by our College Data Analytics TeamWill you go to Central Michigan for free thanks to the G.I. Bill®? Coverage is not unlimited and varies school to school, so the fine print is worth checking.
Below is the gap between the Post-9/11 tuition benefit and the cost at Central Michigan. Housing and book benefits are covered separately below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $14,190 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $14,190 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $0 |
For public schools, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® covers the full in-state tuition and fees, so eligible veterans typically owe nothing toward tuition at Central Michigan.
Federal data does not indicate that Central Michigan currently participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program. If you need benefits beyond the Post-9/11 cap, ask the schools veteran services office whether any programs participate.
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 Central Michigan falls under that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $450 |  |
| Out-of-state | $450 | |
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 Central Michigan.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $8,970 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $1,710/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $13,680 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $4,710 |
At this school the academic-year housing benefit exceeds typical living costs, so most full-time students come out ahead. MHA amounts reflect the local housing rate for the school’s area.
With a Post-9/11 book stipend of up to $1,000 per year, the estimated $1,240 in supply costs at Central Michigan, leaving about $240 out of pocket.
These figures show the GI Bill® and DoD Tuition Assistance dollars veterans and service members actually used at Central Michigan.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 218 | $2,058,414 | $9,442 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 127 | $1,252,449 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 91 | $805,965 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 143 | $370,795 | $2,593 |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 64 | $186,649 | — |
| DoD TA — graduate | 79 | $184,146 | — |
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.