re: What is the expectation for saving for kids college nowadays?

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saved very little toward my childrens college (couldn’t save for it and retirement at the same time). I had 20k saved total when my oldest started this year. My youngest starts in two years.

I’m in Georgia, he’s at a state school, it’s easy to qualify for and retain the Hope scholarship. This covers almost all tuition, but not fees. That’s about 7 grand a year. My child got no other scholarships or aid.

That leaves the following per year costs we’ve paid out:

Fees ~2500
Housing ~7500 (on campus required first year)
Meal Plan ~4000 (on campus required )
Books ~700
Misc ~1000

Grand total: 15700.

Of that we (wife and I paid 10K). Son paid the rest thru a combo of work and fed student loans (unsubsidized).

So we had year one and two covered and have been saving 1000 per month (have more ability for this now) and will keep doing so for 4 years. Essentially cash flowing 4 years for each of them. They will each be responsible for about 20k of their own college costs (or more if they lose the HOPE).

So long story short, it costs about 22k a year for state u in Georgia.

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We are in a similar situation.
I've been telling my kids they aren't getting any help with college.
My wife wanted them to save up and buy their first car, too.

The compromise is that we are paying the first year room and board (to offset the initial car/insurance cost they paid in high school).

My oldest applied to be an RA for his second year (covers the majority of room and board) and he's making good money waiting tables.

My second oldest (junior in HS) will probably go to University of North Georgia for a nursing degree. She has the option to stay at home and commute and save about $13k per year if she likes. If she does that, we'd probably just gift to a down-payment on her house or put it towards a medical degree if she continues on to becoming an anesthesiologist.

The point being is that they are responsible for all of college (unless they buy their first car while in high school) where we will help them get settled in for the freshman year.

18 is old enough to be grown up and responsible for one's self. It is the best way to learn the value of earning a dollar and it is the best way to learn the value of saving a dollar.