you can use a low-fee national plan and still deduct. Project your Ohio State or Cincinnati costs and monthly savings target below, and see how the numbers work for your family.

Updated June 2026

Ohio CollegeAdvantage 529 at a glance (2026)

State Tax Deduction

$4K

per beneficiary/yr; any state's plan

CollegeAdvantage Fees

0.14-0.42%

Vanguard + DFA portfolios

Max Balance

$570,000

aggregate per beneficiary

Plan Rating

Silver

Morningstar, Nov 2025

529 College Savings Projector

Adjust the sliders to model your savings scenario. All projections use 2026 data.

Child's Current Age: 2 years old

NewbornAge 17

State of Residence

Current 529 Balance: $5,000

$0$200,000

Monthly Contribution: $300

$0$2,000/mo

Target Institution Type

Investment Risk Level

Years to College

Projected Annual Cost

$59,565

per year at enrollment

Total 4-Year Cost

$238,258

Projected 529 Balance

$120,955

Shortfall

$117,303

below target

Needed Monthly

$633

to fully fund goal

Investment Growth Breakdown

Total contributions$62,600

Tax-free investment growth+$58,355

Projected balance$120,955

529 vs Taxable Account Comparison

529 plan balance (tax-free growth)$120,955

Taxable account balance (4.5% after-tax return)$94,392

529 tax advantage+$26,563

State Tax Benefit: New York

$5,000/$10,000

Rating: A

Ohio 529 Tax Deduction Rules

Ohio is a capped-deduction state, but two features make its deduction unusually flexible. First, the $4,000 limit is per beneficiary, not per return, and it is the same for single and married-filing-jointly taxpayers, so a family with two children can deduct up to $8,000. Second, contributions above $4,000 in a year are never wasted: Ohio allows an unlimited carryforward, letting the excess deduction roll into later tax years. At Ohio's 2.75% flat rate the $4,000 deduction is worth about $110 per beneficiary a year, a smaller headline number than high-tax states but on top of the federal tax-free growth every 529 gets.

What you do get

A $4,000 Ohio income tax deduction per beneficiary, per year, for single and joint filers alike.
An unlimited carryforward, so contributions over $4,000 keep generating deductions in future years.
The deduction on contributions to any state's 529 plan since 2023, not only Ohio's CollegeAdvantage.
Federal tax-free growth, a $35,000 lifetime 529-to-Roth IRA rollover (SECURE 2.0), and superfunding up to $95,000 single / $190,000 married.

What to watch for

Ohio's 2.75% flat rate is low, so each dollar of deduction saves less tax than in a high-rate state.
The $4,000 limit is per beneficiary, so it does not scale with how many accounts you open for the same child.
Because the deduction travels to any plan, there is little tax reason to stay in a pricier plan; choose on fees.

Source: Ohio Tuition Trust Authority / CollegeAdvantage program materials, 2026 (any-state deduction since tax year 2023, unlimited carryforward); Ohio HB 33 (2.75% flat rate phase-in, 2026); IRS Publication 970. See the full state-by-state deduction table.

CollegeAdvantage Direct: Low Fees, Silver-Rated, No Lock-In

Ohio's direct-sold plan, CollegeAdvantage, is run by the Ohio Tuition Trust Authority and has carried a Morningstar Silver medal for thirteen consecutive years, most recently in November 2025. It builds its portfolios from low-cost Vanguard and Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA) funds, with total annual asset-based fees from about 0.14% to 0.42%, a $25 minimum contribution, and it accepts money until a beneficiary's Ohio 529 balances reach $570,000. Because the Ohio deduction applies to any state's plan, CollegeAdvantage competes on fees and lineup alone, and it holds up well against the cheapest national plans.

Expense ratio

0.14-0.42%

varies by portfolio

Max balance

$570,000

aggregate per beneficiary

Manager

Ohio Tuition Trust

Morningstar Silver

Source: Saving for College CollegeAdvantage Direct profile and Ohio Tuition Trust Authority fee disclosure, 2026 (fees 0.1388-0.4188%, max balance $570,000); Morningstar 529 ratings, November 2025. See how it compares in the best 529 plans rankings.

What College Costs in Ohio

Ohio's public universities are moderately priced. Ohio State University-Columbus, the flagship, charges resident freshmen $13,641 in tuition and fees for 2025-26, with tuition, fees, housing, and dining totaling about $28,893 a year. Ohio State's Tuition Guarantee freezes that rate for all four years of an entering class, so the bill is unusually predictable. The University of Cincinnati runs about $14,394 in resident tuition and fees, with a full cost of attendance near $43,276 once room, board, books, transportation, and personal expenses are counted. Tuition has historically risen a few percent per year, so a newborn today could face a four-year in-state public bill well over $130,000 by the time they enroll.

