How to use it
Start with your total budget, the amount you or your family can actually spend. Then fill in each line as you get real prices. Leave anything you are skipping blank. For shared costs like a limo or a group photographer, enter the whole group's price and the number of people sharing it. The calculator divides it for you.
The total updates as you type, along with how much is left or how far over you are. The bars show where your money is going, which is usually the fastest way to see what to change.
Why there are no preset prices
Most prom calculators fill in average prices for you. We do not, on purpose. No current national survey of prom spending exists. The last large one, by Visa in 2015, found families planned to spend $919 on average, and prices vary widely by school, region and how you shop. Our guide to what prom costs explains the real numbers that do exist. Your own quotes will always be more accurate than an average.
If you are over budget
Look at the shared and optional lines first, then services like hair, makeup and nails, and only then the outfit. Services are where prom costs have risen fastest, and the outfit has the widest range of cheaper options, from resale to free prom dress programs. Our page on prom on a budget goes through each line. When you are ready to shop, you can browse prom shops by state.
Your numbers are saved in this browser so you can come back to them. They are never sent to us.