by our College Data Analytics TeamHow much of the cost at TCNJ will the G.I. Bill® cover? 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 TCNJ. Housing and book benefits are covered separately below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $18,685 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $18,685 |
| 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 TCNJ.
The College of New Jersey 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.
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 TCNJ compares.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $171 |  |
| Out-of-state | $171 | |
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® also covers housing through a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA). The table compares the housing benefit to estimated living expenses at TCNJ.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $15,569 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $3,465/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $27,720 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $12,151 |
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.
Eligible veterans receive up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies; TCNJ estimates these costs at about $1,200, leaving about $200 out of pocket.
These figures show the GI Bill® and DoD Tuition Assistance dollars veterans and service members actually used at TCNJ.
Roughly 37 Post-9/11 recipients used tuition benefits worth $498,673.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 36 | $473,729 | $13,159 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 34 | $445,302 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 2 | $28,427 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 0 | $0 | — |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 0 | $0 | — |
| DoD TA — graduate | 0 | $0 | — |
These are federal education benefits — the Post-9/11 GI Bill® for veterans and DoD Tuition Assistance for active-duty 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.