The brave men and women enlisted in the US military risk it all to protect their country. Returning to civilian life and higher education, however, can sometimes be difficult. Luckily there are many benefits available to veterans, and the schools on this list are the most supportive.
We looked at the number of service programs at the college, the number of veteran students impacted, and the amount of benefits awarded to create a vet-friendliness score. From there, we limited the colleges to College Raptor’s top 500 overall rankings. Keep in mind, those with higher vet-friendliness scores are higher up on the list, regardless of their overall rank.
Here are the most veteran-friendly colleges in the United States.
Top 25 Best Veteran-Friendly Colleges
With campuses in both Brooklyn and Long Island, St. Joseph’s College is a private baccalaureate college. The Brooklyn campus consists of 81% undergraduate students and 19% graduate students. Special Education and Teaching is the most popular major, followed by Business Administration and Nursing.
Location
Brooklyn, NY
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,185
Often referred to as simply the Citadel, this school has a patriotic motto of “Honor, Duty, Respect.” It’s campus is located on the Ashley River. Though a military college, the most popular majors include Business, Mechanical Engineering, and Criminal Justice. The school colors are Citadel blue, navy, and white.
Location
Charleston, SC
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
3,767
Located by the Des Plaines River, Lewis University offers up to a doctor’s degree. It has a 66% acceptance rate. 100% of students receive institutional financial aid from the school. Alumni of Lewis University have gone onto impressive careers, including movie directors, professional athletes, politicians. Grammy-winner Chaka Khan graduated from Lewis.
Location
Romeoville, IL
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
6,359
Blue and gold are the official colors of the Monroe Mustangs. The school competes in 12 sports, including cross country, soccer, volleyball, and basketball. The campus is located between the Harlem River and the New York Botanical Garden. Monroe has an acceptance rate of 49% and a six year graduation rate of 77%.
Location
Bronx, NY
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
6,517
Colorado Christian University has an incredibly high acceptance rate - 98%! Unlike many schools who use Latin in their school mottos, CCU takes inspiration from the Greeks. “χαρις και αληθεια” translates to mean “Grace and Truth.” Psychology is the most popular major, followed by Business Administration and Nursing.
Location
Lakewood, CO
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
7,587
Known as UNC Charlotte or even just Charlotte, this school offers up to the doctor’s degree. That said, 81% of students on campus actually study at the undergraduate level. The school receives nearly 20,000 applications a year and accepts around 80%. There is a 19:1 student to faculty ratio and 92% of the incoming students call North Carolina home.
Location
Charlotte, NC
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
29,615
Pacific Lutheran University has a noble motto - “Educating for Lives of Thoughtful Inquiry, Service, Leadership, and Care.” Business, Nursing, Kinesiology, Psychology, and Biology are the top five most popular majors. Notable alumni include Rosanna Pansino, Marissa Meyer, and Michael Peterson.
Location
Tacoma, WA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
3,062
The second-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, King William III and Queen Mary II founded the aptly named College of William & Mary in 1693. A public research university, alumni have included Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, John Tyler, James Comey, and Jon Stewart. The mascot is the Griffin.
Location
Williamsburg, VA
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
8,773
Located on a peninsula in the Bagaduce River and Penobscot Bay, the Maine Maritime Academy is a non-federal maritime training school. Students are not required to join the military after graduation. With a 11:1 student to faculty ratio, the school also has a first-year retention rate of 80%.
Location
Castine, ME
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
1,006
“Men and Women in Service of Others” is the motto of Regis University. The school has a near even split between undergraduate and graduate students - 51% and 49% respectively. Regis does not charge students application fees. Additionally, 98% of Regis students receive institutional financial aid to help cover costs.
Location
Denver, CO
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
6,908
Purple and gold are the colors of the Lipscomb Bisons sports teams. Their mascot is named LU the Bison. Lipscomb’s most anticipated sporting event is their basketball match with rival Belmont University known as the Battle of the Boulevard. Academically, Lipscomb’s most popular major is Business followed very closely by Nursing.
Location
Nashville, TN
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
4,595
Known as UH Manoa, the school’s Hawaiian motto “Maluna aʻe o nā lāhui āpau ke ola ke kānaka” means “Above all nations is humanity” in English. The school is located on the island of Oahu in the state’s capital. Green and white are the school’s colors. The university offers up to a doctor’s degree, though 72% of students study at the undergraduate level.
