Trends in Tuition Assistance Usage by Active Duty Military Members at For-Profit Colleges and Universities

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