Here are the newly updated 2007-2008 figures for the value of education at the US Military Academy, the US Naval Academy and the US Air Force Academy.
What are the factors that are used to assess these numbers? Some of the major factors that influence the figures are the number of graduates, the number of employees, the size and cost of the facilities, and the equipment and materials used to train and develop officers at the respective service academies.
One thing to keep in mind is that a higher value of education does not make one service academy better than another. The scope of each of the academies differs greatly, and the necessary facilities and equipment needed to reach those goals vary accordingly. You will find that the US Department of Defense generously spends as much as is needed for each of these academies to train and develop the best possible leaders for our Armed Forces.
So here are the updated numbers. They reflect the total cost to get the cadets and the midshipmen through four years at the academies.
USMA: $441,000
USNA: $351,800
USAFA: $400,000
The point of this article is to point out the exorbitantly high cost of education at the service academies in comparison to civilian colleges and universities. The best part about this is that the cadets and midshipmen do not need to pay a penny from their own pockets, as noted by David — Air Force Academy candidate — on Get Into Academy N. This is a small and reasonable price that the citizens of our country must pay to live in the United States of America as we know it now.
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July 23rd, 2007 at 11:07 am
I am a liberal arts college graduate where, today, a four-year degree probably costs about $125-$150K. My brother is an Annapolis graduate. Both of us are retired Navy captains (O-6 grade/equivalent to colonel in Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps). I believe I am in a good position to contrast and compare the two.
Service academy costs are considerably higher than most civilian institutions of higher learning. Some of the difference has to be ascribed to the fact that cadets and midshipmen receive a salary while enrolled (if memory serves me, equivalent to an enlisted E-5 grade, which is a sergeant in Army, Air Force, and Marines, and a Petty Officer 2nd Class in Navy). DoD academy students wear Service uniforms, which are expensive (i.e, tailored seasonal variants, work uniforms, dress uniforms, and sporting clothing);they also participate in DoD funded summer training, which includes travel arrangments, overnight lodging enroute or on the ground, and the use of remote teaching facilities and specialized equipment. They also have comprehensive medical and dental care throughout the academy enrollment. If one were to add the real and hypothetical costs to a civlian university eduation, a Top-25 institution’s costs might be equivalent.
I believe that required course loading at Service academies is heavier than at many four-year civilian institutions. Emphasis on “hard science” core courses has yielded somewhat since my time in college (1960’s), but the Service academies continue to load heavily in that area, and most if not all cadets/mids get a heavy dollop of engineering while in the DoD academy.
Remedial work is intense for those who need it, and mentors and professors weigh in, to ensure a cadet/mid experiencing academic problems has the maximum chance to overcome them.
One aspect of the academy experience is “priceless:” the bonding of class members into lifelong relationships that may include protecting “shipmates” or saving their lives in combat. As well, an almost inexplicable (also priceless) result is the experience of leadership and being personally responsible for others’ welfare, safety, and career development - of subordinates, both officer and enlisted.
I did not benefit from the leadership, accountability, organizational, or esprit benefits at a liberal arts institution. I won two degrees, was exposed to great thinkers and other opinions, and put down a foundation for inter-cultural understanding. My “training” for an officer’s commission was 16 weeks long, not four years as was my brother’s - and we both served more than three decades and retired at the same grade.
What, then, makes Annapolis ‘64 different from Dickinson College, ‘68?
My brother KNEW he wanted to go to USNA - to be a professional naval officer. I did not know I wanted to be a naval officer until my junior year in college, when war in Southeast Asia “got my attention.”
My brother wanted to be a flier. I wanted to use language skills. We each found our goal in the Navy: went to sea and saw the world.
IMHO, as sailors, for the time and personal responsibilities we held during out careers as commanders, leaders, decision-makers, managers, and teachers, we were underpayed ICW many civilian counterparts with similary educational backgrounds and achievement paths. Perhaps that can go in the education expense balance sheet in my brother’s case.
Oh, yes. Divide our lower middle class family’s college dollar outlay by at least half, since my brother’s USNA experience was free to our parents - and mine was shared between parents and myself.
We BOTH were incredibly fortunate men.
Steve Myers, in PA
March 11th, 2008 at 9:03 am
Dear Mr. Myers,
My name is Eric Dube and I’m currently a senior Political Science and Religion student at Dickinson. I have recently developed a strong interest in a career as an officer in the United States Navy. I was researching this career path online when I stumbled upon your blog entry that contrasts your Dickinson Liberal Arts education with that of the service academies. I would be sincerely grateful if you would agree to answers some of the questions I have about careers as a Naval Officer.
Thanks for your consideration,
Eric S. Dube
dubee@dickinson.edu
(609)313-4042