by our College Data Analytics TeamWondering what the G.I. Bill® actually covers at CU - Boulder? 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 CU - Boulder. Housing and book benefits are covered separately below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $16,430 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $16,430 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $0 |
At public institutions the Post-9/11 GI Bill® pays in-state tuition and fees in full, meaning most eligible veterans pay no tuition at CU - Boulder.
Through the Yellow Ribbon Program, University of Colorado Boulder and the VA share the cost of tuition above the Post-9/11 cap. Roughly 15 students used Yellow Ribbon benefits here in the latest reporting year.
Available Yellow Ribbon seats and maximum contributions differ by program and degree level — check with the veteran services office for current limits.
For active-duty students, Tuition Assistance covers up to $250 per credit hour — the indicators below show whether CU - Boulder is below that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $1,704 |  |
| Out-of-state | $1,758 | |
Beyond tuition, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® pays a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) while you are enrolled. Here is how that benefit compares to the estimated cost of living at CU - Boulder.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $15,470 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $2,775/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $22,200 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $6,730 |
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.
Eligible veterans receive up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies; CU - Boulder 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 CU - Boulder.
Approximately 1,302 veterans received Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition payments of $17,642,511.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 1,026 | $17,075,720 | $16,643 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 897 | $14,852,559 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 129 | $2,223,161 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 19 | $49,250 | $2,592 |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 7 | $26,500 | — |
| DoD TA — graduate | 12 | $22,750 | — |
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.