Our nation’s military offers extensive education benefits to active duty service members through programs tailored to each branch of service. These benefits support professional growth, personal development, and career transitions into civilian life. Here’s a detailed look at the education benefits provided by the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force, along with the non-service specific GI Bills.
Tuition Assistance (TA)
The Department of Defense lays out the general guidelines for the Tuition Assistance program. Each branch then tailors the basic program to make it each their own.
- Army – Covers up to $250 per semester hour- with a maximum of $4,000 per year – for active-duty soldiers pursuing a college degree. Do the math and this equates to 16 semester credit hours per fiscal year (FY).
- Navy – Similar to the Army’s TA program, it covers tuition costs up to $250 per semester credit hour but with a $4,500 annual cap for a total of 18 semester credit hours per FY.
- Marine Corps – As with the Navy’s TA, the Marine Corps also covers tuition costs up to $250 per semester credit hour and $4,500 annually per FY, but the Marine Corps TA also covers active duty reserve in addition to active duty personnel.
- Air Force – In line with the Navy and Marine Corps, the Air Force provides up to $250 per semester credit hour and a $4,500 annual cap for active-duty airmen.
- Space Force – Similar to other branches, Guardians can get tuition covered up to $250 per semester hour with a $4,500 annual cap for active-duty members.
- Coast Guard – Their TA program covers up to $250 per semester hour and a maximum of $4,500 annually per FY. The Coast Guard has lifted their previous lifetime credit limit, thus allowing up to 18 credit hours per year of post-secondary education. Coast Guard Civilians are eligible for COOL funding as long as the credential is related to their federal series occupation.
Credentialing Opportunities Online (COOL)
- Army – This COOL program has provided in the past up to $4,000 annually to earn professional certifications and licenses. However, recently the Amry announced that it is cutting this amount in half – down to $2,000 per year per eligible soldier. In addition, soldiers will now only be able to take one credentialing course per year and earn no more than three credentials during a 10-year period. Officers will no longer be eligible to take credentialing courses once the change goes into effect.
- Navy – Similar to the other branches’ COOL programs, the Navy funds credentialing and licensing for career advancement. Sailors can pursue certifications in fields ranging from information technology to logistics, aligning their skills with civilian industry standards. COOL also helps sailors prepare for transitioning to civilian careers by earning credentials at no cost to them which can be helpful when applying for jobs in the civilian marketplace.
- Marine Corps – The Corps COOL program supports credentialing for military and civilian careers. This program provides financial assistance for obtaining certifications and licenses in various fields, helping Marines align their skills with civilian job markets.
- Air Force – As with the other COOL programs, this one fund’s certifications and licenses (up to a $4,500 lifetime cap) in career-relevant fields, ensuring enlisted airmen can meet both military and civilian professional standards. The program supports various technical and managerial certifications to advance their careers and help them enter the civilian workplace once out of the military.
- Space Force – With this COOL program, Guardians can earn certifications and credentials in advanced technical fields such as cybersecurity and space operations. This program ensures our Space Force Guardians are equipped with the latest industry-recognized certifications to meet the demands of space-focused and cybersecurity careers.
- U.S. Coast Guard Credentialing Program: The Coast Guard COOL program covers certifications and licenses relevant to maritime and civilian roles. Service members can enhance their qualifications in fields such as engineering, navigation, and emergency response through this program, which also assists with exam fees and study materials. Coast Guard Civilians are eligible for COOL funding as long as the credential is related to their federal series occupation.
Branch-Specific Education Opportunities
Here’s the 411 for each of the branches.
Army
While serving, the Army emphasizes education as a pathway to leadership and career advancement. One of these key benefits include the Green to Gold Program: The G to G program enables active-duty enlisted soldiers to become commissioned officers by earning a college degree through ROTC scholarships.
Navy
The Navy as a branch also invests heavily in education to support its high-tech mission. Notable benefits include:
- Navy College Program: This program offers access to partnerships with colleges and universities that provide distance learning opportunities tailored to sailors’ schedules. As the equipment becomes more and more complex, so does the education base required to operate and maintain this equipment.
- Seaman to Admiral-21 (STA-21): Similar to the Army’s Green to Gold program, this is a competitive commissioning program that covers tuition and fees while allowing sailors to earn a bachelor’s degree and transition into officer ranks.
Air Force
The Air Force prioritizes education as a foundation for its highly skilled workforce. Benefits include:
- Community College of the Air Force (CCAF): This is the Air Force’s own regionally accredited community college, offering associate degrees in applied science.
- Air Force ROTC Scholarships: Through the ROTC program, high school and college students can earn scholarships that they can use to not only earn a bachelor’s degree but to also prepare them to become commissioned active-duty officers.
Marine Corps
Marines receive education benefits tailored to their unique mission and career development goals to include their Leadership Scholar Program that connects transitioning Marines with top-tier colleges and universities.
Coast Guard
The Coast Guard’s education benefits focus on preparing service members for success in both maritime and civilian careers by offering their College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (CSPI): This program provides full tuition for eligible students in exchange for a service commitment as a Coast Guard officer.
Space Force
As the newest branch, the Space Force emphasizes education to support its cutting-edge mission. Benefits include their Scholarship for Service Programs where partnerships are established with universities to offer scholarships for careers in space and cybersecurity.
GI Bills
The TA and COOL programs for most branches are administered by the Department of Defense with the exception of the Coast Guard. They fall under the Department of Homeland Security. However, the two most popular GI Bills – Post 9/11 and Montgomery GI Bills – are managed by the Department of Veteran Affairs. Another difference is that the GI Bills are mainly used by veterans although they may be used while on active duty in conjunction with the Tuition Top-Up program under certain conditions.
- Post-9/11 GI Bill offers tuition coverage that is paid directly to the school, a monthly housing allowance based on the zip code of the school, and up to $1,000 per academic year in a stipend for books and supplies for veterans and active-duty soldiers who meet the service requirements.
- The Montgomery GI Bill differs from the Post 9/11 GI Bill in that it pays the student a fixed amount and the student is then responsible to pay all of their own education-related expenses.
Taking advantage of the education opportunities available in your branch of service not only furthers your education while serving at the expense of your branch, but preserves your GI Bill benefits so they can be used at a later date for an advanced degree, or in the case of the Post 9/11 GI Bill, transfer those education benefits to a spouse or dependent child or children while you are still serving.
