by our College Data Analytics TeamHow much of the cost at UMass Amherst will the G.I. Bill® cover? 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 UMass Amherst. See the living-expense and book sections below for those benefits.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $17,357 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $17,357 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $0 |
Public-college veterans generally have their entire in-state tuition paid by the Post-9/11 GI Bill® at UMass Amherst.
University of Massachusetts-Amherst is a Yellow Ribbon school: the institution and the VA jointly fund tuition that exceeds the GI Bill® cap.
Seat counts and matching amounts change by program each year; verify the details with the schools military and veteran services team.
For active-duty students, Tuition Assistance covers up to $250 per credit hour — the indicators below show whether UMass Amherst is below that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $766 |  |
| Out-of-state | $766 | |
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® also covers housing through a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA). Here is how that benefit compares to the estimated cost of living at UMass Amherst.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $15,437 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $2,436/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $19,488 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $4,051 |
The benefit generally more than covers off-campus living costs here. MHA amounts reflect the local housing rate for the school’s area.
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 UMass Amherst run about $1,000, so the stipend covers them in full.
This is the real volume of GI Bill® and military tuition benefits paid out at UMass Amherst.
In the latest reporting year, about 255 students drew Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefits totaling $2,746,086.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 244 | $2,935,869 | $12,032 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 183 | $2,429,268 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 61 | $506,601 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 15 | $36,250 | $2,417 |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 3 | $11,000 | — |
| DoD TA — graduate | 12 | $25,250 | — |
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.