by our College Data Analytics TeamWondering what the G.I. Bill® actually covers at PLU? GI Bill® benefits are limited and differ by school, so the specifics matter.
Here is how the Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefit stacks up against the published cost of attending PLU. Housing and book benefits are covered separately below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $50,964 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $30,729 |
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 PLU.
Through the Yellow Ribbon Program, Pacific Lutheran University and the VA share the cost of tuition above the Post-9/11 cap. In the most recent year, about 61 students received Yellow Ribbon awards at this school.
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.
DoD Tuition Assistance pays up to $250 per credit hour for active-duty students; here is how the per-credit charge at PLU compares.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $820 |  |
| Out-of-state | $820 | |
On top of tuition, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® provides a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) for the months you are in school. Here is how that benefit compares to the estimated cost of living at PLU.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $12,446 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $2,631/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $21,048 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $8,602 |
At this school the academic-year housing benefit exceeds typical living costs, so most full-time students come out ahead. The MHA is based on the school’s ZIP code and is paid at the full-time rate for resident students.
With a Post-9/11 book stipend of up to $1,000 per year, the estimated $762 in supply costs at PLU, so the stipend covers them in full.
These figures show the GI Bill® and DoD Tuition Assistance dollars veterans and service members actually used at PLU.
In the latest reporting year, about 151 veterans received Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition payments of $2,478,281.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 134 | $3,247,726 | $24,237 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 97 | $2,415,493 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 37 | $832,233 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 2 | $7,250 | $3,625 |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 2 | $7,250 | — |
| DoD TA — 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.