Military Times again names PSC among nation’s best colleges for veterans

Pensacola State College has again been recognized among the nation’s most military-supportive institutions, earning a spot on the Military Times Best for Vets: Colleges list for the 10th time. The annual rankings are designed to help service members, veterans and their families find schools that best support their academic success and the transition to post-military life.

Among 370 colleges nationwide to receive the designation, PSC is one of only nine of Florida’s 28 public colleges named Best for Vets and the only Florida College System institution serving the western Panhandle, home to NAS Pensacola, NAS Whiting Field and Eglin Air Force Base.

Military Times bases the Best for Vets: Colleges list on a detailed survey of each school’s policies, programs and outcomes. It covers school culture, student support services, academic policies, costs and financial assistance, and military-connected student success rates.

About 1,700 active-duty service members, veterans and military-dependent students make up 17% of PSC’s degree-seeking student population, and the college prioritizes helping them achieve their educational and career goals. 

“Pensacola State College is expanding veteran-focused services, including tutoring, financial literacy training, social services referrals, life counseling and VA benefit counseling,” said Abe Clark, director of the college’s Veteran and Military Family Service Center. Clark noted that the college recently began hosting weekly benefit counseling sessions with Disabled American Veterans service officers, expanding access to VA benefit counseling for the broader local veteran community.

Located in Building 6 on PSC’s Pensacola campus, the Veteran and Military Family Service Center and TRIO Veterans Upward Bound programs at PSC help military-connected students successfully transition from service to higher education and complete their academic journeys.

The Veteran and Military Family Service Center serves as a central hub of resources, guidance and community for active-duty military members, veterans and their families, offering students help maximizing educational benefits, along with personalized academic advising, priority registration, military student orientation and degree and career planning.

Among the most valuable services Clark and his team provide is connecting service members and veterans with financial assistance available through U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs GI Bill programs, specialized VA and career programs, benefits for dependents and survivors, and active-duty benefits.

Through Military Tuition Assistance, the Department of Defense pays all or a portion of tuition costs for eligible voluntary off-duty education pursued by active-duty, reserve and National Guard service members.

Currently, more than 22% of PSC’s active-duty students are using Military Tuition Assistance to pursue bachelor’s degrees, and 97% of those students have had all of their educational costs covered within the Department of Defense cap.

Pre-Nursing major Omar Mendez serves as a combat medic and specialist (E-4) in the Florida Army National Guard and receives full state and military benefits while working toward an associate in arts degree at PSC with plans to continue through the college’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Nursing degree.

A first responder with Escambia County Emergency Medical Services, Mendez plans to attend medical school after PSC and continue building his career in emergency medicine as a physician.

“I’d like to be a medical director, maybe for Escambia County, or work in the ER or a trauma center. I love emergency medicine,” he said, adding that he discovered his passion for the field while training in U.S. Army Combat Medic school.

PSC’s support for military-connected students helped lead him to enroll at the college.

“It’s close to where I am. I heard so many great things about the professors, and then I found out PSC works well with veterans and military personnel, and also the price,” he said. “It’s affordable, plus I can get scholarships and support from the military, as well.”

Mendez said all of his educational expenses have been covered by benefits earned through his service in the National Guard, but he didn’t know that was possible until he found the Veteran and Military Family Service Center on campus.

That’s where Clark and his team came in.

“I had some confusion about my Education Dollars for Duty benefits, and they helped me out with that and cleared up a bunch of questions,” Mendez said. “Honestly, they were able to guide me through the process.”

In July, PSC was recognized as a Top Yellow Ribbon School by U.S. Veterans Magazine for the college’s continued dedication and commitment to supporting veterans, military-connected students and their educational success.

The Yellow Ribbon Program is an agreement between a school and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to help fund tuition and fee expenses that exceed the annual cap of the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Veterans who qualify can apply the benefit toward an associate degree, bachelor’s degree or a specialized technical or vocational program.

“The Yellow Ribbon benefit helps bridge extra tuition and fee costs that exceed the standard annual limits of the Post-9/11 GI Bill,” Clark said. “That means that our veterans can truly complete their programs of study cost-free.”

PSC currently enrolls 1,358 veterans receiving the Post-9/11 GI Bill, or Chapter 33 benefits, providing financial support for school, college degrees, vocational training and certifications to those who served on active duty after Sept. 10, 2001, while generating a substantial economic value for military-affiliated students and the Northwest Florida region.

During the Fall 2026 term, PSC has served 453 Chapter 33 beneficiaries and generated a four-year fall-term high of $705,734 in tuition revenue, representing a 21.4% increase since Fall 2023. With most beneficiaries enrolled full-time and an estimated 93% eligible for monthly housing allowances, the combined value of federal tuition assistance, housing benefits, and educational supply stipends could reach about $4.026 million in Fall 2026 alone.

Additionally, PSC enrolls 717 students receiving Chapter 35 education benefits for survivors and dependents of deceased and disabled veterans, or those who are missing in action or prisoners of war, generating an estimated four-year fall-term high of $4.161 million this year.

These investments extend beyond institutional revenue by reducing students’ out-of-pocket educational expenses, supporting household financial stability and allowing veterans and military-affiliated students to pursue college credentials with significantly reduced financial barriers.

“By connecting federal educational benefits with academic opportunities and workforce preparation, our Veteran and Military Family Service Center contributes to the economic security of military families and the long-term development of Northwest Florida’s workforce,” said Michael Johnston, PSC Associate Vice President, Institutional Research and Enterprise Solutions.

The college’s veteran support network also extends beyond enrolled students through its TRIO Veterans Upward Bound program, which helps veterans prepare for college before they ever step into a classroom. The program focuses on supporting low-income or first-generation veteran students through academic assessments, college preparation and refresher courses, tutoring, GED preparation, career exploration and assistance with financial aid and enrollment.

“The college truly goes above and beyond to prioritize veterans and their families throughout the enrollment process in recognition of their service and sacrifice,” Johnston said. “While being recognized for our veteran services is rewarding, the greatest benefit is increasing awareness so local veterans and service members know these resources are available to help them succeed, and they do succeed here at PSC.

“Our graduation rate among military-connected students earning certificates that prepare them for local workforce and technical careers is 100%, and I feel like we as an institution succeed when those who have served our country have their educational expenses fully covered, and we can help make that happen.”

When asked what advice he has for other military personnel or veterans thinking about enrolling at PSC, Mendez said, “It’s incredibly affordable and that makes life so much easier, and PSC has the resources that we need and multiple ways to help us.”

“Uncle Sam’s not going to give you anything unless you ask for it,” he added, encouraging other service members and veterans to visit the Veteran and Military Family Service Center to learn about the education benefits available to them.

In addition to the Veteran and Military Family Service Center on the Pensacola campus, the Milton and Warrington campuses are home to the VetCV Mission Next Military Veterans and Family Resource Center, a VetCV Foundation initiative, which serves as a one-stop shop for veterans, providing help with housing, career development and other services through collaborative partnerships designed to address the unique needs of service members, veterans and their families.

For more information about veteran and military family services at Pensacola State College, visit pensacolastate.edu or call the Veteran Services Office at (850) 484-1670.