Where You Attend Class
Resident/hybrid students use the E-5-with-dependents rate for the campus where they attend most classes. Fully online students receive a reduced national rate.
What could housing support look like while you study?
Estimate your Post-9/11 GI Bill MHA based on campus location, program format, eligibility tier, and course load.
Updated 2026 Rates
Location-Based Estimates
Enrollment Matters
Plan Before You Enroll
What Could Housing Support Look Like While You Study?
Estimate your Post-9/11 GI Bill MHA based on campus location, program format, eligibility tier, and course load.
Updated 2026 Rates
Location-Based Estimates
Enrollment Matters
Plan Before You Enroll
how the pathway works
From Service to Education Plan
Translate your military skills, experience, and eligible transfer credit into a pathway that starts with what you already know.
★
Covers common specialties — growing. Not listed? Use the O*NET Military Crosswalk (every occupation), or map it with a Navigator, free .
Skills your service built
Civilian pathways that use them
Want programs matched to this path — screened for your benefits?
Build my shortlist, freehow the pathway works
From Service to Education Plan
Translate your military skills, experience, and eligible transfer credit into a pathway that starts with what you already know.
★
How it's calculated
Three Factors Shape Your MHA
Campus rate × Eligibility × Course load = Estimated MHA
★
Your Eligibility Tier
40–100%, set by the VA based on your qualifying service. It’s listed on your COE and determines the percentage of the applicable benefit rate you receive.
Your Course Load
More than half-time enrollment is required. Above that, the VA prorates your benefit by rate of pursuit, rounded to the nearest 10% for payment.
The Honest Fine Print
No degree guarantees a job — outcomes depend on your field, effort, and market. What a well-chosen pathway does is make your service legible to civilian employers and build on it. For current demand and wage data by occupation, check the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook .
MHA Calculator
Estimate your monthly housing allowance based on ZIP code, rank, and dependent status.
Your Estimate
Will Appear Here
Enter your ZIP code, rank, and dependent status to preview your monthly housing allowance.
$
/ year
Start by completing the form to generate your estimate.
We Couldn't Find
That ZIP Code
Please check your ZIP code and try again. Your estimate will appear here once a valid 5-digit ZIP code is entered.
$
/ year
Enter a valid ZIP code to see your estimate.
Monthly Housing Allowance:
You're Almost There
Your MHA estimate is ready. Enter your information to reveal your full monthly and yearly allowance.
Loading form…
VeteranDegrees needs the contact information you provide to us to contact you about our products and services. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For information on how to unsubscribe, as well as our privacy practices and commitment to protecting your privacy, please review our Privacy Policy.
Your information is secure and never shared.
What's the difference between BAH and MHA?
BAH is the housing allowance paid to active-duty service members. The Post-9/11 GI Bill® pays students a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA), which is generally based on the BAH for an E-5 with dependents at the location where you attend most of your classes. They're related, but MHA is what GI Bill® students actually receive.
How does MHA differ for hybrid vs. fully online programs?
Students in fully online programs receive a reduced national online rate. Students in resident or hybrid programs — generally including at least one in-person class per term that counts toward the degree — may qualify for the resident rate tied to the campus location. Whether you qualify depends on your enrollment and current VA rules.
Do I receive MHA if I study half-time or less?
No. MHA generally requires a rate of pursuit greater than 50%. Above that, the VA prorates your MHA by your rate of pursuit rounded to the nearest 10%, multiplied by your eligibility percentage.
Are these estimates guaranteed?
No. This calculator is for educational purposes only. Your actual MHA is determined by the VA based on your eligibility, enrollment, campus location, and current rates, and rates change every August. Verify current figures with the VA before making decisions.
how the pathway works
From Service to Education Plan
Translate your military skills, experience, and eligible transfer credit into a pathway that starts with what you already know.
★
Step
01
Name your skills
Your MOS maps to real, marketable skills — leadership, technical systems, logistics, care under pressure. Employers hire skills; we help you name yours.
Step
02
Pick a pathway
Each path shows the civilian field and the degree route that builds on what you already know — not from zero.
Step
03
Shorten the degree
Your JST or CCAF transcript may earn transfer credit, cutting time and stretching your benefits further.
The honest fine print: No degree guarantees a job — outcomes depend on your field, effort, and market. What a well-chosen pathway does is make your service legible to civilian employers and build on it. For current demand and wage data by occupation, check the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Want your exact numbers, checked by a human?
A free Benefits Navigator call walks through your COE, your campus options, and what your format means for MHA — no cost, no obligation.
Book a Free Call
Prefer to map it with a human?
A free Benefits Navigator call turns your background into a career direction, a degree route, and a benefits plan — no cost, no obligation.