14 Military Friendly Colleges in California

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Military Friendly Colleges in California

Funding for Military Friendly Colleges in California

There are many military friendly colleges in California. According to the VA, in 2022, 853 CA schools received Post 9/11 GI bill funds for over 77,000 students totaling over $491 million dollars.

In total, there are six active programs offering benefits for veterans’ education. All of these can be used to help fund a college education.

  • Post 9/11 GI Bill
  • All Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Program (MGIB – AD)
  • Educational Assistance for Members of the Selected Reserve (MGIB – SR)
  • Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)
  • Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA)
  • Post Vietnam Era Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)

 

The most-used benefit program is the Post 9/11 GI Bill. At California colleges, 88% of the beneficiaries used the Post 9/11 GI Bill to help fund their education.

Military Program# of 2023 veterans eaRNING aid at California colleges
Post 9 / 1147,886
MGIB – AD567
MIGB – SR977
REAP0
DEA15,919
VEAP0
TOTAL65,349

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA

 

15 Military Friendly Colleges in California in 2024

Below you will find the 15 military friendly colleges in California. They are listed based on the total amount of Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits awarded in the 2023 / 2024 school year. All of the data cited from the National Center for Education Statistics. Many schools take part in the Yellow Ribbon Program. This program is a part of the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Under the Yellow Ribbon Program, the colleges and the VA pay the tuition. Mandatory fees not paid for by the GI Bill.

1 National University
11255 North Torrey Pines Road | La Jolla, CA 92037

National University tops our list of military-friendly colleges in California. Founded in 1971 by retired U.S. Navy Captain David Chigos, it boasts a selection of over 100 degree programs and provides tuition discounts for military personnel and their families. Recognized with the Ray Ehrensberger Award for Institutional Excellence in Military Education, National University conducts classes both online and on campus, including at various military bases.

The Veteran Center aids in the transition from military service to college life, offering support for veterans. Additionally, the Virtual Veteran Center provides accessible online assistance.

The institution participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, extending an unlimited annual contribution per student, without a cap on the number of students benefiting from this program each year.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $8,880
Grad: $8,695

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 3,092
Grad: 808

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 81%
Part Time: 74%

2 University of Southern California
University Park | Los Angeles, CA 90089

The Veterans Resource Center (VRC) at the school actively supports veterans to achieve academic success. It caters to their needs in higher education, including assistance with GI Bill benefits, academic achievements, graduation, well-being, and career development. The center provides a dedicated study area equipped with computer stations.

USC participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, extending an unlimited annual school contribution to an unlimited number of undergraduate students per year. Additionally, the program offers awards to graduate students, the specifics of which vary by division or school.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $35,448
Grad: $25,441

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 199
Grad: 612

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 100%
Part Time: N/A

3 Academy of Art University
79 New Montgomery | San Francisco, CA 94105

AAU is authorized for Military Tuition Assistance and Veterans GI Bill® benefits. U.S. service members (Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard, and Coast Guard) can access the Military Scholarship to begin their journey toward a career in art and design. The Student Veteran Organization at the school aids military members and veterans in fostering a tight-knit community with other students who have military ties.

Through the Yellow Ribbon Program, the school provides an unrestricted annual school contribution to an unlimited number of students.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $18,553
Grad: $14,702

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 830
Grad: 185

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 94%
Part Time: 65%

4 Trident University International
5757 Plaza Drive, Suite 100 Cypress, CA 90630

Trident University International operates within the American InterContinental University System, holding accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. They offer credits for leadership and professional experience in military-friendly programs.

New veterans and active-duty service members have access to the Veterans e-Book, a Guide to College, available for download. Additionally, knowledgeable staff members provide guidance through benefit utilization and enrollment processes.

Trident extends scholarships and grants. The Military Education Grant allows service members to benefit from a 40% reduction in tuition for associate’s and bachelor’s programs, and 43% for master’s, and 14-19% for doctoral programs. These reductions complement federal government-provided military education benefits and potential savings from converting military experience into college credits.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $5,393
Grad: $4,725

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 1,148
Grad: 951

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 34%
Part Time: 19%

5 University of San Diego

5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, California 92110-2492

The University of San Diego offers ROTC training and a Military and Veterans program catering to all USD military-connected students. This includes student veterans, active-duty members, dependent children, and spouses.

