Highest BAH Rates for US Colleges & Cities
Colleges and Cities with the Highest BAH Rates
Which cities have the highest GI Bill BAH rates in the US? If you want to go to school, you’ll want to know which colleges and universities have the highest BAH in the US.
As a part of your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit, you will receive a Monthly Housing Allowance. The Monthly Housing Allowance is equal to the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for an E-5 with dependents.
Your BAH (or MHA) depends on many factors, including the area of the country where the school is located and average BAH rates, which are crucial in determining the overall compensation package for military personnel. Additionally, when your dependency status changes, such as no longer having a dependent child, your BAH rate may decrease accordingly.
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of cities, colleges, and universities with the highest BAH in the US.
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Cities with the Highest BAH Rates
You may know that New York City, NY, has the highest BAH in the country for 2026 due to geographic market conditions. Different rental markets across the country influence BAH rates, ensuring they reflect the actual housing costs service members experience in those areas. But what other cities make the list?
Here is a partial list of the cities with the highest GI Bill BAH rates in the country. The figures show the BAH for an E-5 with dependents in these cities based on 2025/2026 school-year rates, which is a good baseline for anticipating your budget for the next academic year (2026-2027 academic year).
| MHA Name | BAH Rate |
|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $ 5,127 |
| New York City, NY | $ 5,070 |
| Boston, MA | $ 4,791 |
| Northern New Jersey, NJ | $ 4,749 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | $ 4,659 |
| Westchester County, NY | $ 4,479 |
| Long Island, NY | $ 4,425 |
| Nantucket, MA | $ 4,344 |
| Maui County, HI | $ 4,329 |
| Hanscom AFB, MA | $ 4,188 |
| Martha'S Vineyard, MA | $ 3,984 |
| San Diego, CA | $ 3,975 |
| Florida Keys, FL | $ 3,969 |
| Camp Pendleton, CA | $ 3,963 |
| Cape Cod-Plymouth, MA | $ 3,924 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $ 3,882 |
| Kauai County, HI | $ 3,798 |
| Oakland, CA | $ 3,759 |
| Staten Island, NY | $ 3,735 |
| Honolulu County, HI | $ 3,663 |
| Miami/Fort Lauderdale, FL | $ 3,660 |
| Hawaii County, HI | $ 3,594 |
| Fort Monmouth/Earle Nws, NJ | $ 3,549 |
| Ventura, CA | $ 3,537 |
| Essex Co, MA | $ 3,477 |
| West Point, NY | $ 3,468 |
Updated with the 2026 BAH data.
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Do You Get Full BAH If You Attend Online Classes Exclusively?
You will receive BAH if you are a veteran attending an online college, school, or distance-learning program as a full-time student.
The current MHA or Post 9/11 GI Bill BAH rate for online schools is $1,054.50 for the 2024-2025 academic year.
This is determined by taking half of the national BAH average.
RELATED: Online Colleges for the Military
Now that we know which cities have the highest BAH, here’s the list of the schools with the highest BAH.
The Colleges and Universities with the Highest BAH Rates
Below each military housing area is a partial list of schools in that area. The BAH listed is for the current 2025-2026 academic school year.
New York, NY – BAH is $5,196
- City College of New York
- Metropolitan College of New York
- Columbia University
- Manhattan University
- Brooklyn College
- St. Joseph’s College
San Francisco, CA – BAH is $5,115
- Golden Gate University – San Francisco
- San Francisco State University
- University of San Francisco
- College of San Mateo
- City College of San Francisco
- San Francisco Conservatory of Music
- Skyline College
- San Francisco Art Institute
Please go here for more detailed housing allowance info for San Francisco
Boston, MA – BAH is $4,756
Hanscom AFB, MA – $4,755
Santa Clara County, CA – BAH is $4,557
- Santa Clara University
- San Jose State University
- Mission College
- West Valley College
- Evergreen Valley College
Fort Monmouth, NJ – $4,515
Northern New Jersey, NJ – BAH is $4,392
Long Island, NY – $4,365
Maui, HI – BAH is $4,287
Nantucket, MA – BAH is $3,672
Westchester County, NY – BAH is $4,230
San Diego, CA – $4,110
Camp Pendleton, CA – BAH is $4.044
The housing rate setting process determines BAH rates for San Diego by using diverse data sources to establish accurate housing costs across military housing areas.
Please go here for more detailed housing allowance info for San Diego
Martha’s Vineyard, MA – BAH is $3,987
Florida Keys, FL – $4,035
Los Angeles, CA – BAH is $3,864
- Biola University
- University of Southern California (USC)
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
- California State University – Los Angeles
- Loyola Marymount University
Cape Cod-Plymouth, MA – BAH is $3,672
Oakland, CA – BAH is $3,774
Please go here for more detailed housing allowance info for Oakland, CA
Florida – $3,612
Staten Island, NY – BAH is 3,606
Kauai County, HI – BAH is 3,597
Ventura, CA – BAH is 3,534
Miami/Fort Lauderdale, FL – BAH is 3,489
Hawaii County, HI – BAH is $3,453
Honolulu, HI – $3,439
Monterey, CA – BAH is $3,436
Marin/Sonoma, CA – BAH is $3,309
Riverside, CA – BAH is $3,279
Valleyo/Travis AFB, CA – BAH is $3,264
San Bernardino, CA – BAH is $3,243
Perth Amboy, NJ – BAH is $3,240
Vandenberg SFB, CA – BAH is $3,192
How Is BAH Determined for the Post-9/11 GI Bill?
The calculation for BAH depends on a few factors, including:
- zip code of the school (military housing area)
- your GI Bill eligibility
- if you are a full-time or part-time student
- equal to pay grade of E-5 with dependents
- rental housing cost data: The Department of Defense collects rental housing cost data annually for military housing areas in the United States. This data is utilized to establish the Basic Allowance for Housing rates, which vary based on geographical market conditions and include assessments of median market rents and average utilities, thus reflecting the total housing costs for service members.
- housing profiles: Total housing costs are determined for different housing profiles, which are categorized based on dwelling type and the number of bedrooms in military housing areas. These profiles impact the BAH rates assigned to service members.
As BAH is partially determined by where the school is located, it is important to know the city in which the school is located.
RELATED:
- Yellow Ribbon Schools List
- GI Bill Payment Dates and Rates
- Post-9/11 GI Bill Overview
- Transferring Your GI Bill to Spouse and Dependents
- Beyond the Post 911 GI Bill: Additional Money for Veterans
