by our College Data Analytics TeamWill you go to USAO for free thanks to the G.I. Bill®? Coverage is not unlimited and varies school to school, so the fine print is worth checking.
Here is how the Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefit stacks up against the published cost of attending USAO. Living-expense and book benefits are addressed in their own sections below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $9,000 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $9,000 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $0 |
Tuition and fees here fall within the annual Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefit, so eligible veterans typically owe nothing toward tuition at USAO.
There is no record that USAO participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program in the latest federal data. Check directly with the school, since participation can change year to year.
For active-duty students, Tuition Assistance covers up to $250 per credit hour — the indicators below show whether USAO is below that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $1,470 |  |
| Out-of-state | $1,470 | |
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 USAO.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $7,640 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $1,551/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $12,408 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $4,768 |
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 USAO run 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 USAO.
Roughly 13 students drew Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefits totaling $65,053.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 26 | $78,407 | $3,016 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 26 | $78,407 | — |
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.