Prospective and current students can engage with the designated military admissions counselor or access Virtual office hours. Additionally, the school hosts a Student Veteran Organization (SVO), welcoming veterans from all services, their dependents, and advocates of the veteran population.

For connections, there’s the Military-Connected Hub (MCH), fostering collaboration across USD and with the San Diego military community. Alumni engage through the Alumni Veteran Network (AVN), established in 2015, serving over 4,000 USD alumni veterans.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $34,481
Grad: $18,921

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 216
Grad: 220

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 73%
Part Time: N/A

6 University of California-Los Angeles
405 Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles, California 90095-1405

If you’re a veteran applying to UCLA, note that it ranks among the top five veteran-friendly schools as per U.S. News & World Report (2021).

Normally, admitted students at UCLA cannot defer their enrollment to a later term. However, if you’ve been accepted but are called to active military duty, the university allows deferral of admission.

UCLA also provides various programs and services for veterans and active-duty members. These encompass support with benefits, financial aid, housing, counseling, and more. The school has designated Veteran Services within the Registrar’s office and a dedicated Veteran Resource Center for this purpose.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $8,921
Grad: $45,529

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 126
Grad: 156

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 100%
Part Time: 100%

7 University of California-Berkeley
200 California Hall, Berkeley, California 94720

University of California Berkeley offers Army ROTC and Naval ROTC training programs. Their Military Affairs Program, within the Division of Undergraduate Studies and Interdisciplinary Studies (UGIS), comprises: Aerospace Studies, Military Sciences, and Naval Sciences.

Some of the resources in place include the Cal Veterans Services Center. It provides programs and services to support student veteran success at UC Berkeley. There is also a Transfer Student Center which plays a role in campus outreach and recruitment.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $12,381
Grad: $47,989

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 96
Grad: 128

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 73%
Part Time: N/A

8 California Baptist University
8432 Magnolia Ave | Riverside, CA 92504

Cal Baptist Veteran Resource Center is designed to be a place student veterans and dependents can obtain administrative support, relax, and study. CBU offers credit for military training and will waive the $45 application fee for veterans.

CBU offers an unlimited number of Yellow Ribbon scholarships. They offer this for both the undergrad and grad levels, with $10,000 per undergrad student and $3,000 per grad student available, per year.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $31,667
Grad: $15,840

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 239
Grad: 77

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 89%
Part Time: 100%

9University of California-San Diego
9500 Gilman Dr | La Jolla, CA 92093

UCSD is home to more than 1,600 military connected students. They have many resources and services focused on helping students transition from the military to college life, including a Student Veteran Organization (SVO). The retention rate for full time students receiving military education benefits is 88%. The school has tuition policies for Veterans and Service members. UCSD also offers service members credit for military experience.

UCSD is part of the Yellow Ribbon Program. Each year, the school offers 3 undergrad students a max school contribution per year of $4,500 and 4 grad students a max school contribution per year of $6,000.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $11,878
Grad: $30,687

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 131
Grad: 68

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 88%
Part Time: N/A

10University of La Verne
536 Mission Street |San Francisco, CA 94105

GGU’s Student Veterans Services furnish resources and referrals, aiding veterans in navigating academic life successfully. They implement tuition policies for Veterans and Service members and recognize military training with credits.

Additionally, the school provides an unrestricted count of Yellow Ribbon scholarships, extending up to $42,000 per year for each student.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $11,214
Grad: $12,377

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 169
Grad: 82

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 84%
Part Time: 92%

11 San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Dr | San Diego, CA 92182

SDSU is committed to supporting military, military veterans, military spouses, and dependent children. The Student Veterans House, the first of its kind in the U.S., serves as a gathering place for all military affiliated students. These students are given priority opportunities to live in apartments next to the house.

