by our College Data Analytics TeamWondering what the G.I. Bill® actually covers at Rockford? The answer depends on the school — benefits are capped and the details vary, so it pays to do your research.
Here is how the Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefit stacks up against the published cost of attending Rockford. See the living-expense and book sections below for those benefits.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $37,300 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $17,065 |
Because the Post-9/11 tuition benefit is capped near $20,235 per year, tuition above the cap is the veterans responsibility at Rockford.
Rockford University is a Yellow Ribbon school: the institution and the VA jointly fund tuition that exceeds the GI Bill® cap. In the most recent year, about 6 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 Rockford compares.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $150 |  |
| Out-of-state | $150 | |
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 Rockford.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $7,750 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $1,818/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $14,544 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $6,794 |
The benefit generally more than covers off-campus living costs here. 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 $1,200 in supply costs at Rockford, leaving about $200 out of pocket.
This is the real volume of GI Bill® and military tuition benefits paid out at Rockford.
In the latest reporting year, about 14 veterans received Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition payments of $272,411.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 26 | $290,164 | $11,160 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 22 | $275,184 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 4 | $14,980 | — |
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.