30 Best Military-Friendly Colleges

With more than 100 degree programs, the vast majority of which are also available online, Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona is almost certain to have any program for which a military student may be looking. For first-time students, the university hosts a Student Veterans Success Orientation, while once on campus, students have access to the helpful Veterans Success Center. In terms of tuition, the university offers lots of options, including tuition deferment, the Yellow Ribbon program, and the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance program.

Virginia's Old Dominion University is one of the largest schools in the state, as well as one of the best military-friendly colleges in the country. Reservists and active duty service members have the option of pursuing a degree from Old Dominion via its Military Distance Learning office, which also walks students through online registration, all placement tests, counseling, and just about anything else they may need.

Quinnipiac University in Connecticut is another school that is consistently included on Military Times Magazine's list of the best colleges for veterans. Such a reputation is partly due to Quinnipiac's pro-military on-campus culture, plus a solid support system that includes a Student Veterans Organization, through which vets can socialize and network with others. Additionally, veterans enrolling in Quinnipiac with funding from the Yellow Ribbon Program will have a portion of their funds matched by the university.

Camden is one of Rutgers University's regional campus, and one of the best military-friendly colleges in the country. This particular campus stands out for a number of reasons, including its Veterans Services Office, which provides support for veterans and active-duty military in the form of mentors. The university also hosts a 5k run every few years in honor of Jeremy Kane, a Marine reservist and Camden student who was killed in action in 2010. The run not only brings awareness to Camden's military student population, but also raises money for the Jeremy Kane Memorial Scholarship.

San Diego State University has a long and proud history as one of the best military-friendly colleges. This is made apparent by the university's on-campus war memorial, on which is engraved the names of nearly 250 students killed in conflicts such as World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Current students can receive personal or academic support through the Veterans Center (the first of its kind in the California State University system), or socialize with other active duty military, reservists, or veterans and their families at the Student Veterans House. This unique organization provides a place for military students to network, eat, or just hang out, and often organizes workshops and other social events.

South Dakota State University, the largest of its kind in the state, employs an on-campus Veterans Affairs Office to assist military students and their family members with guidance on everything from tuition support to help transitioning back into civilian life. Speaking of tuition support, South Dakota State University has a ton of options for vets and other military students. These include scholarships through the Pat Tillman Foundation and the Navy Seal Foundation, plus the Michael Goodale Scholarship. The on-campus Veterans Resource Center also organizes a number of social events for military students, including speaking engagements, social hours, and a book club.

Stockton University is a smaller public school with a student population of about 8,000. Like most schools on our list, Stockton has an Office of Military & Veterans Services which supports veteran students in a number of ways. The university also has a Student Veteran Organization, a student-led, on-campus group made up of "diverse individuals who are able to communicate and share experiences which are needed to provide a foundation of support." Such a group provides invaluable support for students transitioning back into civilian life after serving in the military.

Like nearly every other school on our list of the best military-friendly colleges, Syracuse University offers its military students an Office of Veteran and Military Affairs. But unlike most schools, Syracuse also offers an Institute for Veterans and Military Families, a unique organization which offers a long list of support programs for both service members and their families. As if that's not impressive enough, Syracuse University is also working towards a National Veterans Resource Complex — the first of its kind in the U.S. — that will drive innovative academic, research, and community service programs for veterans.

Texas A&M University has been taking good care of its military students since 1919. The nearly 4,000 veterans, reservists, and active-duty military currently enrolled at Texas A&M have the support of the Veterans Services Office, which assists with everything from the application process to registering for classes. Throughout the school year, various military-specific workshops and social events are put on the calendar, and military students are also eligible for awards like Student Veteran of the Month, Student Veteran of the Year, and Student Veteran Supporter of the Year.

Texas Tech University is a popular choice amongst veterans and active-duty service members, not least because of its extensive list of offered degree programs, including medicine and law. The university offers many of these degrees online — a convenient path for many service members. For those opting to pursue their degree on Texas Tech's campus, the TechVets Boot Camp occurs at the start of each semester and helps new military students adapt to the life of a civilian and student.