School	Tuition + Fees	Total Annual Cost	Basis
Ohio State University-Columbus (resident)	$13,641	~$28,893	2025-26; tuition + fees $13,641 + housing/dining $15,252; Tuition Guarantee locks the 4-year rate; excludes books/personal
University of Cincinnati (resident)	~$14,394	~$43,276	2025-26; full cost of attendance incl. room, board, books, transportation, and personal expenses

Sources: The Ohio State University 2025-26 tuition, fees, housing, and dining (osu.edu, tuition set for entering class under the Tuition Guarantee); University of Cincinnati 2025-26 Uptown campus cost of attendance (uc.edu). Total cost of attendance includes housing, food, books, and personal expenses for an on-campus resident and varies by student.

In-state vs best national

Should you actually use your home state's 529 plan?

A state tax deduction is only worth taking if it beats the fee drag of staying in a pricier in-state plan. Enter your numbers and we'll weigh your deduction against the cheapest national plan (about 0.10% all-in).

Your state

Annual 529 contribution

Years until college

yrs

Your in-state plan's expense ratio

Expected annual return

Not sure of your plan's expense ratio? Direct-sold age-based portfolios typically run 0.10%-0.40%. Check your plan's fee disclosure.

Ohio 529 Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the Ohio 529 state tax deduction in 2026?+

Ohio taxpayers can deduct up to $4,000 of 529 contributions per beneficiary, per year from their Ohio taxable income. The $4,000 limit is per beneficiary rather than per return, and it is the same whether you file single or married filing jointly, so a family saving for two children can deduct up to $8,000 total. At Ohio's 2.75% flat income tax rate the $4,000 deduction is worth about $110 per beneficiary a year. Anything you contribute above $4,000 in a year is not lost: Ohio allows an unlimited carryforward, so the excess deduction rolls into future tax years until it is fully used.

Does the Ohio deduction only apply to Ohio's CollegeAdvantage plan?+

No. Since the 2023 tax year, Ohio has allowed the $4,000-per-beneficiary deduction for contributions to any state's 529 plan, not just Ohio's CollegeAdvantage. This is unusual and it removes the usual in-state-versus-national tradeoff: an Ohio resident can put money into the lowest-fee plan in the country, such as Utah my529 or the Nevada Vanguard 529, and still claim the full Ohio deduction. You get the low national fees and the state tax break at the same time.

Is Ohio's CollegeAdvantage a good 529 plan?+

Yes. Ohio's CollegeAdvantage Direct Plan, managed by the Ohio Tuition Trust Authority, has held a Morningstar Silver medal for thirteen years running, most recently in the November 2025 ratings. It uses low-cost Vanguard and Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA) funds, with total annual asset-based fees running from about 0.14% to 0.42% depending on the portfolio, a $25 minimum, and it accepts contributions until a beneficiary's Ohio 529 balances reach $570,000. Because the Ohio deduction travels to any plan, the choice between CollegeAdvantage and a national plan comes down to fees and investment lineup rather than the tax break.

How much does college cost in Ohio, and how much should I save?+

The Ohio State University in Columbus, the state flagship, charges Ohio resident freshmen $13,641 in tuition and fees for 2025-26, with tuition, fees, housing, and dining totaling about $28,893 a year. Ohio State's Tuition Guarantee locks that rate for all four years of an entering class, which makes the bill unusually predictable. The University of Cincinnati runs about $14,394 in resident tuition and fees, with a full cost of attendance near $43,276 once room, board, books, transportation, and personal expenses are included. Tuition has historically risen a few percent per year, so a newborn today could face a four-year in-state public bill well over $130,000 by enrollment. Use the calculator above to model your child's age, target school, and monthly contribution.

What is Ohio's income tax rate for 2026?+

Ohio moved to a 2.75% flat individual income tax rate in 2026, the final step of the phase-in enacted in House Bill 33. Because the rate is low, Ohio's 529 deduction is worth less per dollar than in high-tax states: the $4,000-per-beneficiary deduction saves about $110 a year. The real value of an Ohio 529 is the same as anywhere else, though, namely federal tax-free growth on every dollar of investment gain, plus tax-free withdrawals for qualified education expenses.

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By Oliver Wakefield-Smith. Independent 529 education savings resource, not affiliated with the Ohio Tuition Trust Authority, CollegeAdvantage, the State of Ohio, or any plan provider.