by our College Data Analytics TeamHow much of the cost at Bowdoin will the G.I. Bill® cover? The answer depends on the school — benefits are capped and the details vary, so it pays to do your research.
Below is the gap between the Post-9/11 tuition benefit and the cost at Bowdoin. Living-expense and book benefits are addressed in their own sections below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $64,910 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $44,675 |
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® caps the annual tuition benefit (about $20,235), so the tuition above that is a gap veterans must cover through Yellow Ribbon, savings, or other aid at Bowdoin.
Bowdoin College is a Yellow Ribbon school: the institution and the VA jointly fund tuition that exceeds the GI Bill® cap. Roughly 21 students used Yellow Ribbon benefits here in the latest reporting year.
Available Yellow Ribbon seats and maximum contributions differ by program and degree level — check with the veteran services office for current limits.
Active-duty service members using DoD Tuition Assistance are capped at $250 per credit hour. The chart below shows whether the per-credit charge at Bowdoin falls under that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $0 |  |
| Out-of-state | $0 | |
Beyond tuition, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® pays a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) while you are enrolled. Here is how that benefit compares to the estimated cost of living at Bowdoin.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $17,690 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $2,199/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $17,592 |
| Estimated shortfall to cover yourself | $98 |
Living costs here run above the housing allowance, so plan to cover the difference from savings or other income. The MHA is based on the school’s ZIP code and is paid at the full-time rate for resident students.
Eligible veterans receive up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies; Bowdoin estimates these costs at about $840, so the stipend covers them in full.
These figures show the GI Bill® and DoD Tuition Assistance dollars veterans and service members actually used at Bowdoin.
Approximately 12 students drew Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefits totaling $345,458.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 9 | $321,585 | $35,732 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 9 | $321,585 | — |
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.