Troy University has enjoyed a reputation as one of the best military-friendly colleges since the 1950s, so military members choosing to pursue a degree at Troy should know that they've chosen well. The university partners with all five major branches of the Armed Forces to provide active-duty students and veterans with the very best in assistance. Some of these programs include the Navy College Distance Learning Partnership, the Enlisted Education Program (Army), Green to Gold initiatives (Army), the U.S. Marine Corps Leadership Scholar Program, and the Bachelor Co-operative degree (Air Force). In addition, Troy runs a TROY for Troops center to help both on-campus and online military students with everything from course registration to counseling.

Deployed students have access to Bama by Distance and its 60 online degree programs, while on-campus students have full access to even more options. The university is home to an Office of Veteran and Military Affairs, through which students can receive assistance with counseling, health services, and even a free textbook rental program. Furthermore, military students in their first year at University of Alabama are partnered with an Army Education Counselor who assists with admission, class registration, tuition, and other important steps.

Veterans, National Guard personnel, and military dependents receive a reduced tuition rate at University of Maryland—University College, while reservists and those on active duty may receive even more assistance from the university's Tuition Assistance program. Furthermore, as students pursue their undergraduate or master's degree, either online or on-campus, they may be able to receive college credits for any military training programs completed, including Defense Threat Reduction University, College of the American Soldier, Marine Corps Career College, or Joint Forces Staff College.

Not only is the University of Michigan one of the best universities in the country, it's also one of the best choices of college for military students and veterans. Michigan's military-friendly campus has been recognized by Military Times, Military Advanced Education Magazine, and the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency for its many programs meant to help veterans transition to academic and civilian life. These include a Student Veterans Council; military-specific representatives in the offices of admissions, registration, housing, counseling, and psychological services; and the Peer Advisors for Veteran Education (P.A.V.E.) Program.

University of Nebraska Omaha is home to an extremely successful Office of Military and Veterans Services. This helpful on-campus organization employs a full-time Veterans Affairs employee, and aims to assist student veterans with whatever they may need, including benefits, tuition assistance, and academic advisement. Student veterans can receive additional support through the Student Veterans Organization, which offers weekly gatherings, support groups, and a counseling service.

Regardless of their home state, all active-duty military and veterans pay in-state tuition at the University of North Dakota. On top of that, each student is assigned a Military Education Officer, a specialist who walks them through everything from degree options, to course requirements, to career opportunities. Even students who are currently deployed can count on their Military Education Officer to assist them with registering for classes, and anything else related to school. Such personalized attention is quite impressive, as is the fact that University of North Dakota offers dozens of programs — 60 of which can be completed online — in subjects such as engineering, aviation, forensic psychology, space studies, teaching, nursing, and more.

More than 2,000 of University of South Florida's 50,000 students are veterans, so students affiliated with the military should know they are in good company here. The university's Office of Veteran Success employs student veterans who are able to help their peers by answering questions or providing assistance. This helpful organization is just one of the many reasons that University of South Florida has topped the list of four-year colleges recommended to veterans by Military Times Edge magazine.

Military students looking for an especially good deal on college should take a serious look at Webster University. The school offers a number of financial programs and opportunities, including the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program, the Reserve Educational Assistance Program, the National Call to Service Program, and the Montgomery GI Bill. Additionally, Webster is one of only 94 schools in the country which employs a full-time VetSuccess counselor. This counselor assists students with anything they may need, from academic and psychological help to communicating with the university and other organizations.

Not only will any honorably discharged veteran be given a place at Western Illinois University, one of the best military-friendly colleges in the country, but they'll also receive academic credit for their service and various types of military training. Western Illinois University's campus is extremely veteran-friendly, and boasts a Veterans Club, a Veterans magazine, and myriad in-house scholarships aimed specifically at those who have served their country.

Military students at Western Kentucky University have the benefit of the WKU Office of Veterans Affairs on campus, an organization that serves as middleman between students and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The office deals with everything from enacting G.I Bill benefits to setting up tuition deferment, and anything else that an active-duty student or veteran may need. Western Kentucky University has long been recognized as one of the best colleges in the country for veterans. Military Times Edge magazine almost always includes it in its ‘Best for Vets 4-Year College' list, while U.S. News & World Report also includes it on its list of the best online colleges for veterans.