Pennsylvania offers a wide range of benefits for veterans, service members, and their families, including support with education, employment, housing, and more. The information provided here is only a general overview to help you explore additional resources that may be available in your state.
Each program listed includes a brief description and a direct link to the official source for more information and how to apply. Please note that we are not experts on these individual programs — this guide is intended to help point you in the right direction.
For the most accurate and up-to-date details, we recommend visiting the official program websites or contacting the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs directly.
In Pennsylvania, military retired pay is not subject to state income tax. While Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) distributions are reported on IRS Form 1099-R, they are subject to Pennsylvania state tax laws, and early distributions may incur additional taxes.
In Pennsylvania, when an employer provides differential pay to a reserve component service member, the state taxes the difference between military pay and civilian wages. However, this differential pay is not taxed for service members serving on active duty in a combat or hazardous duty area.
In Pennsylvania, when an employer provides differential pay to a reserve component service member, the state taxes the difference between military pay and civilian wages. However, this differential pay is not taxed for service members serving on active duty in a combat or hazardous duty area.
Military disability retirement pay received as a pension, annuity, or similar allowance for a personal injury or sickness from active U.S. Armed Forces service is not taxable in Pennsylvania. This includes disability compensation and pension payments for Veterans or their families, grants for wheelchair-accessible homes, grants for vehicles for Veterans who lost sight or limb use, and benefits under dependent-care assistance programs.
Nonresident military spouses may be exempt from Pennsylvania income tax on earnings while stationed in the state. To qualify, the service member must be a resident of another state, be in Pennsylvania under military orders, and the spouse must be in Pennsylvania only to be with the service member and share the same state of residence.
Pennsylvania state employees who serve in a reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces are eligible for 15 days of paid military leave each year for training or other authorized duty. Pennsylvania National Guard members also receive paid leave for all days of state active duty, without loss of seniority or efficiency rating.
Pennsylvania reserve component service members must be reemployed in their previous position or one with similar seniority, status, and pay after returning from activation for emergency or required military duty. If the service member becomes disabled during mobilization and cannot perform their previous duties, the employer must offer a comparable position matching the member’s abilities, seniority, and pay.
When a Pennsylvania National Guard or U.S. Armed Forces Reserve service member is called to federal or state active duty (other than for training), their employer must maintain health insurance and other benefits for the first 30 days of service. After that, the service member has the option to continue coverage at their own expense for the remainder of their active duty period.
Pennsylvania offers a Veterans’ preference in state employment, providing eligible Veterans with 10 additional points on passing state and municipal exams, as well as preference in appointments, promotions, and during reductions in force, with certain eligibility requirements applying.
For more information, please contact the Pennsylvania Office of Administration at 717-783-6655, or by email to ra-cs-vetpreference@pa.gov.
Pennsylvania CareerLink offices offer a wide range of employment services to help Veterans find meaningful work. By creating a Pennsylvania CareerLink account, Veterans gain access to tools such as resume builders, job alerts, and job tracking features. The CareerLink Veterans webpage also provides information and links to resources including local workforce boards, educational opportunities, military skills translators, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) programs, Transition Assistance, the Disabled Veteran Outreach Program, apprenticeships, training programs, business startup support, and other helpful Veteran resources.
This program provides hotel accommodations for required employment-related travel, including verifiable job interviews, training for a job or certification, and pre-employment testing like physicals or drug tests. Eligible participants can receive up to 100,000 Hilton Honors points for these activities and must have a Hilton Honors account to get the points.
The Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation (UC) program provides temporary income to individuals who lose their job through no fault of their own or are working reduced hours. These benefits help cover expenses while the individual searches for new employment. Applicants can file a new claim or reopen an existing one online through the Pennsylvania UC System webpage, by calling 888-313-7284, or via videophone at 717-704-8474 for those using American Sign Language.
Pennsylvania’s “Operation Recognition” allows school districts to grant honorary high school diplomas to honorably discharged Veterans who left school early to serve in World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War.
Eligible Veterans must have served during these periods: World War II (Sept. 16, 1940–Dec. 31, 1946), Korean War (June 27, 1950–Jan. 31, 1955), or Vietnam War (Feb. 28, 1961–May 7, 1975).
Pennsylvania’s Pennsylvania Educational Gratuity Program (PEGP) provides a waiver of tuition, fees, and on-campus room and board for children of deceased Pennsylvania National Guard service members, covering costs remaining after all other grants and scholarships.
Eligible applicants must be Pennsylvania residents, children by birth or adoption of a deceased National Guard member who died in the line of duty (after Jan. 1, 1976, or after Sept. 11, 2001, if on active duty), 25 years or younger, complete a FAFSA, and enroll full-time in an undergraduate program at a Pennsylvania community, state-owned, or state-related college or university.
The Pennsylvania Educational Gratuity Program provides $500 per term or semester, up to four years, to children of honorably discharged Veterans who either have a 100% service-connected disability or died during wartime service. Payments are made directly to the approved educational institution. Eligible children must be 16–23 years old, have lived in Pennsylvania for at least five years before applying, and attend a school in Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency offers a state grant for children of service members who were declared POW or MIA. To be eligible, the service member must have served on active duty after January 31, 1955, been a Pennsylvania resident for at least 12 months before active duty, received an honorable discharge, and not have deserted or defected. Applicants must be the child of the qualifying service member.
