Military-Focused and Veteran-Friendly Colleges

Military-Focused and Veteran-Friendly Colleges


Recognizing the unique challenges military students face transitioning to civilian life, balancing service commitments with education, and managing service-related injuries, veteran-friendly colleges offer specialized support systems. Beyond traditional counseling, career services, and academic advising, they provide flexible learning options through online courses and credit for military training, allowing active-duty personnel and veterans to pursue their education without disrupting service or family obligations.

These colleges have a significant military presence, with some reporting up to 15% of their student body comprised of veterans and active-duty personnel.

Financial support is another key aspect. Many colleges participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, helping cover tuition exceeding GI Bill benefits. Additionally, scholarships and grants specifically for military and veteran students are readily available, easing the financial burden of higher education.

These dedicated institutions consistently achieve impressive success rates for military students, with data showing higher retention and graduation rates compared to the general college population. This success can be attributed to the supportive environment and tailored resources these colleges provide.

For those who have served and seek to further their education, browsing the list below can help.

Note: Some of the colleges listed below are military-focused, and they don't necessarily qualify as veteran-friendly colleges. But our system listed them here for completeness. 

Financial aid for veterans
Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon Program Regular Net Price Acceptance Rate Graduation Rate
Stanbridge University logo Stanbridge University Irvine CA 4 year Private (For Profit) $12,341 N/A $4,743 $36,905 10% 76%
Pacific Oaks College logo Pacific Oaks College Pasadena CA 4 year Private (Non Profit) $10,068 N/A N/A N/A 13% N/A
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor logo University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor MI 4 year Public $26,185 $2,919 $16,326 $19,205 20% 94%
DeVry University-Virginia logo DeVry University-Virginia Arlington VA 4 year Private (For Profit) $2,623 N/A N/A N/A 25% N/A
United States Merchant Marine Academy logo United States Merchant Marine Academy Kings Point NY 4 year Public $6,871 N/A $5,293 $4,422 25% 81%
North Carolina Wesleyan College logo North Carolina Wesleyan College Rocky Mount NC 4 year Private (Non Profit) $12,676 $2,250 $25,442 $20,208 28% 40%
University of California-Irvine logo University of California-Irvine Irvine CA 4 year Public $21,041 N/A $16,868 $11,633 29% 84%
Thomas University logo Thomas University Thomasville GA 4 year Private (Non Profit) $2,642 N/A $3,219 $22,972 29% 48%
Ottawa University-Surprise logo Ottawa University-Surprise Surprise AZ 4 year Private (Non Profit) $21,088 N/A $15,001 $32,741 30% N/A
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus logo Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus Portales NM 4 year Public $4,602 $1,794 $6,935 $7,002 32% 40%
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo logo California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo CA 4 year Public $6,738 N/A $5,988 $20,708 33% 85%
The University of Montana-Western logo The University of Montana-Western Dillon MT 4 year Public $5,699 N/A $8,492 $12,377 33% 42%
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University logo Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Tallahassee FL 4 year Public $5,868 $1,983 $11,310 $12,539 35% 55%
University of Central Florida logo University of Central Florida Orlando FL 4 year Public $5,157 $2,587 $10,078 $11,575 36% 75%
Chamberlain University-Arizona logo Chamberlain University-Arizona Phoenix AZ 4 year Private (For Profit) $14,841 $1,250 $7,226 $28,445 36% 67%
DeVry University-Texas logo DeVry University-Texas Irving TX 4 year Private (For Profit) $2,612 N/A $6,579 $31,009 36% 20%
DeVry University-Georgia logo DeVry University-Georgia Decatur GA 4 year Private (For Profit) $2,787 $890 $8,342 $27,971 36% 12%
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Los Angeles logo The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Los Angeles Los Angeles CA 4 year Private (Non Profit) $12,837 $4,146 $2,389 $33,638 37% N/A
Florida State University logo Florida State University Tallahassee FL 4 year Public $6,297 $3,809 $10,620 $12,684 37% 83%
Eastwick College-Ramsey logo Eastwick College-Ramsey Ramsey NJ 4 year Private (For Profit) $8,332 N/A $5,543 $30,880 open admission 71%
Maria College of Albany logo Maria College of Albany Albany NY 4 year Private (Non Profit) $11,874 N/A $9,093 $17,215 37% 39%
DeVry College of New York logo DeVry College of New York New York NY 4 year Private (For Profit) $3,248 N/A $6,690 $29,641 38% 36%
San Diego State University logo San Diego State University San Diego CA 4 year Public $5,364 $667 $9,026 $6,867 38% 76%
Monroe College logo Monroe College Bronx NY 4 year Private (For Profit) $17,076 N/A $12,721 $12,054 39% 57%
Cox College logo Cox College Springfield MO 4 year Private (Non Profit) $9,793 $1,000 $9,824 $17,490 39% N/A
DeVry University-Missouri logo DeVry University-Missouri Kansas City MO 4 year Private (For Profit) $3,511 N/A N/A N/A 40% 40%
DeVry University-Pennsylvania logo DeVry University-Pennsylvania Ft. Washington PA 4 year Private (For Profit) $3,264 N/A $5,671 $34,521 40% 38%
New Mexico Military Institute logo New Mexico Military Institute Roswell NM 2 year Public $4,922 N/A $9,797 $6,628 41% 39%
DeVry University-Florida logo DeVry University-Florida Miramar FL 4 year Private (For Profit) $2,721 $500 $6,650 $29,260 41% 20%
Baker College logo Baker College Owosso MI 4 year Private (Non Profit) $5,952 $1,601 $7,739 $14,366 41% 21%