by our College Data Analytics TeamWondering what the G.I. Bill® actually covers at CSUSM? 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 CSUSM. See the living-expense and book sections below for those benefits.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $7,739 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $7,739 |
| 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 CSUSM.
CSUSM is not listed as a Yellow Ribbon participant in current federal reporting. Check directly with the school, since participation can change year to year.
For active-duty students, Tuition Assistance covers up to $250 per credit hour — the indicators below show whether CSUSM is below that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $1,998 |  |
| Out-of-state | $1,998 | |
On top of tuition, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® provides a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) for the months you are in school. Here is how that benefit compares to the estimated cost of living at CSUSM.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $20,254 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $4,110/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $32,880 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $12,626 |
The benefit generally more than covers off-campus living costs here. Your actual MHA depends on your rate of pursuit and the school’s location.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® pays a books-and-supplies stipend of up to $1,000 per year. Estimated book and supply costs at CSUSM run about $1,018, leaving about $18 out of pocket.
This is the real volume of GI Bill® and military tuition benefits paid out at CSUSM.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 450 | $3,078,591 | $6,841 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 387 | $2,363,346 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 63 | $715,245 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 3 | $1,500 | $500 |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 3 | $1,500 | — |
| DoD TA — graduate | 0 | $0 | — |
GI Bill® dollars are paid on the veterans behalf, while DoD Tuition Assistance supports active-duty service members.
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.