Every family is different. Daughter got a merit scholarship at a private, which brought the cost within $10K per year of our flagship public. We didn’t have much savings, but were able to live off husband’s salary, and have the bulk of the college costs covered by my salary. Son got a merit scholarship at an out-of-state public, which made the cost less than our in-state flagship. We also paid through my salary, living off husband’s earnings.