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2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Education

1,051 Ranked Colleges
327,871 Degrees Awarded
$35,300 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly for Education

With all of the options veterans have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Most Veteran Friendly for Education” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Education is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 4th of all the majors we analyze. In 2020-2021, 327,871 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2019-2020, education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $46,202 and had an average of $24,437 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly for Education” ranking looked at 1,051 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in education. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great education programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.

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

More Ways to Rank Education Schools

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

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 Education” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Most Veteran Friendly for Education

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly for Education”.

Top 25 Best Education Colleges for Veterans

1
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Education list. UF is a large public school situated in Gainesville, Florida. It awarded 657 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

UF also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 53,372 students enrolled at University of Florida were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read More…

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Education. U-M is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 248 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying education list, U-M 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 Michigan - Ann Arbor supports 47,907 students, and 570 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 325 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $27,058. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor does offer credit for military training for eligible 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full U-M Veteran Student Life Report

3
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Southern California. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Education. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 1,019 diplomas to qualified ’s education students in 2020-2021.

USC also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 46,287 students enrolled at USC, 1,311 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 862 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $20,487. To help with additional expenses, 388 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, 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%.

Full USC Veteran Student Life Report

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Texas A&M University - College Station. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Education. Located in College Station, Texas, this large public school awarded 895 degrees to qualified ’s education students in 2020-2021.

Texas A&M College Station also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 5 of the 70,418 students enrolled at Texas A&M College Station were GI Bill® students, of which 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,925. 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 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 Texas A&M College Station]](/colleges/texas-a-and-m-university-college-station/student-life/veterans/)

5
UK crest
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

Out of the 1,051 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Education that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Kentucky landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Kentucky is a large public school situated in Lexington, Kentucky. It awarded 661 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

UK also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 29,986 students enrolled at University of Kentucky, 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 Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Kentucky offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, 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…

6
Loyola Marymount crest
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California

Loyola Marymount University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Education ranking, coming in at #6. Loyola Marymount is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 473 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Loyola Marymount 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 15 of the 9,686 students enrolled at Loyola Marymount were GI Bill® students, of which 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,741. On top of their other funding sources, 6 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read More…

7
Wazzu crest
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington

Washington State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Education ranking. This large school is located in Pullman, Washington, and it awarded 713 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

Wazzu 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, Wazzu supports 31,159 students, and 83 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 53 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,702. On top of their other funding sources, 1 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%.

Read More…

8
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus ranked #8 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Education list. Purdue University - Main Campus is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 653 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Purdue 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 1 of the 46,655 students enrolled at Purdue were GI Bill® students, of which 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,765. 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.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, 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%.

Full Purdue Veteran Student Life Report

9

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Education ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 567 diplomas to qualified ’s education students in 2020-2021.

UIUC also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 52,679 students enrolled at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 10 are 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. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offers credit for military training for eligible students.

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%.

Full UIUC Veteran Student Life Report

10

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranked #10 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Education list. This large school is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and it awarded 244 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

UNC Chapel Hill 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 30,092 students enrolled at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 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. 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 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Veteran Student Life Report

11

With a ranking of #11, University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Education list. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a public institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 676 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying education list, UW Seattle has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, UW Seattle supports 48,149 students, and 1,283 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 769 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,190. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. UW Seattle 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full UW Seattle Veteran Student Life Report

12
ECU crest
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

East Carolina University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Education ranking. East Carolina University is located in Greenville, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 733 ’s education degrees to qualified students.

ECU also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, East Carolina University supports 28,798 students, and 8 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 4 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,409. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full East Carolina University Veteran Student Life Report

13
UA crest
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The University of Alabama came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Education ranking. The University of Alabama is a public institution located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The school has a large population, and it awarded 368 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying education list, UA has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 37,840 students enrolled at The University of Alabama, 2,081 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1,128 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,975. During this same period, 357 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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…

14

Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #14 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Education list. Ohio State is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 674 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ohio State, 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, Ohio State supports 61,369 students, and 2 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. 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.

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

Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Veteran Student Life Report

15
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Education ranking. Located in Iowa City, Iowa, this large public school handed out 395 degrees to qualified ’s education students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying education list, Iowa has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 30,318 students enrolled at University of Iowa, 1 are 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. 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.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate 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%.

