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2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States

2,104 Colleges
$52,296 Avg Salary*
49% Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*

Quality BadgeWhen it comes to choosing a college, veterans have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our Best Colleges for Veterans ranking is part of that endeavor.

After analyzing 2,104 schools in the United States, we came up with our list of those that offered the best educational experiences for veterans. Instead of depending on subjective information, we focus on over 20 objective factors to determine this ranking. These factors include such things as number of GI Bill® recipients at the school, percentage of costs covered by the GI Bill®, and the school's overall quality.

Find out more about our ranking methodology.

Customizing Your List

We know that one set of rankings doesn't always help you determine the best school for you, so we've created the ability to narrow your list by location and field of study as well as alternative rankings that prioritize different factors such as those of importance to online students or returning adults or those who value diversity and value for your money.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. If you're torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Top Colleges for Veterans in the United States

See which schools came out on top of our ranking:

#1

George Mason University

Fairfax, Virginia

Our 2021 rankings named George Mason University the best school in the United States for veterans working on their bachelor’s degree. George Mason University is a large public school located in Fairfax, Virginia that handed out 9,666 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Of the 38,541 students enrolled at GMU, 2,265 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1,599 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $11,143. To help with additional expenses, 44 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. GMU does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. GMU also claimed a spot on our Best Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.

Full George Mason University Report

#2

Excelsior University

Albany, New York

Out of the 2,104 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Excelsior University landed the #2 spot on the list. This large private not-for-profit school is located in Albany, New York, and it awarded 5,019 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Among the 21,974 students enrolled at Excelsior University, 2,826 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,792. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Excelsior University excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Schools list.

Full Excelsior University Report

#3

Texas A&M University - College Station

College Station, Texas

The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Texas A&M University - College Station helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools for veterans in the United States. Texas A&M College Station is a public institution located in College Station, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 18,160 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Of the 70,418 students enrolled at Texas A&M College Station, 2,040 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1,388 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,525. Texas A&M College Station does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. In addition to its great veterans ranking, Texas A&M College Station is in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Schools list.

Read More…

#4

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Florida. The school came in at #4 in the United States on this year’s best for vets ranking. UF is a public institution located in Gainesville, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 15,815 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Of the 53,372 students enrolled at UF, 1,109 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 752 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,193. UF does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. UF also claimed a spot on our Best Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.

Full University of Florida Report

#5

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The school came in at #5 in the United States on this year’s best for vets ranking. This large public school is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and it awarded 9,954 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.

According to our most recent data, UNC Chapel Hill supports 30,092 students, and 641 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 419 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,668. During this same period, 18 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. UNC Chapel Hill excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Schools list.

Read full report on University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

#6

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities ranked #6 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States list. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the large public school handed out 13,642 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.

According to our most recent data, UMN Twin Cities supports 52,017 students, and 824 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 585 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $15,664. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. In addition to its great veterans ranking, UMN Twin Cities is in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Schools list.

Read More…

#7

Rutgers University - New Brunswick

New Brunswick, New Jersey

Rutgers University - New Brunswick came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States ranking. New Brunswick, New Jersey is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 13,409 students in 2019-2020.

Of the 50,411 students enrolled at Rutgers New Brunswick, 442 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 256 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,136. To help with additional expenses, 4 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Rutgers New Brunswick does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Rutgers New Brunswick also is in the top 10% of our Best Schools ranking.

Read More…

#8

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah

University of Utah came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States ranking. This large public school is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it awarded 8,473 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.

According to our most recent data, U of U supports 33,081 students, and 988 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 723 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,580. To help with additional expenses, 39 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. As a testament to the quality of education it offers, U of U also is in the top 20% of our Best Schools ranking.

Read More…

#9

Creighton University

Omaha, Nebraska

Creighton University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States ranking. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and it awarded 2,520 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.

According to our most recent data, Creighton supports 8,770 students, and 279 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 241 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $16,534. To help with additional expenses, 34 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Creighton does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. On top of its placing in our veterans ranking, Creighton also did well on our Best Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Read full report on Creighton University

#10

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States ranking. Florida State is a large public school situated in Tallahassee, Florida. It awarded 13,051 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Our most recent data shows that 986 of the 43,569 students enrolled at Florida State were GI Bill® students, of which 582 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,897. On top of their other funding sources, 20 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Florida State does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Florida State also claimed a spot on our Best Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.

