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2023 Best Systems Science & Theory Colleges for Veterans

20 Ranked Colleges
884 Degrees Awarded
$34,100 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for veterans. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 884 people earned their degree in systems science and theory, making the major the 471st most popular in the United States.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory” ranking analyzed 20 colleges that offered a degree in systems science and theory. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality systems science and theory programs as well as strong veteran support.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the systems science and theory program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran population. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory

The colleges and universities below are the best for vets studying systems theory.

Top 20 Best Systems Science & Theory Colleges for Veterans

1
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Carnegie Mellon University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory list. Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 110 diplomas to qualified ’s systems theory students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Carnegie Mellon, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 13,519 students enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University, 117 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 72 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $18,422. To help with additional expenses, 36 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. 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 Carnegie Mellon Veteran Student Life Report

2

Out of the 20 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 10 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 47,907 students enrolled at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, 570 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 325 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $27,058. 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.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate 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%.

Full U-M Veteran Student Life Report

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Alabama at Birmingham. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory list. This large school is located in Birmingham, Alabama, and it awarded 52 ’s systems theory degrees in 2020-2021.

UAB also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 22,563 students enrolled at UAB, 1,194 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 508 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,983. In addition to receiving other benefits, 15 students qualified for 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full UAB Veteran Student Life Report

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 50 ’s systems theory degrees in 2020-2021.

UIUC also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 10 of the 52,679 students enrolled at UIUC were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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 94%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UIUC]](/colleges/university-of-illinois-at-urbana-champaign/student-life/veterans/)

5
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend James Madison University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory list. Harrisonburg, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s systems theory degrees to 53 students in 2020-2021.

JMU 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 21,594 students enrolled at JMU, 842 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 464 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,824. On top of their other funding sources, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. JMU offers 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 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

[Read full report on veteran student life at JMU]](/colleges/james-madison-university/student-life/veterans/)

6

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory ranking. Knoxville, Tennessee is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s systems theory degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying systems theory list, UT Knoxville has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 30,559 students enrolled at UT Knoxville, 1,122 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 739 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,650. To help with additional expenses, 8 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. UT Knoxville offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read More…

7

With a ranking of #7, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory list. Irvine, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s systems theory degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

UC Irvine 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 36,303 students enrolled at University of California - Irvine, 8 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 $3,620. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate 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…

8

University of Central Florida came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory ranking. Orlando, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s systems theory degrees to 27 students in 2020-2021.

UCF also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, University of Central Florida supports 71,881 students, and 2,263 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1,216 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,995. In addition to receiving other benefits, 8 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Central Florida does offer 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 92%.

Full UCF Veteran Student Life Report

9
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory ranking, coming in at #9. North Carolina State University is a large public school situated in Raleigh, North Carolina. It awarded 32 ’s systems theory degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NC State, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 36,042 students enrolled at NC State, 1,102 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 493 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,886. To help with additional expenses, 27 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read More…

10
Syracuse crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York

Syracuse University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory ranking, coming in at #10. Syracuse University is a large school located in Syracuse, New York that handed out 2 ’s systems theory degrees in 2020-2021.

Syracuse also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 21,322 students enrolled at Syracuse University, 385 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 250 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $20,840. During this same period, 217 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 full report on veteran student life at Syracuse]](/colleges/syracuse-university/student-life/veterans/)

11
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University ranked #11 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory list. Boston University is located in Boston, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 24 ’s systems theory degrees to qualified students.

Boston U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 32,718 students enrolled at Boston University, 15 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $25,162. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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 full report on veteran student life at Boston University]](/colleges/boston-university/student-life/veterans/)

12

Portland State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory ranking. Portland State University is located in Portland, Oregon and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 ’s systems theory degrees to qualified students.

Portland State University 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 23,640 students enrolled at Portland State University, 1,127 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 739 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,835. To help with additional expenses, 100 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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 Portland State University]](/colleges/portland-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

13
New School University crest
The New School
New York, New York

The New School ranked #13 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory list. The New School is a fairly large school located in New York, New York that handed out 115 ’s systems theory degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying systems theory list, New School University has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, New School University supports 9,047 students, and 117 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 69 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $18,786. On top of their other funding sources, 51 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read More…

14
UVM crest
University of Vermont
Burlington, Vermont

University of Vermont ranked #14 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory list. University of Vermont is a fairly large public school situated in Burlington, Vermont. It awarded 14 ’s systems theory degrees in 2020-2021.

UVM also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 218 of the 13,292 students enrolled at University of Vermont were GI Bill® students, of which 142 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,767. To help with additional expenses, 19 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, 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 More…

15
FAU crest
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida

Florida Atlantic University ranked #15 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory list. Florida Atlantic University is located in Boca Raton, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2 ’s systems theory degrees to qualified students.

FAU also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 30,805 students enrolled at Florida Atlantic University, 708 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 397 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,153. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships 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 Florida Atlantic University Veteran Student Life Report

16
Binghamton University crest
Binghamton University
Vestal, New York

Binghamton University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory ranking. Binghamton University is a fairly large public school situated in Vestal, New York. It awarded 25 ’s systems theory degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Binghamton University, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 18,148 students enrolled at Binghamton University, 102 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 46 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,948. In addition to receiving other benefits, 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Binghamton University]](/colleges/suny-at-binghamton/student-life/veterans/)

17

California University of Pennsylvania ranked #17 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory list. Located in California, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized public school awarded 28 diplomas to qualified ’s systems theory students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying systems theory list, Cal U has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 6,885 students enrolled at Cal U, 340 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 201 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,252. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Cal U does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Cal U]](/colleges/california-university-of-pennsylvania/student-life/veterans/)

18
La Salle crest
La Salle University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

La Salle University ranked #18 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory list. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s systems theory degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at La Salle, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 4,624 students enrolled at La Salle University, 84 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 41 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $11,747. In addition to receiving other benefits, 3 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%.

Full La Salle Veteran Student Life Report

19
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas

Rice University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 2 ’s systems theory degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Rice, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 7,643 students enrolled at Rice University, 157 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 80 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $18,656. In addition to receiving other benefits, 68 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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%. 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.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Rice]](/colleges/rice-university/student-life/veterans/)

20
EIU crest
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Systems Theory ranking. Charleston, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s systems theory degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at EIU, 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 184 of the 8,626 students enrolled at Eastern Illinois University were GI Bill® students, of which 46 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,730. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eastern Illinois University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at EIU]](/colleges/eastern-illinois-university/student-life/veterans/)

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

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