by our College Data Analytics TeamHow much of the cost at Catawba will the G.I. Bill® cover? GI Bill® benefits are limited and differ by school, so the specifics matter.
The table below compares the guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit to the cost of attending Catawba. See the living-expense and book sections below for those benefits.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $33,400 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $13,165 |
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® limits the annual tuition benefit to roughly $20,235, so tuition beyond that is out of pocket (or covered by Yellow Ribbon) at Catawba.
Through the Yellow Ribbon Program, Catawba College and the VA share the cost of tuition above the Post-9/11 cap. Roughly 5 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 Catawba falls under that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $0 |  |
| Out-of-state | $0 | |
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 Catawba.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $10,964 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $2,037/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $16,296 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $5,332 |
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.
With a Post-9/11 book stipend of up to $1,000 per year, the estimated $1,400 in supply costs at Catawba, leaving about $400 out of pocket.
These figures show the GI Bill® and DoD Tuition Assistance dollars veterans and service members actually used at Catawba.
Approximately 19 veterans received Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition payments of $286,698.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 11 | $249,329 | $22,666 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 11 | $249,329 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 0 | $0 | — |
These are federal education benefits — the Post-9/11 GI Bill® for veterans and DoD Tuition Assistance for active-duty 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.