GI Bill Comparison
Post-9/11 (Ch. 33) vs Montgomery Active Duty (Ch. 30) vs Selected Reserve (Ch. 1606) — side-by-side value for your school, your service time, and your housing allowance.
Why comparing GI Bill options matters
Most service members are eligible for more than one education benefit program at once, and the programs pay out in very different ways. The Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) pays tuition directly to your school (scaled by a benefit tier based on your months of qualifying service), plus a monthly housing allowance and an annual book stipend paid to you. The Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (Chapter 30) instead pays you a flat monthly rate and leaves you responsible for tuition, fees, and books yourself — which can occasionally beat Chapter 33 if your tuition is very low or employer-covered. The Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606) pays a smaller flat monthly rate and is generally only available while you continue drilling in the Selected Reserve. Because electing Chapter 33 in place of Chapter 30 is irrevocable, and because a "Rule of 48" caps combined entitlement across chapters, running the numbers before you elect can meaningfully change how much of your education benefit ends up in your pocket.
What this calculator models
Enter your months of qualifying active service, component, school type, annual tuition, estimated monthly housing allowance (MHA), and any GI Bill "kicker" you're eligible for. The calculator applies the published Post-9/11 GI Bill tier ladder — reaching the 100% tier at 36 months of aggregate active duty (or automatically at 100% for Purple Heart recipients and service-connected medical retirements), with intermediate tiers at 6, 18, 24, and 30 months. For public in-state schools, Chapter 33 tuition coverage is calculated directly against your entered tuition; for other school types it's capped at the published private-school tuition ceiling. Online-only enrollment uses a fixed MHA rate equal to half the national average rather than a location-based housing rate. Chapter 30 and Chapter 1606 use their respective flat monthly rates over a full 36-month entitlement, and Chapter 30 requires you to confirm you paid the $1,200 buy-in, while Chapter 1606 requires Selected Reserve service. The results show each chapter's 36-month gross value and net value after your entered tuition, so you can see which option nets you the most for your specific situation.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use more than one GI Bill chapter?
Combined entitlement across chapters is capped at 48 months under the "Rule of 48." Some service members exhaust their 36 months of Chapter 30 first, then switch to Chapter 33, which can yield up to 12 additional months of benefits — but switching from Chapter 30 to Chapter 33 is irrevocable, so sequencing matters.
Why would anyone choose Chapter 30 over Chapter 33?
Chapter 30 pays you a flat monthly amount and leaves tuition to you, while Chapter 33 pays tuition to the school and a separate housing allowance to you. If your tuition is very low, employer-paid, or otherwise already covered, the flat Chapter 30 payment can sometimes net more cash in your pocket than the tuition-linked Chapter 33 benefit.
Does Chapter 1606 require ongoing service?
Yes. The Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve benefit is generally tied to continued participation in the Selected Reserve (drilling Guard or Reserve) — the benefit ends if you stop drilling, and it is often stacked with Federal Tuition Assistance rather than used alone.