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2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies

170 Ranked Colleges
37,634 Degrees Awarded
$32,300 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies

With all of the options veterans have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Individualized Studies is the 38th most popular major in the country with 37,634 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies” ranking looked at 170 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in individualized studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality individualized studies programs as well as strong veteran support.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the individualized studies program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran satisfaction. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Individualized Studies Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Individualized Studies Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The individualized studies school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies

The colleges and universities below are the best for vets studying individualized studies.

Top 25 Best Individualized Studies Colleges for Veterans

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Oklahoma Norman Campus. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies. Located in Norman, Oklahoma, this large public school awarded 120 diplomas to qualified ’s individualized studies students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying individualized studies list, University of Oklahoma has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 27,772 students enrolled at University of Oklahoma, 12 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 10 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,720. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Oklahoma offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full University of Oklahoma Veteran Student Life Report

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Maryland Global Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies list. UMGC is a large public school situated in Adelphi, Maryland. It awarded 2,563 ’s individualized studies degrees in 2020-2021.

UMGC also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 4 of the 58,526 students enrolled at University of Maryland Global Campus were GI Bill® students, of which 6 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $913. On top of their other funding sources, 4 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

3
GMU crest
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend George Mason University. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies. GMU is located in Fairfax, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 223 ’s individualized studies degrees to qualified students.

GMU also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, George Mason University supports 38,541 students, and 2,334 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1,583 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,710. During this same period, 42 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. George Mason University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at GMU]](/colleges/george-mason-university/student-life/veterans/)

4

Out of the 170 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies that were part of this year’s ranking, Arizona State University - Tempe landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Tempe, Arizona, and it awarded 9 ’s individualized studies degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at ASU - Tempe, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Arizona State University - Tempe supports 74,795 students, and 7,566 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 3,828 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,068. On top of their other funding sources, 672 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Arizona State University - Tempe offers credit for military training for eligible students.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at ASU - Tempe]](/colleges/arizona-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Rochester Institute of Technology. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies list. RIT is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rochester, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 120 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

RIT also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, Rochester Institute of Technology supports 16,158 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $17,424. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

[Read full report on veteran student life at RIT]](/colleges/rochester-institute-of-technology/student-life/veterans/)

6
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University ranked #6 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies list. This large school is located in Raleigh, North Carolina, and it awarded 24 ’s individualized studies degrees in 2020-2021.

NC State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 36,042 students enrolled at North Carolina State University, 1,102 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 493 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,886. On top of their other funding sources, 27 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read More…

7

University of South Carolina - Columbia did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies ranking, coming in at #7. This large school is located in Columbia, South Carolina, and it awarded 28 ’s individualized studies degrees in 2020-2021.

UofSC also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 35,470 students enrolled at University of South Carolina - Columbia, 1,609 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 651 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,453. On top of their other funding sources, 33 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UofSC]](/colleges/university-of-south-carolina-columbia/student-life/veterans/)

8

University of Alabama at Birmingham ranked #8 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies list. University of Alabama at Birmingham is located in Birmingham, Alabama and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 33 ’s individualized studies degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UAB, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1,194 of the 22,563 students enrolled at University of Alabama at Birmingham were GI Bill® students, of which 508 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,983. During this same period, 15 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read More…

9
TROY crest
Troy University
Troy, Alabama

With a ranking of #9, Troy University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies list. Troy University is a public institution located in Troy, Alabama. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 268 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying individualized studies list, TROY has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 16,497 students enrolled at TROY, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 2 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $1,250. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. TROY does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Read More…

10
SNHU crest
Southern New Hampshire University
Manchester, New Hampshire

Southern New Hampshire University ranked #10 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies list. Southern New Hampshire University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Manchester, New Hampshire. It awarded 577 ’s individualized studies degrees in 2020-2021.

SNHU also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 134,345 students enrolled at SNHU, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Southern New Hampshire University]](/colleges/southern-new-hampshire-university/student-life/veterans/)

11
Johns Hopkins crest
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

Johns Hopkins University ranked #11 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies list. Located in Baltimore, Maryland, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified ’s individualized studies students in 2020-2021.

Johns Hopkins also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 4 of the 28,890 students enrolled at Johns Hopkins University were GI Bill® students, of which 2 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,793. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read More…

12
NYU crest
New York University
New York, New York

With a ranking of #12, New York University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies list. New York University is a large school located in New York, New York that handed out 6 ’s individualized studies degrees in 2020-2021.

