Our List of The Top 25 Military Friendly Colleges for 2012

As an active-duty, reserve, or veteran of the United States military, it is likely that you understand the tremendous value in earning your college degree. Graduating from college opens up extraordinary career opportunities for both members of the military and those people serving in the civilian workforce. But promotions and pay raises are only half the story, because along with owning a house, getting your college degree is one of the most important elements in fulfilling the American Dream.

Remember though- not all schools are created equal. In fact, some colleges and universities do a significantly better job than others, especially when it comes to providing high quality education programs for military students. Military friendly schools do exist, but they are few and far between. Military friendly colleges offer some important benefits that are not provided by all schools, such as added support for Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits, participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program, availability of tuition discounts and scholarships for military students, and the option to study entirely online.

To help service members and military veterans maximize the return of their military education benefits, Veterans Benefits GI Bill’s editors have produced an annual list of the Top 25 Military Friendly Colleges since 2010, which we use to provide suggestions on the best colleges for military students. If you’re interested in finding a military friendly school where you can use your GI Bill benefits to get a high quality, flexible and affordable degree program, then be sure to contact the military friendly colleges and universities listed below.

The Top 25 Military Friendly Colleges for 2012

1. Get InfoColorado State University-Global Campus: CSU-Global provides accredited online degree programs at some of the lowest rates of any school in the country, making it one of the best military friendly universities in America. Their tuition rates are so low that they are not allowed to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program because your GI Bill benefits should be able to cover the entire cost of earning your degree at CSU-Global.
2. Get InfoBrandman University: Brandman University offers both traditional and online degree programs catered to the unique needs of military students. This military friendly university was founded in 1958, and serves our country’s service members, military dependents and veterans as a full participant in both the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) program and the Yellow Ribbon Program.
3. Get InfoAzusa Pacific Online University: Azusa Pacific Online University (APOU) provides 100% online degree programs that are highly affordable- they’ve promised that the total cost of earning a bachelor’s degree from the school will never exceed the median household income of the average U.S. family. APOU offers life coaching, career services, access to extensive libraries and integrates a Christian Worldview throughout all of their programs. APOU also supports military students with their participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program.
4. Get InfoArizona State University Online: ASU’s online courses are delivered by the same faculty who teach traditional on-campus courses, but studying online provides unmatched flexibility, especially for military students. The U.S. News & World Report ranks ASU in the top tier of national universities, Forbes ranks it among America’s best college buys and the Princeton Review ranks ASU a “best value” public university. As if that’s not enough- ASU is a full participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program.
5. Get InfoUniversity of the Southwest Online: USW is a regionally accredited, VA-approved school that is part of the SOC Degree Network System and DANTES external degree catalog. USW makes our list of the top military friendly schools because the school provides ACE credit for military training and experience, plus exclusively online degree programs that are perfect for busy military students.
6. Get InfoKeiser University e-Campus Online: Keiser e-Campus Online is tied to Keiser University, but offers accredited degree programs in an online-only format that is perfect for busy members of the military. Keiser e-Campus’s flexible, “one-class-at-a-time” approach to learning truly makes it one of the best online colleges for military students. Keiser e-Campus is also a Yellow Ribbon Program school.
7. Get InfoJones International University: JIU provides service members with accredited undergraduate, graduate and doctorate programs delivered entirely online. Jones University was one of the first military friendly online colleges, and continues to support military students with military tuition assistance, a 20% graduate tuition scholarship for military personnel and their dependents and support of the Yellow Ribbon Program.
8. Montclair State University: Montclair is a Yellow Ribbon Program school who offers unique programs for helping military students adjust to civilian life, such as their workshop titled: “Stress Relief Through the Creative Arts”. Montclair’s evening courses provide enough flexibility for local military students and veterans to continue working full-time while earning their college degrees.
9. Get InfoRobert Morris University: provides a full-service Vets Office and features an impressive placement rate, with over 93% of alumni working or enrolled in grad school within six months after graduating from their undergraduate degree programs. RMU sits near the top of our list of the top military colleges because they have promised to cover any additional tuition or fees that are not already provided for by your Post 9/11 GI Bill education benefits, making them one of the most veteran friendly colleges in the country!
10. Get InfoColorado Technical University: CTU has a dedicated Department of Military Education focused on making sure that active military, veterans and military spouses are able to reach their learning goals. This school makes our list of the top military online colleges because they offer fully online degree programs, discounted military tuition rates, a “Liberty Grant” to eligible veterans and veterans’ spouses, waived applications fees and books costs for military students and they’re a member of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium.
11. Get InfoAshford University Online: Ashford University Online is one of the best online colleges for military students because it’s affordable, flexible and credible. The school was founded in 1918 and features a specialized military division entirely focused on meeting the educational needs of the military community. Ashford allows military students to transfer service and life experience to attain college credits, helping them to accelerate degree completion, and is both a fully accredited school and a member of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) consortium.
12. Get InfoUniversity of Illinois at Chicago: UIC makes our list of the top military friendly online schools because it offers accredited, well-respected degree programs in a wide variety of fields. This highly respected and internationally recognized University is proud to work with military students and provides financial aid for both military spouses and military dependents. UIC also offers military scholarships and grants to help service-members get a world-class education at little or no cost to themselves.
13. Get InfoHawaii Pacific University: HPU ranks among the top military friendly schools because they provide accredited degree programs both in-person (with classes offered directly from military bases!) and online. Hawaii Pacific also offer multiple start dates for flexible enrollments and provides transfer credits for military experience, helping military students earn their degrees more quickly. HPU also provides full support for the Post 9/11 GI Bill and the school is a participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program.
14. Get InfoCalifornia College of San Diego: CCSD offers online and traditional in-person degree programs in technology, graphic arts, business and healthcare. This top military friendly college accepts Active Duty Tuition Assistance (TA) and its programs are accepted by the State Approving Agency to participate in the GI Bill/VA education benefits program. What’s more, CCSD issues all students with a free laptop which they can keep once they graduate. .
15. Get InfoStevens-Henager College: Stevens–Henager College has trained graduates for rewarding careers in high-demand jobs since 1891. Degree programs at Stevens–Henager are provided in a flexible format to fit the unique lifestyle needs of military students, with both traditional in-person and modern online courses available. Stevens-Henager College is a Service Members Opportunity College (SOC) and also provides all students with a free laptop that they can keep after graduation.
16. American InterContinental University: AIU provides online, blended and campus-based Associate, Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs. They rank as a top military friendly online college because the school provides a team of financial advisors who specialize in helping military students maximize their benefits, they offer military grants to eligible students, and they allow deployed soldiers to resume their studies at a later date when deployments interfere with their college degree programs.
17. Duquesne University: Duquesne offers accelerated degree programs for military members, providing college credits for accepted military training. Duquesne’s programs can be completed either on-site or 100% online, and they make our list of best online college for military students because of their participation in both the Yellow Ribbon Program, and their membership in the Servicemember’s Opportunity College (SOC) consortium.
18. Get InfoUniversity of the Rockies: The University of the Rockies is a Yellow Ribbon Program school and full participant of the Post 9/11 GI Bill. This school offers a range of master’s degrees that can be completed on campus or 100% online. The University of the Rockies supports the MyCAA program and provides a Military Grant to eligible military students.