Read More…

#11

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia

James Madison University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States ranking. Located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, the large public school awarded 5,705 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.

Our most recent data shows that 800 of the 21,594 students enrolled at JMU were GI Bill® students, of which 637 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,908. On top of their other funding sources, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. JMU does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The low student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%. As a testament to the quality of education it offers, JMU also is in the top 5% of our Best Schools ranking.

Read full report on James Madison University

Florida International University landed the #12 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States ranking. FIU is located in Miami, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17,230 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.

Of the 58,836 students enrolled at FIU, 1,099 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 646 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,649. FIU does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read full report on Florida International University

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States ranking. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 14,582 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Our most recent data shows that 500 of the 52,679 students enrolled at UIUC were GI Bill® students, of which 247 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,702. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. On top of its placing in our veterans ranking, UIUC also did well on our Best Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Report

#14

Bellevue University

Bellevue, Nebraska

Bellevue University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States ranking, coming in at #14. Bellevue, Nebraska is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,587 students in 2019-2020.

Of the 13,059 students enrolled at Bellevue University, 1,566 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1,139 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,020. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Read More…

#15

Fort Hays State University

Hays, Kansas

Fort Hays State University landed the #15 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States ranking. Fort Hays State University is a fairly large public school located in Hays, Kansas that handed out 3,928 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.

According to our most recent data, FHSU supports 15,033 students, and 328 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 208 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,219. FHSU does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Full Fort Hays State University Report

#16

University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stout landed the #16 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States ranking. Located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,906 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Our most recent data shows that 294 of the 7,970 students enrolled at UW - Stout were GI Bill® students, of which 154 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,676. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. UW - Stout excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Schools list.

Read More…

University of South Florida - Main Campus ranked #17 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States list. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a large public school located in Tampa, Florida that handed out 14,845 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Among the 50,626 students enrolled at USF Tampa, 2,349 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1,482 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,646. On top of their other funding sources, 14 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. USF Tampa does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. USF Tampa also claimed a spot on our Best Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.

Read full report on University of South Florida - Main Campus

#18

University of Central Florida

Orlando, Florida

University of Central Florida came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States ranking. UCF is a large public school situated in Orlando, Florida. It awarded 17,813 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Among the 71,881 students enrolled at UCF, 2,247 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1,137 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,197. On top of their other funding sources, 1 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. UCF does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. In addition to its great veterans ranking, UCF is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Schools list.

Full University of Central Florida Report

#19

Towson University

Towson, Maryland

Towson University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States list. Towson is located in Towson, Maryland and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5,726 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.

According to our most recent data, Towson supports 21,917 students, and 671 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 475 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,030. In addition to receiving other benefits, 11 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Towson does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. On top of its placing in our veterans ranking, Towson also did well on our Best Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Full Towson University Report

#20

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #20 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States list. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large public school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 13,342 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Among the 44,640 students enrolled at UW - Madison, 554 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 346 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,489. During this same period, 21 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 student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%. In addition to its great veterans ranking, UW - Madison is in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Schools list.

Read More…

#21

Rowan University

Glassboro, New Jersey

Rowan University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States list. Located in Glassboro, New Jersey, the fairly large public school handed out 4,993 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Among the 19,678 students enrolled at Rowan, 383 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 192 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,018. Rowan does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Rowan also is in the top 15% of our Best Schools ranking.

Full Rowan University Report

#22

Duquesne University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Duquesne University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States ranking, coming in at #22. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 2,739 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Of the 8,830 students enrolled at Duquesne, 211 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 164 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $20,088. On top of their other funding sources, 46 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%. Duquesne also claimed a spot on our Best Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.

Read More…

#23

Washington State University

Pullman, Washington

Washington State University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States ranking, coming in at #23. Wazzu is located in Pullman, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7,635 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.

