by our College Data Analytics TeamWill you go to Oxy 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 Oxy. Living-expense and book benefits are addressed in their own sections below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $63,446 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $43,211 |
Because the Post-9/11 tuition benefit is capped near $20,235 per year, tuition above the cap is the veterans responsibility at Oxy.
Occidental College 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 27 students received Yellow Ribbon awards at this school.
Seat counts and matching amounts change by program each year; verify the details with the schools military and veteran services team.
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 Oxy falls under that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $298 |  |
| Out-of-state | $298 | |
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 Oxy.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $18,284 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $3,864/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $30,912 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $12,628 |
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.
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 Oxy run about $1,240, leaving about $240 out of pocket.
This is the real volume of GI Bill® and military tuition benefits paid out at Oxy.
Roughly 14 veterans received Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition payments of $376,183.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 23 | $602,607 | $26,200 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 23 | $602,607 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 0 | $0 | — |
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.