by our College Data Analytics TeamHow much of the cost at BTC will the G.I. Bill® cover? Coverage is not unlimited and varies school to school, so the fine print is worth checking.
Here is how the Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefit stacks up against the published cost of attending BTC. Housing and book benefits are covered separately below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $4,170 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $4,170 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $0 |
Because tuition is at or below the annual Post-9/11 benefit, the GI Bill® covers it in full at BTC.
Blackhawk Technical College participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which can cover tuition and fees beyond the Post-9/11 GI Bill® cap through matching funds from the school and the VA.
Available Yellow Ribbon seats and maximum contributions differ by program and degree level — check with the veteran services office for current limits.
For active-duty students, Tuition Assistance covers up to $250 per credit hour — the indicators below show whether BTC is below that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $24 |  |
| Out-of-state | $24 | |
On top of tuition, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® provides a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) for the months you are in school. The table compares the housing benefit to estimated living expenses at BTC.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $9,614 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $1,770/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $14,160 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $4,546 |
For most full-time students the housing allowance covers the cost of living off campus, with money left over. The MHA is based on the school’s ZIP code and is paid at the full-time rate for resident students.
With a Post-9/11 book stipend of up to $1,000 per year, the estimated $2,062 in supply costs at BTC, leaving about $1,062 out of pocket.
These figures show the GI Bill® and DoD Tuition Assistance dollars veterans and service members actually used at BTC.
Roughly 48 students drew Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefits totaling $101,903.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 46 | $92,131 | $2,003 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 46 | $92,131 | — |
GI Bill® benefits follow the veteran; DoD Tuition Assistance is an active-duty benefit paid while serving.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at benefits.va.gov/gibill.