by our College Data Analytics TeamWondering what the G.I. Bill® actually covers at COCC? 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 COCC. See the living-expense and book sections below for those benefits.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $6,705 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $6,705 |
| 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 COCC.
Federal data does not indicate that COCC 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 COCC falls under that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $19 |  |
| Out-of-state | $19 | |
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 COCC.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $18,639 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $2,610/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $20,880 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $2,241 |
At this school the academic-year housing benefit exceeds typical living costs, so most full-time students come out ahead. 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; COCC estimates these costs at about $1,800, leaving about $800 out of pocket.
These figures show the GI Bill® and DoD Tuition Assistance dollars veterans and service members actually used at COCC.
In the latest reporting year, about 290 veterans received Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition payments of $1,092,480.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 291 | $4,281,323 | $14,712 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 291 | $4,281,323 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 6 | $7,070 | $1,178 |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 6 | $7,070 | — |
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.