Our most recent data shows that 1,046 of the 31,159 students enrolled at Wazzu were GI Bill® students, of which 566 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,054. During this same period, 2 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low student loan default rate of 4.6% 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%. As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Wazzu also is in the top 15% of our Best Schools ranking.

Read full report on Washington State University

#24

University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #24 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States list. University of Illinois at Chicago is a large public school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 7,995 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.

According to our most recent data, UIC supports 33,518 students, and 489 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 272 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,722. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. On top of its placing in our veterans ranking, UIC also did well on our Best Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Read More…

#25

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts

Westfield State University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the United States ranking, coming in at #25. Westfield is a medium-sized public school situated in Westfield, Massachusetts. It awarded 1,666 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Our most recent data shows that 216 of the 5,395 students enrolled at Westfield were GI Bill® students, of which 113 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,509. To help with additional expenses, 3 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%. In addition to its great veterans ranking, Westfield is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Schools list.

Full Westfield State University Report

Rest of the Best 50 Colleges for Veterans in the United States

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

#26

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona
#27

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina
#29

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#30

Oregon State University

Corvallis, Oregon
#30

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#32

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#33

Drexel University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

#34

Iowa State University

Ames, Iowa

#35

George Washington University

Washington, District of Columbia
#36

Radford University

Radford, Virginia
#37

East Carolina University

Greenville, North Carolina
#39

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, Virginia
#40

California University of Pennsylvania

California, Pennsylvania
#41

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Birmingham, Alabama
#42

California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, California
#43

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, Virginia

#44

University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Lincoln, Nebraska

#45

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#46

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa
#47

Saint Joseph's University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#48

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs, Colorado
#50

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in the United States

To learn more about the schools below, just click on their names:

