by our College Data Analytics TeamHow much of the cost at USA 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 USA. Living-expense and book benefits are addressed in their own sections below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $9,676 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $9,676 |
| 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 USA.
University of South Alabama is a Yellow Ribbon school: the institution and the VA jointly fund tuition that exceeds the GI Bill® cap. In the most recent year, about 8 students received Yellow Ribbon awards at this school.
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 USA compares.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $720 |  |
| Out-of-state | $720 | |
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® also covers housing through a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA). Below, the academic-year housing benefit is set against the estimated living costs at USA.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $11,062 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $1,965/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $15,720 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $4,658 |
The benefit generally more than covers off-campus living costs here. 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; USA estimates these costs at about $2,020, leaving about $1,020 out of pocket.
Beyond the coverage math above, this is how much veteran education-benefit money actually flows to USA.
Approximately 403 Post-9/11 recipients used tuition benefits worth $3,386,525.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 298 | $2,967,710 | $9,959 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 224 | $2,381,002 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 74 | $586,708 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 28 | $66,500 | $2,375 |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 17 | $42,500 | — |
| DoD TA — graduate | 11 | $24,000 | — |
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.