by our College Data Analytics TeamWill you go to University of Southern Maine for free thanks to the G.I. Bill®? Coverage is not unlimited and varies school to school, so the fine print is worth checking.
The table below compares the guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit to the cost of attending University of Southern Maine. Living-expense and book benefits are addressed in their own sections below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $10,920 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $10,920 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $0 |
Public-college veterans generally have their entire in-state tuition paid by the Post-9/11 GI Bill® at University of Southern Maine.
University of Southern Maine participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which can cover tuition and fees beyond the Post-9/11 GI Bill® cap through matching funds from the school and the VA.
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 University of Southern Maine is below that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $1,164 |  |
| Out-of-state | $1,164 | |
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 University of Southern Maine.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $11,650 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $3,117/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $24,936 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $13,286 |
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; University of Southern Maine estimates these costs at about $1,000, so the stipend covers them in full.
These figures show the GI Bill® and DoD Tuition Assistance dollars veterans and service members actually used at University of Southern Maine.
Roughly 125 veterans received Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition payments of $751,120.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 134 | $1,176,175 | $8,777 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 107 | $907,170 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 27 | $269,005 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 24 | $70,641 | $2,943 |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 20 | $59,141 | — |
| DoD TA — graduate | 4 | $11,500 | — |
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.