Rank College Location
51 University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst, MA
52 Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH
53 University of North Florida Jacksonville, FL
54 Webster University Saint Louis, MO
55 North Dakota State University - Main Campus Fargo, ND
56 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI
57 Syracuse University Syracuse, NY
58 California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CA
59 Illinois State University Normal, IL
60 Union Institute & University Cincinnati, OH
61 The University of West Florida Pensacola, FL
62 California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CA
63 University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO
64 Pennsylvania State University - University Park University Park, PA
65 Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO
Rank College Location
66 California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Pomona, CA
67 Winona State University Winona, MN
68 California State University - East Bay Hayward, CA
69 University of Kentucky Lexington, KY
70 Portland State University Portland, OR
71 University of Wisconsin - Whitewater Whitewater, WI
72 Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX
73 University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Green Bay, WI
74 University of Wyoming Laramie, WY
75 The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL
76 Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL
77 University of Houston - Downtown Houston, TX
78 University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WA
79 Central Washington University Ellensburg, WA
80 University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OH
81 Alexandria Technical & Community College Alexandria, MN
82 Lewis University Romeoville, IL
83 Gonzaga University Spokane, WA
84 Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY
85 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI
86 Ashland University Ashland, OH
87 National University La Jolla, CA
88 Georgetown University Washington, DC
89 Alliant International University San Diego, CA
90 Marymount University Arlington, VA
Rank College Location
91 West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Chester, PA
92 Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN
93 Lindenwood University Saint Charles, MO
94 University of North Carolina at Wilmington Wilmington, NC
95 University of Central Missouri Warrensburg, MO
96 University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND
97 Eastern Washington University Cheney, WA
98 The College of Saint Scholastica Duluth, MN
99 Regent University Virginia Beach, VA
100 University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MD
101 New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJ
102 Concordia University, Saint Paul Saint Paul, MN
103 University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD
104 Kean University Union, NJ
105 University of South Carolina - Columbia Columbia, SC
106 King University Bristol, TN
107 Regis University Denver, CO
108 Arizona State University - Tempe Tempe, AZ
109 Endicott College Beverly, MA
110 University of Houston - Clear Lake Houston, TX
111 University of Baltimore Baltimore, MD
112 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX
113 Cleveland State University Cleveland, OH
114 University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA
115 San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA
Rank College Location
116 Robert Morris University Moon Township, PA
117 Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH
118 Western Illinois University Macomb, IL
119 University of Kansas Lawrence, KS
120 DePaul University Chicago, IL
121 Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, IN
122 California State University - Northridge Northridge, CA
123 Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT
124 Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids, IA
125 Tarleton State University Stephenville, TX
126 Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MO
127 Bethel University Minnesota Saint Paul, MN
128 Golden Gate University - San Francisco San Francisco, CA
129 California State University - Stanislaus Turlock, CA
130 Texas Woman’s University Denton, TX
131 D’Youville College Buffalo, NY
132 Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi Corpus Christi, TX
133 Oregon Institute of Technology Klamath Falls, OR
134 Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD
135 Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
136 California State University - Channel Islands Camarillo, CA
137 University of Houston Houston, TX
138 SUNY Empire State College Saratoga Springs, NY
139 Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Stillwater, OK
140 University of Hawaii - West Oahu Kapolei, HI
Rank College Location
141 University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS
142 Bowling Green State University - Main Campus Bowling Green, OH
143 Azusa Pacific University Azusa, CA
144 California State University - Dominguez Hills Carson, CA
145 Miami University - Oxford Oxford, OH
146 University of Nevada - Reno Reno, NV
147 University of North Texas Denton, TX
148 Athens State University Athens, AL
149 University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE
150 University of Nevada - Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV
151 University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO
152 Tennessee Technological University Cookeville, TN
153 Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ
154 Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX
155 National Louis University Chicago, IL
156 University of Minnesota - Crookston Crookston, MN
157 University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Denver, CO
158 Edgewood College Madison, WI
159 University of Illinois at Springfield Springfield, IL
160 Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL
161 Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC
162 University of Northern Colorado Greeley, CO
163 Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato, MN
164 Western Washington University Bellingham, WA
165 University of St Thomas Minnesota Saint Paul, MN
Rank College Location
166 University of Southern Maine Portland, ME
167 Salem State University Salem, MA
168 Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College Shell Lake, WI
169 William & Mary Williamsburg, VA
170 Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Atlanta, GA
171 South Dakota State University Brookings, SD
172 California Baptist University Riverside, CA
173 California State University - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
174 Columbia College Columbia, MO
175 Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN
176 Wichita State University Wichita, KS
177 Trevecca Nazarene University Nashville, TN