Location
Honolulu, HI
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
17,490
Marywood University has, perhaps aptly given its name, a national arboretum. 100% of students receive institutional financial aid to help cover costs. Marywood has an impressive 86% first year retention rate. Registered Nursing is the most popular major, followed by Health Professions and Architecture.
Location
Scranton, PA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
2,679
Tempe is home to the main campus of the Arizona State University system. One of the buildings on campus, the Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium, was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The school receives around 53,500 applications every year. 88% of the students at ASU Tempe get institutional aid to help pay for college.
Location
Tempe, AZ
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
53,286
Yale University got its start in 1701 under the name Collegiate School, getting its current name in 1718. Their motto Lux et veritas means “Light and truth” in Latin. The university is made up of fourteen schools including the undergraduate college, twelve professional schools, and the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Students have a 6% chance of getting accepted to Yale.
Location
New Haven, CT
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
13,609
Popular majors at Brown University include computer science, biology, entrepreneurship, and history. Founded in 1764, it was the first school in North America that accepted students regardless of their religion. Their women’s institution (Pembroke College) was merged into Brown in 1971. Alumni have gone on to create famous companies including ZipRecruiter, Cards Against Humanity, and CNN.
Location
Providence, RI
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
10,333
The southernmost campus of the University of California system, it is located close to the Pacific Ocean. The school covers over 200 undergraduate programs, 19 organized research units, and boasts the region’s only academic Health System. The school has a 93% first year retention rate. Some alumni of the San Diego school include Angela Davis, Mike Judge, and David J. Peterson.
Location
La Jolla, CA
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
38,736
73% of the students at Texas Christian University receive institutional aid to help cover the cost of college. Also known as TCU, this school has an impressive 91% freshman retention rate. Registered Nursing is the most popular major, quickly followed by Public Relations. Purple and white are the official school colors.
Location
Fort Worth, TX
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
11,024
The flagship university of Colorado, CSU’s mascot is Cam the Ram. Popular sports on campus include track, basketball, and football among others. Business Administration is by far and away the most popular major at the school. There is a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio and an acceptance rate of 84%.
Location
Fort Collins, CO
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
33,426
Known as GVSU, the school is located on the Grand River. That said, the sports teams are known as the Lakers. Their mascot is Louie the Laker. Blue, black, and white are the trio of school colors. 89% of the incoming students call Michigan home. 69% of students are expected to graduate within 6 years.
Location
Allendale, MI
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
24,033
UW Bothell, as it’s often called, actually shares its campus with another school - Cascadia College. There is a near even split between male and female students attending UW Bothell at both the undergrad and graduate levels. The school offers up to the master’s degree level of education. Holly the Husky is UW Bothell’s mascot.
Location
Bothell, WA
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
5,913
Known originally as the Valparaiso Male and Female College in 1859, the school would undergo a number of name changes before landing on the current title in 1907. Alumni of Valparaiso have gone onto to become noted politicians, novelists, actors, sports coaches, and CEOs. Valparaiso has an 87% acceptance rate and does not charge undergraduate application fees.
Location
Valparaiso, IN
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
3,502
The University of Arizona is actually older than the state itself - founded in 1885 where Arizona became a state in 1912. Today, nearly 45,000 students study at UA, 77% of which are pursuing their bachelor’s degree. Psychology is the most popular major among students. Additionally, the school has at least one student from every state - including DC.
Location
Tucson, AZ
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
44,577
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT, currently has about 11,500 students attending. They offer up to a doctorate degree with many students focusing on computer science and mechanical engineering. Mathematics and physics are also common majors. Alumni have gone on to found companies like Intel, Koch Industries, Dropbox, and Campbell Soup.
Location
Cambridge, MA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
11,520
George Mason University is the largest public college in the Virginian commonwealth. “Freedom and Learning” is the school’s motto. Criminal Justice, Information Technology, and Psychology are the top three most popular majors. George Mason University, also called GMU, has an 86% first year retention rate and a 72% 6-year graduation rate.
Location
Fairfax, VA
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
37,863
Interested in any of these schools? Check out College Raptor’s free match tool to see if they’re a good fit for you!
Methodology
Colleges are ranked based on a combination of factors, including graduation rates, campus diversity, endowment per student, and other data as reported via the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for the most recently-available enrollment year. Some colleges may have been excluded from rankings based on certain criteria, including specialization and classification. Learn about our full methodology.
