Best Colleges for Army Veterans
Finding the Best Colleges and Universities for Army Veterans
Not all colleges are not created equal. Find the best fit for your Army experience at one of the Best Colleges for Army Veterans.
The Best Colleges for Army Veterans will offer one or more of the following opportunities for students to earn credit for knowledge, experience, and skills:
- Military Credit Transfer: Military training, courses, and specialty schools can be transferred to college credit. This can save veterans valuable time and money. Approximately 1,700 colleges and universities provide a military college credit transfer for military experience. To get started, request a copy of your military Joint Services Transcript.
- CLEP: CLEP stands for the College-Level Examination Program. Students can earn three (or more, depending on the school) credits for each exam. There are over 30 introductory-level college subjects.
List of Best Colleges for Army Veterans
University of Florida
Top Public University
UF is consistently ranked as one of the best public universities and ranks high on “Best of” lists including
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- #1 Best Colleges in Florida (Niche)
- #6 in Top Public Schools (US News)
- #3 in Best Online Bachelor’s Programs (US News)
- #2 in Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans (US News)
- #1 in Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs (US News)
- #2 in Best Online Bachelor’s in Psychology Programs (US News)
- #30 in National Universities (US News)
UF is a GI Bill-approved school, participates in the Yellow Ribbon program, and awards credit for the CLEP exams. The University of Florida also proudly offers college credit for military experience.
Find out more about the University of Florida.
Arizona State University
Best On-Campus and Online
ASU offers an abundance of campus-based degrees, over 80 online bachelor’s degree programs and nearly as many master’s programs. ASU offers the same excellent curriculum and instruction on campus and online. ASU consistently receives top national accolades, including:
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- America’s Best Value College (Forbes)
- #3 in Best Online Master’s in Business Programs (US News)
- #6 in Best Online Bachelor’s Programs (US News)
- #1 in Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs (US News)
- #2 in Best Online Bachelor’s in Psychology Programs (US News)
- #7 in Best Online Master’s in Criminal Justice Programs (US News)
- #10 in Best Online Master’s in Engineering Programs (US News)
- #1 in Best Online Master’s in Educational Administration Programs (US News)
ASU is a GI Bill-approved school, participates in the Yellow Ribbon program, and awards credit for both the DSST and the CLEP exams. Arizona State also proudly offers college credit for military experience.
Find out more on the Arizona State University.
University of Virginia
Top Ranked for Veterans
The University of Virginia is consistently ranked high in national “Best of” lists including:
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- #10 in Best Colleges for Veterans (US News)
- #10 in Online Graduate Programs (US News)
- #3 Top Public Universities in America (Niche)
- #26 in National Universities (US News)
- #32 in Best Value Schools (US News)
- #4 in Top Public Schools (US News)
- #7 in Business Schools (US News)
The University of Virginia is a GI Bill-approved school and participates in the Yellow Ribbon program. The University of Virginia proudly offers college credit for military experience.
Find out more on the University of Virginia.
University of California – Los Angeles
Best College for Full-Time, Campus-Based Undergraduate Students
The University of California, Los Angeles, is part of the 10-campus University of California system. UCLA is unique in that it does not offer part-time enrollment or evening coursework for undergraduate degree programs. Students must enroll full-time and attend daytime classes. The result is a high-quality degree earned from one of the country’s most prestigious universities in a minimal amount of time. UCLA consistently ranks high in national “Best of” lists, including:
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- #20 in National Universities (US News)
- #5 in Best Colleges for Veterans (US News)
- #30 in Most Innovative Schools (US News)
- #13 in Top Performers on Social Mobility (US News)
- #1 in Top Public Schools (US News)
- #19 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (US News)
Along with being a GI Bill-approved school, UCLA participates in the Yellow Ribbon program. UCLA proudly offers credit for military experience.
Find out more on the University of California – Los Angeles.
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Best Historically Black College and University
One of the Best Colleges for Army Veterans is also one of the Best HBCUs. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (Florida A&M or FAMU) offers a variety of campus-based and online degrees, including undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and professional programs.
FAMU is a well-known HBCU and receives many accolades, including:
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- #20 in Top Performers on Social Mobility (US News)
- #20 in Best Colleges for Criminal Justice in America (Niche)
- #3 in Best HBCU Schools in America (Niche)
Florida A & M is a GI Bill-approved school and awards credit for both the CLEP and DSST exams. FAMU also proudly offers college credit for military experience.
Find out more on Florida A&M University.
Oregon State University
Best Kept Secret
Oregon State University offers an abundance of programs, including more than 200 undergraduate degree programs and over 85 online programs. As one of the Best Colleges for Army Veterans, Oregon State consistently receives top national accolades including:
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- #3 Best Online Colleges in America (Niche)
- #4 in Best Online Bachelor’s Programs (US News)
- #3 in Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs(US News)
- #2 in Best Online Bachelor’s in Psychology Programs (US News)
- #16 in Best Online Master’s in Engineering Programs(US News)
Oregon State University is a GI Bill-approved school, participates in the Yellow Ribbon program, and offers credit for the CLEP exam. Oregon State also proudly offers college credit for military experience.
Find out more on Oregon State University.
Pennsylvania State University
Best Overall
Pennsylvania State University is a four-year, public institution with multiple campuses spread out throughout the state of Pennsylvania. The university is also known for its World Campus, where students can earn their Penn State degree online, from anywhere in the world. Penn State World Campus offers over 120 Master’s degrees and graduate certificates. Its campus-based programs include more than 275 undergraduate majors and more than 300 graduate and professional programs.
As one of the Best Colleges for Army Veterans, Penn State consistently ranks high in national “Best of” lists including
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- #3 in Best Online Master’s in Industrial Engineering Programs(US News)
- #4 in Best Online Master’s in Engineering Programs (US News)
- #7 in Best Online Master’s in Education Programs (US News)
- #5 in Best Online Master’s in Educational Administration Programs (US News)
- #7 in Best Online MBA Programs (US News)
- #8 in Best Online Master’s in Computer Information Technology Programs (US News)
- #10 in Best Online Bachelor’s Programs (US News)
- #1 in Best Online Bachelor’s in Psychology Programs (US News)
Penn State World Campus is a GI Bill-approved school, participates in the Yellow Ribbon program, and awards credit for the DSST exam. Penn State World Campus proudly offers college credit for military experience.
Find out more about Penn State University.
Determining the Best Colleges for Army Veterans
The following features are common practices among the Best Colleges for Army Veterans:
- Regional accreditation
- GI Bill acceptance
- Additional tuition assistance, such as the Yellow Ribbon Program and scholarships for veterans
- Excellent job placement
FEATURED:
- Army Tuition Assistance: What You Need to Know
- Army ROTC Scholarships and List of Colleges
- Scholarships for College for Soldiers
- Active Duty Degrees: Army IgnitED
About the author
Julie Provost is a freelance writer, and blogger. She lives in Tennessee with her National Guard husband and three boys.