178 University of Louisville Louisville, KY
179 Mount St Mary’s University Emmitsburg, MD
180 Brigham Young University - Provo Provo, UT
181 University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, HI
182 Auburn University Auburn, AL
183 City University of Seattle Seattle, WA
184 Pace University - New York New York, NY
185 Simpson University Redding, CA
186 University of New Hampshire - Main Campus Durham, NH
187 California Lutheran University Thousand Oaks, CA
188 California State University - Chico Chico, CA
189 Texas State University San Marcos, TX
190 Florida State College at Jacksonville Jacksonville, FL
Rank College Location
191 University of Miami Coral Gables, FL
192 Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI
193 University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN
194 Viterbo University La Crosse, WI
195 Binghamton University Vestal, NY
196 George Fox University Newberg, OR
197 Thomas Edison State University Trenton, NJ
198 Boston University Boston, MA
199 University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC
200 Northeastern University Boston, MA
201 University of Toledo Toledo, OH
202 Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA
203 Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA
204 Fitchburg State University Fitchburg, MA
205 California State University - San Marcos San Marcos, CA
206 Murray State University Murray, KY
207 Biola University La Mirada, CA
207 University of the Incarnate Word San Antonio, TX
209 Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA
210 Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL
211 Framingham State University Framingham, MA
212 American University Washington, DC
213 University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg, VA
214 California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA
215 California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA
Rank College Location
216 Eastern Oregon University La Grande, OR
217 University of Dayton Dayton, OH
218 Marquette University Milwaukee, WI
219 Clemson University Clemson, SC
220 John F. Kennedy University Pleasant Hill, CA
221 Baker University Baldwin City, KS
222 Champlain College Burlington, VT
223 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA
224 Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI
225 University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC
226 Washburn University Topeka, KS
227 Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MS
228 Saint Martin’s University Lacey, WA
229 Gwynedd Mercy University Gwynedd Valley, PA
230 Fordham University Bronx, NY
231 Hamline University Saint Paul, MN
232 Spring Arbor University Spring Arbor, MI
233 University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR
234 Citadel Military College of South Carolina Charleston, SC
235 Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY
236 Augusta University Augusta, GA
237 The University of Texas at Tyler Tyler, TX
238 Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA
239 Siena Heights University Adrian, MI
240 Adelphi University Garden City, NY
Rank College Location
241 Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX
242 Brandman University Irvine, CA
243 Baldwin Wallace University Berea, OH
244 New York University New York, NY
245 SUNY Oswego Oswego, NY
246 Rutgers University - Newark Newark, NJ
247 William Woods University Fulton, MO
248 Idaho State University Pocatello, ID
249 Saint Leo University Saint Leo, FL
250 Texas A&M University - Texarkana Texarkana, TX
251 Belmont University Nashville, TN
252 University of Wisconsin - La Crosse La Crosse, WI
253 Bemidji State University Bemidji, MN
254 Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY
255 Elmhurst University Elmhurst, IL
256 University of Denver Denver, CO
257 Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI
258 Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI
259 Grace College and Theological Seminary Winona Lake, IN
260 Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus Indiana, PA
261 Marian University Fond Du Lac, WI
262 Maryville University of Saint Louis Saint Louis, MO
263 Utah State University Logan, UT
264 William Paterson University of New Jersey Wayne, NJ
265 University of Mississippi University, MS
Rank College Location
266 University of Massachusetts - Lowell Lowell, MA
267 Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY
268 University of Idaho Moscow, ID
269 University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY
270 Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ
271 Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale, FL
272 Wilmington University New Castle, DE
273 University of St Francis Joliet, IL
274 Kansas State University Manhattan, KS
275 Southern Illinois University Carbondale Carbondale, IL
276 California State University - Fresno Fresno, CA
277 Xavier University Cincinnati, OH
278 Michigan State University East Lansing, MI
279 Sacred Heart University Fairfield, CT
280 University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA
281 John Brown University Siloam Springs, AR
282 SUNY Maritime College Throggs Neck, NY
283 Wright State University - Main Campus Dayton, OH
284 Rider University Lawrenceville, NJ
285 Ohio University - Athens Campus Athens, OH
286 Weber State University Ogden, UT
287 University of New Mexico - Main Campus Albuquerque, NM
288 Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA
289 Catholic University of America Washington, DC
290 University of Georgia Athens, GA
Rank College Location
291 The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TX
292 Liberty University Lynchburg, VA
293 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach Daytona Beach, FL
294 University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA
295 St Petersburg College Clearwater, FL
296 Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MO
297 Frostburg State University Frostburg, MD
298 St. John Fisher College Rochester, NY
299 Upper Iowa University Fayette, IA
300 Minnesota State University - Moorhead Moorhead, MN
301 University of Virginia - Main Campus Charlottesville, VA
302 Montclair State University Montclair, NJ
303 Stockton University Galloway, NJ
304 Villanova University Villanova, PA
305 Fayetteville State University Fayetteville, NC
306 Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma, WA
307 Oakland University Rochester Hills, MI
308 Millersville University of Pennsylvania Millersville, PA
309 Northeastern State University Tahlequah, OK
310 Frederick Community College Frederick, MD
311 Niagara University Niagara University, NY
312 California State University - Monterey Bay Seaside, CA
313 Fox Valley Technical College Appleton, WI
314 Saint Louis University Saint Louis, MO
315 Dakota State University Madison, SD
Rank College Location
316 University of Redlands Redlands, CA

