by our College Data Analytics TeamWill you go to Minnesota West 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 Minnesota West. See the living-expense and book sections below for those benefits.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $6,484 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $6,484 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $0 |
For public schools, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® covers the full in-state tuition and fees, so eligible veterans typically owe nothing toward tuition at Minnesota West.
There is no record that Minnesota West participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program in the latest federal data. If you need benefits beyond the Post-9/11 cap, ask the schools veteran services office whether any programs participate.
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 Minnesota West falls under that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $21 |  |
| Out-of-state | $21 | |
On top of tuition, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® provides a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) for the months you are in school. Below, the academic-year housing benefit is set against the estimated living costs at Minnesota West.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $6,500 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $1,521/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $12,168 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $5,668 |
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 $1,200 in supply costs at Minnesota West, leaving about $200 out of pocket.
Beyond the coverage math above, this is how much veteran education-benefit money actually flows to Minnesota West.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 13 | $77,905 | $5,993 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 13 | $77,905 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 7 | $20,904 | $2,986 |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 7 | $20,904 | — |
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.