by our College Data Analytics TeamHow much of the cost at Colby will the G.I. Bill® cover? GI Bill® benefits are limited and differ by school, so the specifics matter.
Here is how the Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefit stacks up against the published cost of attending Colby. Housing and book benefits are covered separately below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $66,600 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $46,365 |
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 Colby.
Through the Yellow Ribbon Program, Colby College and the VA share the cost of tuition above the Post-9/11 cap. In the most recent year, about 5 students received Yellow Ribbon awards at this school.
The exact number of seats and the maximum contribution vary by degree level and program, so confirm the current limits with the schools veteran services office.
DoD Tuition Assistance pays up to $250 per credit hour for active-duty students; here is how the per-credit charge at Colby compares.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $0 |  |
| Out-of-state | $0 | |
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® also covers housing through a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA). Here is how that benefit compares to the estimated cost of living at Colby.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $6,100 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $2,199/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $17,592 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $11,492 |
For most full-time students the housing allowance covers the cost of living off campus, with money left over. The MHA is based on the school’s ZIP code and is paid at the full-time rate for resident students.
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 Colby run about $850, so the stipend covers them in full.
These figures show the GI Bill® and DoD Tuition Assistance dollars veterans and service members actually used at Colby.
Approximately 6 veterans received Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition payments of $173,623.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 6 | $31,114 | $5,186 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 6 | $31,114 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 0 | $0 | — |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 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.