NYU also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 52,775 students enrolled at New York University were GI Bill® students, of which 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,388. On top of their other funding sources, 1 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

13
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies ranking, coming in at #13. DePaul University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 33 ’s individualized studies degrees in 2020-2021.

DePaul also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 21,922 students enrolled at DePaul, 528 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 367 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,957. To help with additional expenses, 101 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. DePaul does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

14

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies ranking, coming in at #14. IUPUI is a public institution located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 261 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at IUPUI, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis supports 29,390 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,439. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full IUPUI Veteran Student Life Report

15

With a ranking of #15, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies list. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is a large public school situated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It awarded 280 ’s individualized studies degrees in 2020-2021.

UWM did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 983 of the 24,565 students enrolled at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee were GI Bill® students, of which 494 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,519. In addition to receiving other benefits, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UWM]](/colleges/university-of-wisconsin-milwaukee/student-life/veterans/)

16
Vincennes University crest
Vincennes University
Vincennes, Indiana

Vincennes University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies ranking, coming in at #16. Vincennes University is a fairly large public school situated in Vincennes, Indiana. It awarded 807 ’s individualized studies degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying individualized studies list, Vincennes University has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 16,048 students enrolled at Vincennes University, 9 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,454. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Read More…

17

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies ranking. UW - Green Bay is located in Green Bay, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 216 ’s individualized studies degrees to qualified students.

UW - Green Bay did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 8,954 students enrolled at UW - Green Bay, 362 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 200 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,302. On top of their other funding sources, 1 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Full UW - Green Bay Veteran Student Life Report

18
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania ranked #18 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies list. University of Pennsylvania is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 7 ’s individualized studies degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying individualized studies list, UPenn has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, University of Pennsylvania supports 26,552 students, and 324 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 131 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $19,383. On top of their other funding sources, 78 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full UPenn Veteran Student Life Report

19

The University of Texas at Austin came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies ranking. This large school is located in Austin, Texas, and it awarded 116 ’s individualized studies degrees in 2020-2021.

UT Austin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 50,476 students enrolled at UT Austin, 7 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,893. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. UT Austin offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at The University of Texas at Austin]](/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-austin/student-life/veterans/)

20
Montclair State crest
Montclair State University
Montclair, New Jersey

Montclair State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Montclair, New Jersey, this large public school awarded 31 diplomas to qualified ’s individualized studies students in 2020-2021.

Montclair State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Montclair State supports 21,005 students, and 337 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 186 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,727. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

21
FTCC crest
Fayetteville Technical Community College
Fayetteville, North Carolina

With a ranking of #21, Fayetteville Technical Community College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies list. Fayetteville Technical Community College is located in Fayetteville, North Carolina and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 514 ’s individualized studies degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at FTCC, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 2,618 of the 10,932 students enrolled at FTCC were GI Bill® students, of which 1,269 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,321. To help with additional expenses, 24 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Full Fayetteville Technical Community College Veteran Student Life Report

22
UMW crest
University of Mary Washington
Fredericksburg, Virginia

University of Mary Washington came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies ranking. This small school is located in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and it awarded 38 ’s individualized studies degrees in 2020-2021.

UMW also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 4,293 students enrolled at University of Mary Washington, 47 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 39 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,578. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UMW]](/colleges/university-of-mary-washington/student-life/veterans/)

23

Southern Methodist University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies ranking. Southern Methodist University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Dallas, Texas. It awarded 55 ’s individualized studies degrees in 2020-2021.

SMU also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 12,373 students enrolled at SMU, 327 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 215 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $15,612. In addition to receiving other benefits, 103 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. SMU does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Southern Methodist University Veteran Student Life Report

24
Oakland crest
Oakland University
Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies ranking. This fairly large school is located in Rochester Hills, Michigan, and it awarded 118 ’s individualized studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Oakland did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Oakland University supports 18,552 students, and 323 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 197 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $11,271. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Oakland University Veteran Student Life Report

25

Western Illinois University ranked #25 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies list. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 148 ’s individualized studies degrees in 2020-2021.

WIU also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 330 of the 7,490 students enrolled at Western Illinois University were GI Bill® students, of which 62 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,652. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full WIU Veteran Student Life Report

Rest of the Best 26 in Most Veteran Friendly for Individualized Studies

Not only did these schools make the top 26 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
FAU crest
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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