Full University of Iowa Veteran Student Life Report

16
UofL crest
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky

With a ranking of #16, University of Louisville did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Education list. This large school is located in Louisville, Kentucky, and it awarded 776 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

UofL also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, UofL supports 22,211 students, and 17 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 9 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $25,972. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. UofL 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…

17

With a ranking of #17, Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Education list. Arizona State University - Tempe is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 1,075 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

ASU - Tempe did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 74,795 students enrolled at ASU - Tempe, 7,566 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 3,828 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,068. During this same period, 672 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full Arizona State University - Tempe Veteran Student Life Report

18

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Education ranking. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s education degrees to 975 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying education list, UMN Twin Cities has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 52,017 students enrolled at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 752 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 436 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $13,020. 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.

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 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UMN Twin Cities]](/colleges/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/student-life/veterans/)

19
Fordham U crest
Fordham University
Bronx, New York

Fordham University ranked #19 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Education list. Fordham University is located in Bronx, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 192 ’s education degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our vets studying education list, Fordham U has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 16,364 students enrolled at Fordham University, 1 are 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. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for 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 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 Fordham University]](/colleges/fordham-university/student-life/veterans/)

20
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas

University of Arkansas did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Education ranking, coming in at #20. This large school is located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and it awarded 597 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

UARK also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 27,562 students enrolled at UARK, 11 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 11 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,975. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. UARK offers credit for military training for eligible students.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, 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 University of Arkansas]](/colleges/university-of-arkansas/student-life/veterans/)

21
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Education ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this large public school handed out 576 degrees to qualified ’s education students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Florida State, 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 8 of the 43,569 students enrolled at Florida State University were GI Bill® students, of which 8 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,819. 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, 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 Florida State]](/colleges/florida-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

22
Syracuse crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York

Syracuse University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Education ranking, coming in at #22. Syracuse is a private not-for-profit institution located in Syracuse, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 277 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Syracuse, the school also landed 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 tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $20,840. To help with additional expenses, 217 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. 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/)

23

University of Wisconsin - Madison came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Education ranking. UW - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 613 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 44,640 students enrolled at University of Wisconsin - Madison, 4 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. 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.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate 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%.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Veteran Student Life Report

24

University of Missouri - Columbia landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Education ranking. University of Missouri - Columbia is a large school located in Columbia, Missouri that handed out 714 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

Mizzou did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 31,089 students enrolled at Mizzou, 5 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,384. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Mizzou offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. 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…

25

University of Dayton ranked #25 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Education list. University of Dayton is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Dayton, Ohio. It awarded 367 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UDayton, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 11,650 students enrolled at University of Dayton, 197 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 142 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $15,930. During this same period, 40 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 91%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UDayton]](/colleges/university-of-dayton/student-life/veterans/)

Rest of the Best 50 in Most Veteran Friendly for Education

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
GMU crest
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia
27
Rutgers New Brunswick crest
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey
28
28
30
Auburn crest
Auburn University
Auburn, Alabama
31
32
Eastern Michigan crest
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan
33
34
Brandman crest
Brandman University
Irvine, California
35
36
Old Dominion crest
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, Virginia
37
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
38
TROY crest
Troy University
Troy, Alabama
39
NYU crest
New York University
New York, New York
40
41
UND crest
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota
42
Saint Martin's crest
Saint Martin's University
Lacey, Washington
43
44
GWU crest
George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia
45
46
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia
47
Webster crest
Webster University
Saint Louis, Missouri
48
University of Redlands crest
University of Redlands
Redlands, California
49
50
Drexel crest
Drexel University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Veteran Friendly for Education

