Cal State’s military-affiliated student enrollment grows as vets’ dependents reach college age

This article first appeared in EdSource. Years of collaboration between California State University and local community colleges has resulted in an enrollment bump of military-affiliated students, according to recent data from the university system. The number of military-affiliated students, which includes veterans and their family members, attending a Cal State campus has increased by 17% between 2019 and 2025. In comparison, CSU’s overall enrollment grew 2.9% in that period. CSU officials reported that 7,369 veterans or active service members, and roughly twice as many dependents of veterans, attended CSU in 2025. One of the many challenges service members transitioning from military to civilian life face is navigating the complex world of higher education and the array of financial benefits available to veterans.

This excerpt comes from the named source. Read the original for the full reporting.