by our College Data Analytics TeamWondering what the G.I. Bill® actually covers at USD? The answer depends on the school — benefits are capped and the details vary, so it pays to do your research.
The table below compares the guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit to the cost of attending USD. See the living-expense and book sections below for those benefits.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $56,444 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $36,209 |
Because the Post-9/11 tuition benefit is capped near $20,235 per year, tuition above the cap is the veterans responsibility at USD.
University of San Diego is a Yellow Ribbon school: the institution and the VA jointly fund tuition that exceeds the GI Bill® cap. Roughly 321 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.
Active-duty service members using DoD Tuition Assistance are capped at $250 per credit hour. The chart below shows whether the per-credit charge at USD falls under that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $1,066 |  |
| Out-of-state | $1,066 | |
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 USD.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $19,431 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $4,110/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $32,880 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $13,449 |
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 USD run about $938, so the stipend covers them in full.
This is the real volume of GI Bill® and military tuition benefits paid out at USD.
Approximately 498 Post-9/11 recipients used tuition benefits worth $10,838,471.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 469 | $13,322,588 | $28,406 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 203 | $7,557,794 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 266 | $5,764,794 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 14 | $33,000 | $2,357 |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 0 | $0 | — |
| DoD TA — graduate | 14 | $33,000 | — |
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.