Trends in Tuition Assistance Usage by Active Duty Military Members at For-Profit Colleges and Universities
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Date
2019-04
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Abstract
Studies of veteran education benefits typically focus on the rates of GI Bill usage and dollar amounts collected, while also observing resultant employment and earnings data. There is a lack of research on Tuition Assistance (TA) trends of active duty military members. In addition, studies of usage patterns at for-profit institutions are lacking. Despite recent legislation protecting military members from the predatory practices of some for-profit institutions, TA is still used at many. This paper utilizes data collected regarding the 2016-2017 academic year from the National Center for Education Statistics’ Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System to note trends in TA usage, specifically at for-profit colleges and universities. I also compare TA usage at these institutions to GI Bill usage and note that ultimately there are still strong factors that drive military students to attend for-profit schools despite their reputations. The availability of distance-learning courses and cost of education are statistically significant factors in a student’s decision to attend a for-profit institution utilizing TA, showing evidence that these schools are still an attractive option for many military members.
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veterans' affairs, tuition assistance, for-profit schools, GI Bill, Department of Defense