by our College Data Analytics TeamWondering what the G.I. Bill® actually covers at Colorado State? Coverage is not unlimited and varies school to school, so the fine print is worth checking.
Here is how the Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefit stacks up against the published cost of attending Colorado State. See the living-expense and book sections below for those benefits.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $12,896 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $12,896 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $0 |
At public institutions the Post-9/11 GI Bill® pays in-state tuition and fees in full, meaning most eligible veterans pay no tuition at Colorado State.
Colorado State University-Fort Collins is a Yellow Ribbon school: the institution and the VA jointly fund tuition that exceeds the GI Bill® cap. Roughly 2 students used Yellow Ribbon benefits here in the latest reporting year.
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.
For active-duty students, Tuition Assistance covers up to $250 per credit hour — the indicators below show whether Colorado State is below that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $115 |  |
| Out-of-state | $115 | |
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 Colorado State.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $14,679 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $2,301/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $18,408 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $3,729 |
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.
With a Post-9/11 book stipend of up to $1,000 per year, the estimated $1,200 in supply costs at Colorado State, leaving about $200 out of pocket.
Beyond the coverage math above, this is how much veteran education-benefit money actually flows to Colorado State.
Roughly 1,156 veterans received Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition payments of $12,815,195.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 1,020 | $12,673,312 | $12,425 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 866 | $10,907,152 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 154 | $1,766,160 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 92 | $47,342 | $515 |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 35 | $22,125 | — |
| DoD TA — graduate | 57 | $25,217 | — |
GI Bill® dollars are paid on the veterans behalf, while DoD Tuition Assistance supports active-duty service 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.