by our College Data Analytics TeamWill you go to Centenary Louisiana for free thanks to the G.I. Bill®? The answer depends on the school — benefits are capped and the details vary, so it pays to do your research.
Here is how the Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefit stacks up against the published cost of attending Centenary Louisiana. See the living-expense and book sections below for those benefits.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $40,000 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $19,765 |
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 Centenary Louisiana.
Centenary College of Louisiana is a Yellow Ribbon school: the institution and the VA jointly fund tuition that exceeds the GI Bill® cap. In the most recent year, about 1 students received Yellow Ribbon awards at this school.
Available Yellow Ribbon seats and maximum contributions differ by program and degree level — check with the veteran services office for current limits.
DoD Tuition Assistance pays up to $250 per credit hour for active-duty students; here is how the per-credit charge at Centenary Louisiana compares.
| 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. The table compares the housing benefit to estimated living expenses at Centenary Louisiana.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $11,300 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $1,797/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $14,376 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $3,076 |
For most full-time students the housing allowance covers the cost of living off campus, with money left over. 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 $1,300 in supply costs at Centenary Louisiana, leaving about $300 out of pocket.
These figures show the GI Bill® and DoD Tuition Assistance dollars veterans and service members actually used at Centenary Louisiana.
In the latest reporting year, about 7 students drew Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefits totaling $126,660.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 11 | $227,267 | $20,661 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 10 | $222,867 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 1 | $4,400 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 0 | $0 | — |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 0 | $0 | — |
| DoD TA — 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.