by our College Data Analytics TeamHow much of the cost at Mount Mercy will the G.I. Bill® cover? 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 Mount Mercy. Living-expense and book benefits are addressed in their own sections below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $39,070 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $18,835 |
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 Mount Mercy.
Mount Mercy University 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.
Seat counts and matching amounts change by program each year; verify the details with the schools military and veteran services team.
DoD Tuition Assistance pays up to $250 per credit hour for active-duty students; here is how the per-credit charge at Mount Mercy compares.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $1,000 |  |
| Out-of-state | $1,000 | |
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® also covers housing through a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA). Here is how that benefit compares to the estimated cost of living at Mount Mercy.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $10,000 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $1,665/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $13,320 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $3,320 |
For most full-time students the housing allowance covers the cost of living off campus, with money left over. MHA amounts reflect the local housing rate for the school’s area.
Eligible veterans receive up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies; Mount Mercy estimates these costs at about $1,200, leaving about $200 out of pocket.
Beyond the coverage math above, this is how much veteran education-benefit money actually flows to Mount Mercy.
Approximately 13 veterans received Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition payments of $131,303.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 9 | $104,388 | $11,599 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 8 | $87,492 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 1 | $16,896 | — |
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.