All Majors and Fields of Study >

Honorable Mentions

These schools also performed well in our Best Colleges for Veterans ranking:

Rank College Location
317 Shoreline Community College Shoreline, WA
318 Granite State College Concord, NH
319 University of Wisconsin - River Falls River Falls, WI
320 The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TN
321 Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers, FL
322 Lamar University Beaumont, TX
323 Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL
324 Lipscomb University Nashville, TN
325 West Texas A&M University Canyon, TX
326 East Tennessee State University Johnson City, TN
327 University of Wisconsin - Superior Superior, WI
328 Monmouth University West Long Branch, NJ
329 Jacksonville University Jacksonville, FL
330 Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, MA
331 Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX
Rank College Location
332 University of Minnesota - Duluth Duluth, MN
333 Samford University Birmingham, AL
334 Texas A&M International University Laredo, TX
335 University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI
336 Metropolitan State University Saint Paul, MN
337 Concordia University, Irvine Irvine, CA
338 Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Fennimore, WI
339 University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI
340 Drake University Des Moines, IA
341 Clarion University of Pennsylvania Clarion, PA
342 University of the Cumberlands Williamsburg, KY
343 Bellarmine University Louisville, KY
343 SUNY Canton Canton, NY
345 Western Governors University Salt Lake City, UT
346 Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Bloomsburg, PA
347 Southeast Technical College Sioux Falls, SD
348 Stetson University DeLand, FL
349 Bismarck State College Bismarck, ND
350 Longwood University Farmville, VA
351 Notre Dame of Maryland University Baltimore, MD
Rank College Location
352 University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI
353 Rutgers University - Camden Camden, NJ
354 Northcentral Technical College Wausau, WI
355 Chadron State College Chadron, NE
356 Valdosta State University Valdosta, GA
357 Bay Path University Longmeadow, MA
358 University of Nebraska at Kearney Kearney, NE
359 Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY
360 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City, SD
361 University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee Sarasota, FL
362 Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO
363 Santa Fe College Gainesville, FL
364 Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Slippery Rock, PA
365 The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TX
365 Park University Parkville, MO
367 Austin Peay State University Clarksville, TN
368 Cornell University Ithaca, NY
369 Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI
370 Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, FL
371 Christopher Newport University Newport News, VA
Rank College Location
372 Utah Valley University Orem, UT
373 Mid-America Christian University Oklahoma City, OK
374 Clarkson University Potsdam, NY
375 MSU Texas Wichita Falls, TX
376 University of Southern Indiana Evansville, IN
377 University of Oregon Eugene, OR
378 Salisbury University Salisbury, MD
379 Whitworth University Spokane, WA
380 Grand View University Des Moines, IA
381 Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, CO
382 University of New Haven West Haven, CT
383 Southern Utah University Cedar City, UT
384 Nazareth College Rochester, NY
385 Ramapo College of New Jersey Mahwah, NJ
386 University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock, AR
387 Albertus Magnus College New Haven, CT
388 University of Alabama in Huntsville Huntsville, AL
389 DeSales University Center Valley, PA
390 American Public University System Charles Town, WV
391 Indiana State University Terre Haute, IN
Rank College Location
391 Governors State University University Park, IL
393 Immaculata University Immaculata, PA
394 Campbell University Buies Creek, NC
395 Roberts Wesleyan College Rochester, NY
396 University of Michigan - Dearborn Dearborn, MI
397 ECPI University Virginia Beach, VA
398 University of West Georgia Carrollton, GA
399 Loyola University New Orleans New Orleans, LA
400 University of Washington - Bothell Campus Bothell, WA
401 The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN
402 Texas A&M University - Commerce Commerce, TX
403 Broward College Fort Lauderdale, FL
404 Lewis - Clark State College Lewiston, ID
405 La Roche University Pittsburgh, PA
406 Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Winona, MN
407 University of Missouri - St Louis Saint Louis, MO
408 Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, KY
409 University of La Verne La Verne, CA
410 University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD
411 University of Vermont Burlington, VT
Rank College Location
412 Norwich University Northfield, VT
413 University of Memphis Memphis, TN
414 Manhattan College Riverdale, NY
415 University of Evansville Evansville, IN
416 Madonna University Livonia, MI
417 University of Massachusetts - Boston Boston, MA
418 Wentworth Institute of Technology Boston, MA
419 University at Albany Albany, NY
420 Marist College Poughkeepsie, NY
421 Benedictine University Lisle, IL

More Rankings >

Narrow Colleges by Region

View the Best Colleges for Veterans for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Great Lakes

Notes and References

Footnotes

*Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top 25 schools only.

**GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
  • Removed schools reflect instances of new data identified post-publication that warrant removal of a school from this year’s ranking.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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