by our College Data Analytics TeamWill you go to Saint Mary for free thanks to the G.I. Bill®? 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 Saint Mary. See the living-expense and book sections below for those benefits.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $23,340 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $3,105 |
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 Saint Mary.
Through the Yellow Ribbon Program, College of Saint Mary and the VA share the cost of tuition above the Post-9/11 cap.
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 Saint Mary falls under that cap.
| 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). Below, the academic-year housing benefit is set against the estimated living costs at Saint Mary.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $13,234 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $2,055/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $16,440 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $3,206 |
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.
Eligible veterans receive up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies; Saint Mary estimates these costs at about $888, so the stipend covers them in full.
This is the real volume of GI Bill® and military tuition benefits paid out at Saint Mary.
Roughly 8 Post-9/11 recipients used tuition benefits worth $67,932.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 7 | $73,725 | $10,532 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 4 | $43,955 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 3 | $29,770 | — |
GI Bill® benefits follow the veteran; DoD Tuition Assistance is an active-duty benefit paid while serving.
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.