19. New England Institute of Technology: NEIT supports veterans and military students with a dedicated, on-campus VA Representative who guides them through the process of utilizing their Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits. While the school does not provide access to online degree programs, they are a Yellow Ribbon Program school.
20. Auburn University – Montgomery: Auburn provides scholarships to eligible military members and also offers tuition discounts to active military personnel and veterans. In addition, Auburn Montgomery allows students to return to their studies once they have completed their deployment without any kind of academic or tuition penalties. They also have a great football team.
21. Kansas State University: KSU has over 60 years of experience in catering to military students and offers online, on-campus and evening degree programs. The school also offers classes directly at Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth. KSU supports the MyCAA program and provides scholarships for eligible members of the military, along with their dependents
22. Boise State University: BSU offers Associates, Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral degrees and is both a regionally and nationally accredited school. Boise State makes our list of military friendly colleges because of their support for the Yellow Ribbon Program and the fact that they offer scholarships for both active service members and veterans.
23. Get InfoDeVry University: DeVry has a wide selection of on-campus, online and blended degrees to choose from. Several grants and scholarships are available to eligible military members and DeVry University is a Servicemembers Opportunity College (SOC). DeVry University also accepts military tuition assistance payments.
24. Oklahoma State University: Oklahoma State provides a wide range of undergraduate, graduate and PhD level degree programs to choose from, along with several military friendly benefits. The school offers tuition discounts for military students and veterans, in-state tuition without residency requirements for eligible members of the military and their dependents, and is a full participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program.
25. University of Maryland University College: UMUC is a full-fledged member of the Servicemember’s Opportunity College (SOC) consortium who provides traditional in-person college degree programs at military bases around the globe. UMUC also offers online degree programs, allowing military students the flexibility to continue carrying out their mission without having to sacrifice access to higher education.

