A Path to Higher Learning
The U.S. Air Force puts every Airman on a path to achieve an Associate's Degree of Applied Sciences by automatically enrolling them into the Community College of the Air Force. Throughout your Basic Military Training, Technical Training (job-specific) and Professional Military Education, you'll begin earning college credits towards your AAS degree. From there, it'll be up to you to finish your degree.
Your education is more in reach with a career in the Air Force.
*Data from the Percent with a College Degree chart is sourced from Table 2.54 in the 2018 Military Demographics report.
Education Programs
Post 9/11 GI Bill Chapter 33
Tuition Assistance Program
Community College of the Air Force
Yellow Ribbon Program
The Yellow Ribbon Program can help you pay for higher education out-of-state tuition, private school, or graduate school tuition that the Post-9/11 GI Bill doesn't cover.
Click the button below to learn how to qualify and to see if your school takes part in this program.
The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a program that allows you to earn credit for college courses by passing exams in various subject areas.
Both CLEP and DSST are developed by institutions and evaluated by the American Council on Education (ACE).
The Defense Activity for Non Traditional Education "DANTES" offers credit-by-examination in more than 60 different subject areas for military members (active duty, Guard, and Reserve components) and members of the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserve.
DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) are programs that allow you to earn credit for college courses by taking and passing exams in various subject areas. DANTES funds the exam fee for the first attempt for each test title.
Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy
The Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy (AFSNCOA) is a resident CCAF-affiliated program that consists of 200 classroom hours.
The curriculum prepares SNCOs for increased leadership responsibilities in the joint, combined, and inter-agency operating/strategic environment. AFSNCOA is the third level of EPME.
AFSNCOA prepares senior NCOs to lead the enlisted force in the employment of airpower in support of US national security objectives.
Noncommissioned Officer Academy (NCOA)
NCOA is a professional school designed to educate and advance the high ideals necessary for leadership, teamwork, good order and discipline in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force.
The Noncommissioned Officer Academy (NCOA) is the second level of EPME and prepares Technical Sergeants to be professional, war-fighting Airmen and Space Professionals who can manage and lead units in the employment of Air and Space power. Currently, there are 10 NCOAs worldwide.
Airman Leadership School
Airman Leadership School (ALS) is an education program held at base level to prepare Senior Airmen for positions of greater responsibility.
ALS is the first level of the Enlisted Professional Military Education (EPME) continuum and prepares Senior Airmen to be professional, war-fighting Airmen and Space Professionals who can supervise and lead work teams to support the employment of Air and Space power.
School Funding Benefits
If I attend Northern Illinois University and graduate in 4 years, I could receive $151,316 in total funding from the Air Force Tuition Assistance and GI Bill benefits that I can use after serving 3 years in the Air Force. Generally, GI Bill benefits are payable for 15 years following active duty and may be transferred to a spouse or children.
Payments: Payment for your tuition assistance will be paid directly to your college, either by semester or monthly depending on how your school accepts funding payments. Payments for your book stipend will be made directly to you on an annual basis. Payments for your basic allowance for housing (BAH) will be made directly to you around the end of each month. Please note that BAH will be paid during the 9 months of the academic year.
Taxes: According to the IRS, payments you receive for education, training, or subsistence under any law administered by the VA are tax-free. Don't include these payments as income on your federal tax return. So, neither tuition assistance, basic allowance for housing, or your books stipend is taxable.
Understanding Student Loans
Most civilians attending college need to take out some kind of a student loan. So, to understand the true cost of higher education, you need to understand the costs associated with student loans and how they compare to the financial benefit of using the Air Force benefits and Post-911 GI Bill. Here's a student loan table that uses current student loan interest rates and provides a variety of term lengths to give you a payment breakdown. 15- to 25-year student loan terms tend to be the most popular.
| 25 Year | 20 Year | 15 Year | 10 Year | 5 Year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loan Amount | $151,316 | $151,316 |
$151,316 |
$151,316 |
$151,316 |
| Interest Rate | 6% | 5.5% | 5% | 4.5% | 3% |
| Monthly Payment | $975 | $1,041 | $1,197 | $1,568 | $2,719 |
| Total Interest | $141,163 | $98,496 | $64,072 | $36,870 | $11,821 |
| Total Payment | $292,479 | $249,812 | $215,388 | $188,186 | $163,137 |
| Pre-Tax Earnings Needed* | $374,974 | $320,272 | $276,138 | $241,264 | $209,150 |
Your monthly payment for paying 100% of the $151,316 cost to attend Northern Illinois University for 4 years could range between $2,719 per month and $975 per month depending on the term and interest rate on your student loan.
*Note: The tax effect is based on the marginal tax rate set at 22%.
