Texas Leads U.S. in Veterans Using VA Education Benefits

Texas students are preparing to head back to school, and tens of thousands of veterans and their families will join them, taking advantage of education benefits earned through military service.

According to the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC), recent data released by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs shows that more veterans utilize VA education benefits in Texas than in any other state.

The report lists 79,525 Texas veterans and their dependents currently enrolled using their benefits, which is more than half of the national total of 156,530.

Texas also leads the country in beneficiaries of Survivors’ and Dependents’ Education Assistance (DEA), a program for dependents or surviving spouses of veterans who died, were captured, went missing, or are permanently and totally disabled from service-connected causes.

Of the Texans that use VA education benefits, 29,710 are DEA recipients.

“Education is essential to a better future and stronger workforce,” TVC Executive Director and Army veteran Tom Palladino said in a statement. “The fact that Texas also leads the nation in veteran Survivors’ and Dependents’ Education Assistance shows the synergy within TVC.”

Locally, Austin Community College (ACC) has been recognized for its veteran support programs.

In 2024, it was one of 21 Texas colleges to receive the Governor’s Veteran Education Excellence Recognition Gold Award. ACC’s Veterans Resource Center provides guidance from enrollment through job placement, offering a transition guide program to help service members adapt to civilian and academic life.

Texas has the largest veteran population in the nation, which spans more than 1.54 million. It has also filed over 300,000 disability compensation claims since August 2022.

Veterans seeking assistance with education benefits can contact the TVC Veterans Education Department for free help.