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51Pace University - New YorkNew York, NY
52University of Virginia - Main CampusCharlottesville, VA
53Central Michigan UniversityMount Pleasant, MI
54Iowa State UniversityAmes, IA
55Rider UniversityLawrenceville, NJ
56James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, VA
57North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, NC
58Miami University - OxfordOxford, OH
59University of Northern IowaCedar Falls, IA
60University of UtahSalt Lake City, UT
61Citadel Military College of South CarolinaCharleston, SC
62Samford UniversityBirmingham, AL
63Illinois State UniversityNormal, IL
64Bellarmine UniversityLouisville, KY
65University of Nebraska - LincolnLincoln, NE
RankCollegeLocation
66Montclair State UniversityMontclair, NJ
67University of South Florida - Main CampusTampa, FL
68Xavier UniversityCincinnati, OH
69University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA
70Western Michigan UniversityKalamazoo, MI
71Mississippi State UniversityMississippi State, MS
72University of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro, NC
73Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD
74University of California - San DiegoLa Jolla, CA
75Pacific Lutheran UniversityTacoma, WA
75Calvin UniversityGrand Rapids, MI
77Liberty UniversityLynchburg, VA
78Appalachian State UniversityBoone, NC
79Kutztown University of PennsylvaniaKutztown, PA
80University of South Carolina - ColumbiaColumbia, SC
81Marquette UniversityMilwaukee, WI
82University of North AlabamaFlorence, AL
82University of Central FloridaOrlando, FL
84West Chester University of PennsylvaniaWest Chester, PA
85Virginia TechBlacksburg, VA
86Queens CollegeQueens, NY
87University of HoustonHouston, TX
88Saint Louis UniversitySaint Louis, MO
88Gonzaga UniversitySpokane, WA
90University of ArizonaTucson, AZ
RankCollegeLocation
91Texas Christian UniversityFort Worth, TX
92Georgia State UniversityAtlanta, GA
92University of Wisconsin - Stevens PointStevens Point, WI
94North Dakota State University - Main CampusFargo, ND
95Grand Valley State UniversityAllendale, MI
96National UniversityLa Jolla, CA
97Brown UniversityProvidence, RI
97Saint Edward’s UniversityAustin, TX
99Baldwin Wallace UniversityBerea, OH
100Wayne State UniversityDetroit, MI
101Utah State UniversityLogan, UT
102Regent UniversityVirginia Beach, VA
102University of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsville, AL
104The College at BrockportBrockport, NY
105Lewis UniversityRomeoville, IL
106Indiana Wesleyan UniversityMarion, IN
107University of Maryland Global CampusAdelphi, MD
108Whitworth UniversitySpokane, WA
109University of ChicagoChicago, IL
110University of Southern MississippiHattiesburg, MS
111The University of Texas at San AntonioSan Antonio, TX
112Saint Joseph’s UniversityPhiladelphia, PA
113Creighton UniversityOmaha, NE
113University of California - IrvineIrvine, CA
115Georgia Southern UniversityStatesboro, GA
RankCollegeLocation
116Georgia Military CollegeMilledgeville, GA
117Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA
118Grand Canyon UniversityPhoenix, AZ
119Belmont UniversityNashville, TN
120University of Wisconsin - River FallsRiver Falls, WI
121San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, CA
122University of Illinois at ChicagoChicago, IL
122University of GeorgiaAthens, GA
124University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh CampusPittsburgh, PA
125Towson UniversityTowson, MD
126Delaware State UniversityDover, DE
127Northern Arizona UniversityFlagstaff, AZ
128University of WyomingLaramie, WY
129The University of Tennessee - KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN
130Oklahoma State University - Main CampusStillwater, OK
131University of Nebraska at OmahaOmaha, NE
132University of Wisconsin - La CrosseLa Crosse, WI
133University of New Mexico - Main CampusAlbuquerque, NM
134SUNY OswegoOswego, NY
135University of DenverDenver, CO
136University of MiamiCoral Gables, FL
137University of Cincinnati - Main CampusCincinnati, OH
138Manhattan CollegeRiverdale, NY
139Western Oregon UniversityMonmouth, OR
140Southern Illinois University EdwardsvilleEdwardsville, IL
RankCollegeLocation
141Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN
142Quinnipiac UniversityHamden, CT
143Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, TX
144Loyola University ChicagoChicago, IL
145University of North GeorgiaDahlonega, GA
146Boston UniversityBoston, MA
147Campbell UniversityBuies Creek, NC
148Wilkes UniversityWilkes-Barre, PA
149Stevenson UniversityStevenson, MD
150Western Washington UniversityBellingham, WA
151University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusDenver, CO
152University of St Thomas MinnesotaSaint Paul, MN
153Seattle UniversitySeattle, WA
154SUNY CortlandCortland, NY
155University of Louisiana at LafayetteLafayette, LA
156University of Wisconsin - Eau ClaireEau Claire, WI
157University of Wisconsin - MilwaukeeMilwaukee, WI
158Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeBaton Rouge, LA
158Cabrini UniversityRadnor, PA

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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