The Military Ally Awareness Program, developed by the Joan and Art Barron Veterans Center at SDSU, provides insight into and awareness of the unique cultural and social background of the military community.  The school offers credit for military training and experience.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $6,371
Grad: $7,099

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 795
Grad: 86

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 89%
Part Time: 100%

12California State University-San Marcos
333 S Twin Oaks Valley Rd, San Marcos, California 92096-0001

 Veterans Services at California State University San Marcos include help with program offerings, using benefits, financial aid, the application process and more. Active duty and veterans also receive extended application deadlines and discounts if eligible.

One of the features that may suit military students is CSUSM Extended Learning. It could help you speed up your career with one of 30 certificate programs. All Extended Learning credit degrees and select certificates are approved for veteran benefit funding.

Once on campus, you could find the Epstein Family Veterans Center a one-stop shop for information and services. The CSUSM Career Center is also there to make use of if transitioning to the civilian workforce.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $5,857
Grad: $9,858

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 461
Grad: 87

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 85%
Part Time: 100%

13 Pepperdine University
23255 Pacific Coast Hwy | Malibu, CA 90263

Pepperdine provides an array of military and veteran support services, covering benefits counseling and veteran-oriented student organizations. Among its offerings is the Ahmanson Veteran Scholarship Initiative grant. Various student veterans’ groups, such as the Pepperdine Student Veterans Organization (PSVO), Veterans Legal Society, Graziadio Veteran’s Business Society (GVBS), and the Pepperdine Committee on Student Veterans (PCSV), are active within the institution.

The university recognizes and credits military training and experience. Pepperdine has tailored tuition policies for Veterans and Service members. Notably, the retention rate for students benefiting from military education stands at 100% for both full-time and part-time students.

Furthermore, Pepperdine participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, extending an unlimited maximum contribution per year to an unrestricted number of students.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: N/A
Grad: N/A

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: N/A
Grad: N/A

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 100%
Part Time: 100%

14 San Francisco State University
901 E Alosta | Azusa, CA 91702

Azusa is committed to honoring those who serve the U.S. by making a quality education for military members, veterans, and their families an accessible, affordable reality. The Office of Military and Veteran Services (MVS) helps military connected students to get enrolled at APU and then settled into student life. The Veterans Club provides a support network for veterans and service members transitioning into academic life. 

The Veterans Den is a central hub where veterans and other military connected students can come together for study, social engagement, and mutual support. Azusa offers tuition policies for Veterans and Service members and grants academic credit for learning earned in the military.

Azusa is part of the Yellow Ribbon Program. They offer an unlimited number of students up to $14,000 per year, per student.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $4,014
Grad: $5,096

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 549
Grad: 65

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 87%
Part Time: 100%

This is a private website that is not affiliated with the U.S. government, U.S. Armed Forces or Department of Veteran Affairs. U.S. government agencies have not reviewed this information. This site is not connected with any government agency. If you would like to find more information about benefits offered by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, please visit the official U.S. government web site for veterans’ benefits at http://www.va.gov.

The sponsored schools featured on this site do not include all schools that accept GI Bill® funding or VA Benefits. For more information on how to choose a school, visit. For more information on Education Connection, visit our FAQ page or follow the About Us link found below. Contact us here or email us.

How do I get my military to pay for college?

Each military branch offers scholarships covering college tuition, books, and fees, along with stipends. In return, recipients commit to military service, starting their careers as commissioned officers upon graduation.

Does the military cover 100% of college expenses?

Yes, the military’s program is open to active duty, National Guard, and Reserve members. It can fund up to 100% of tuition for undergraduate and graduate degrees, vocational programs, technical training, or distance learning courses.

Do US soldiers receive free college education?

Yes, While on active duty, the military covers up to 100% of college tuition. Additionally, the GI Bill, offering approximately $36,000, can be used for education within 10 years after service. The Post 9/11 GI Bill extends financial support for education and housing for up to 36 months for qualifying individuals.

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*https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d20/tables/dt20_311.15.asp

Sources for school statistics is the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics.

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