by our College Data Analytics TeamHow much of the cost at LCAD will the G.I. Bill® cover? GI Bill® benefits are limited and differ by school, so the specifics matter.
Below is the gap between the Post-9/11 tuition benefit and the cost at LCAD. Housing and book benefits are covered separately below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $35,650 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $15,415 |
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® caps the annual tuition benefit (about $20,235), so the tuition above that is a gap veterans must cover through Yellow Ribbon, savings, or other aid at LCAD.
Laguna College of Art and Design 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. In the most recent year, about 1 students received Yellow Ribbon awards at this school.
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 LCAD falls under that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $0 |  |
| Out-of-state | $0 | |
Beyond tuition, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® pays a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) while you are enrolled. Here is how that benefit compares to the estimated cost of living at LCAD.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $20,232 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $3,864/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $30,912 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $10,680 |
At this school the academic-year housing benefit exceeds typical living costs, so most full-time students come out ahead. MHA amounts reflect the local housing rate for the school’s area.
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 LCAD run about $2,324, leaving about $1,324 out of pocket.
Beyond the coverage math above, this is how much veteran education-benefit money actually flows to LCAD.
Roughly 29 students drew Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefits totaling $547,818.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 31 | $655,232 | $21,137 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 30 | $628,386 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 1 | $26,846 | — |
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.