by our College Data Analytics TeamWondering what the G.I. Bill® actually covers at Columbia? The answer depends on the school — benefits are capped and the details vary, so it pays to do your research.
Here is how the Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefit stacks up against the published cost of attending Columbia. Housing and book benefits are covered separately below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $32,520 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $12,285 |
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 Columbia.
Columbia College Chicago participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which can cover tuition and fees beyond the Post-9/11 GI Bill® cap through matching funds from the school and the VA. Roughly 8 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.
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 Columbia falls under that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $1,212 |  |
| Out-of-state | $1,212 | |
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 Columbia.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $22,000 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $3,225/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $25,800 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $3,800 |
The benefit generally more than covers off-campus living costs here. Your actual MHA depends on your rate of pursuit and the school’s location.
With a Post-9/11 book stipend of up to $1,000 per year, the estimated $1,800 in supply costs at Columbia, leaving about $800 out of pocket.
Beyond the coverage math above, this is how much veteran education-benefit money actually flows to Columbia.
In the latest reporting year, about 76 Post-9/11 recipients used tuition benefits worth $1,081,997.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 74 | $1,221,152 | $16,502 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 71 | $1,193,078 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 3 | $28,074 | — |
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.