by our College Data Analytics TeamWill you go to W&J for free thanks to the G.I. Bill®? The answer depends on the school — benefits are capped and the details vary, so it pays to do your research.
Here is how the Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefit stacks up against the published cost of attending W&J. Living-expense and book benefits are addressed in their own sections below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $28,185 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $7,950 |
Because the Post-9/11 tuition benefit is capped near $20,235 per year, tuition above the cap is the veterans responsibility at W&J.
Washington & Jefferson College 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. Roughly 2 students used Yellow Ribbon benefits here in the latest reporting year.
Seat counts and matching amounts change by program each year; verify the details with the schools military and veteran services team.
DoD Tuition Assistance pays up to $250 per credit hour for active-duty students; here is how the per-credit charge at W&J compares.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $0 |  |
| Out-of-state | $0 | |
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 W&J.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $13,910 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $2,307/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $18,456 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $4,546 |
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; W&J estimates these costs at about $1,000, so the stipend covers them in full.
Beyond the coverage math above, this is how much veteran education-benefit money actually flows to W&J.
In the latest reporting year, about 8 students drew Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefits totaling $177,431.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 8 | $169,316 | $21,165 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 8 | $169,316 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 0 | $0 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 0 | $0 | — |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 0 | $0 | — |
| DoD TA — graduate | 0 | $0 | — |
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.