Top Military Friendly Colleges List – School Ranking Factors

Our list of the best military friendly colleges was compiled based on a number of factors, including:

1. Access to Financial Aid, such as Military Tuition Assistance

Access to financial aid benefits, like military tuition assistance and tuition rate discounts for military students, can save tens of thousands of dollars on the cost of a college degree, so we’ve made this a very important determining factor in ranking on our list.

It is extremely important to research what levels of financial aid schools offer before you choose your degree or program. There are many benefits and programs available to active military personnel and veterans, like the aforementioned military tuition assistance, which can come in different forms: scholarships, tuition breaks, waived applications fees, waived materials costs, free books or library access, and a number of other benefits are available at certain schools.

However, you need to keep in mind that not all schools provide or offer these discounts to military students, so make sure you do your homework before you enroll. Our list does much of the leg work for you, as we’ve selected schools who provide a variety of benefits to military students, but you should still contact at least a few of the schools listed here to find out which college can provide you with the best value.

2. Participation in the Post 9/11 GI Bill’s Yellow Ribbon Program

The Post 9/11 GI Bill’s Yellow Ribbon Program is one of the best military education benefits programs in existence, so it is a prime ranking factor in our list as well.

There couldn’t be a better situation than one in which you’re able to earn your college degree without having to spend a single cent of your own money, and the Yellow Ribbon Program was enacted to help you get as close to that goal as possible. Where there is a gap between what your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits cover and the total cost to earning your degree, the Yellow Ribbon Program aims to fill that with additional resources in the form of extra money.

Many of the colleges listed on our military friendly schools list are full participants in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which you should use as an important factor in choosing which schools you want to contact. Depending on your situation, however, the Yellow Ribbon Program may not be necessary – there are cases where you can get your degree at no cost without even having to rely on additional Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.

You will have to contact school admissions advisers to find out which benefits are most important for you.

3. Availability of Distance Learning and Online Degree Programs

Access to distance learning and online degree programs is extremely important to many modern students, but especially to members of the military. We’ve made access to online programs another of the most important factors in determining who makes our list of the best colleges for military students, especially now that the updates to the Post 9/11 GI Bill have provided BAH pay for online students.

Many military members don’t have the time or resources to attend a traditional in-person school, especially with deployments, re-locations and active duty service getting in the way of being able to show up in a classroom five days a week. Just about all of the schools on our list offer online college courses for military students.

The ability to take classes from anywhere that you have an internet connection, never having to commute to a traditional campus location, and the amount of money that can be saved by not having to sacrifice working full-time to attend school makes enrolling in an online degree program a no-brainer, so make sure that you consider this when determining which schools you want to apply to.

4. Participation in the MyCAA Program

As a military member, your spouse may also be eligible for tuition assistance and benefits, depending on your unique situation. The MyCAA Program is an exceptionally beneficial program as it provides tuition assistance to military spouses that are pursuing associate degrees, as well as various other credentials.

Many veteran friendly schools provide support for the MyCAA Program, and as it provides exceptional value, we’ve included it as a determining factor for our list. If you’re interested in taking advantage of this specific benefit, make sure to ask the admissions advisers whether or not they provide support for it when you contact the veteran friendly universities from our list above.

5. Academic Accreditation

When it comes to quality education programs, nothing is more important than having a legitimate academic accreditation. Every single one of the colleges that made our list of military friendly schools has been fully accredited by respected academic associations and bodies from around the country.

These are not diploma mill schools, and you will not be ashamed of your diploma once you’ve completed your program. We want veterans to be able to be proud of their degrees, so we’ve made academic accreditation one of the most important determining factors in deciding who would make our list of the top military friendly universities.

Next Steps – How Should I Proceed?

Use our list of the top military friendly schools to start your research into which college or university is best for you. Make sure to do your research, use the forms on this site to contact admissions advisers and get additional information on specific pricing, benefits support, and other details, and don’t rush through the process of determining which school is the best fit for you.

To view last year’s list, please visit The 25 Best Schools for Military Students in 2011.

And for 2010′s list, please check out our Top 25 List of Veteran Friendly Colleges for 2010.