The Pennsylvania National Guard Education Assistance Program (EAP), managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and PHEAA, pays tuition for Guard members who commit to six years of service.
Full-time undergraduates are covered up to the lesser of their institution’s tuition plus technology fee or the state-owned university resident rate
Part-time students are covered up to the per-credit or course rate
Graduate students or those with a bachelor’s degree are only eligible for part-time courses
To qualify, service members must be serving in the Pennsylvania National Guard and enrolled in a degree or certificate program at an approved Pennsylvania institution.
For more information, please call 800-692-7392
The Pennsylvania Military Family Education Program (MFEP), managed by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and PHEAA, provides tuition assistance to spouses and children of Pennsylvania National Guard service members who commit to an additional six years of service. Benefits can be assigned to one or multiple dependents for up to five years of study toward a degree, certificate, or career-specific training program. Tuition coverage is the lesser of the institution’s tuition plus technology fee or the resident rate at a Pennsylvania state-owned university.
PHEAA offers special processing for Veterans applying for the Pennsylvania State Grant Program, ensuring they receive the highest possible grant by disregarding their Student Aid Index and any Pell awards. Grant amounts are based on the Veteran’s financial situation and the type of school attended. Eligible Veterans must have served on active duty or as a cadet/midshipman at a service academy, received an honorable discharge, and be a Veteran by June 30 of the academic year they are requesting aid.
For more information, please call 800-692-7392 or email granthelp@pheaa.org.
Nonresident service members on active duty who are stationed and living in Pennsylvania, along with their dependents, qualify for in-state residency for tuition at Pennsylvania public colleges and universities. Veterans using VA educational benefits, or students using transferred VA benefits who reside in Pennsylvania, also qualify for in-state tuition.
Honorably discharged Pennsylvania resident Veterans are eligible for early registration at public colleges and universities.
Removes barriers to educational success imposed on children of military families because of frequent moves and deployment of their parents.
Pennsylvania offers six Veterans Homes across the state, providing domiciliary care, memory care, personal care, and skilled nursing services to eligible veterans and their spouses.
Location: 2701 Southampton Road Philadelphia, PA 19154
Phone Number: 215-856-2700
Location: 500 Municipal Drive Hollidaysburg, PA 16648
Phone Number: 814-696-5201
Location: One Veterans Drive Spring City, PA 19475
Phone Number: 610-948-2400
Location: 7060 Highland Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Phone Number: 412-665-6706
The Pennsylvania Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home Cemetery, managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and located on the Pennsylvania Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home campus, provides a dignified final resting place for Veterans. Eligible Veterans must have served in the U.S. Armed Forces or Pennsylvania National Guard, been honorably discharged, and resided at the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home at the time of death.
SSLI offered through the National Guard Association of Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania National Guard service members is made up of several voluntary group life policies that are designed to help meet the needs of National Guard service members and their families.
Pennsylvania National Guard service members on state active duty who are injured, become disabled, or die in the line of duty are eligible for benefits and compensation under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act, unless similar benefits are provided under federal law
The Bureau of Finance and Risk Management provides monthly income benefits to eligible surviving family members of Pennsylvania National Guard service members who die in the line of duty. Payments equal the deceased service member’s monthly salary and are adjusted annually for inflation. Claims must be submitted within three years of the service member’s death.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) offers a Veteran Designation on driver’s licenses and ID cards for U.S. Armed Forces Veterans. Once added, the designation automatically appears on each renewal. There is no fee for the Veteran Designation itself, though standard fees for issuing, renewing, or replacing a license or ID card still apply.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) offers 53 specialty license plates to honor the service and sacrifice of service members, Veterans, retired service members, and eligible family members.
Partially disabled Veterans who are Pennsylvania residents may be eligible for an annual fishing license at a reduced fee of $2.97. To qualify, Veterans must have a service-connected disability rating between 60% and 99%, as determined by the VA, for injuries received during a time of war or armed conflict.
Former Prisoners of War (POWs) who are Pennsylvania residents are eligible for an annual fishing license at a reduced fee of $2.97. To qualify, applicants must provide proof of their POW status when applying for the discounted license.
Severely disabled Veterans who are Pennsylvania residents may qualify for a free annual fishing license. To be eligible, Veterans must have a disability incurred during war or armed conflict that resulted in the loss or loss of use of one or more limbs, total blindness, or a 100% disability rating certified by the VA.
Pennsylvania offers a free fishing license to resident service members in the Pennsylvania National Guard or U.S. Armed Forces Reserve who were deployed overseas on federal active duty for at least 60 consecutive days (or released early due to a service-related injury or illness) within the past 24 months. Only one free license may be issued for each qualifying deployment, and applicants must provide documentation verifying their eligibility.
Active duty Pennsylvania resident service members who are stationed outside the state may fish without a license while home on authorized leave. To qualify, they must be Pennsylvania residents serving on active duty and stationed outside the state. While fishing, eligible service members must carry proof of Pennsylvania residency, their military ID, and official leave papers showing their duty assignment and leave status.
Nonresident service members stationed in Pennsylvania for six months or more under permanent change of station orders are eligible to purchase a Pennsylvania fishing license at the resident rate.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission provides free annual hunting and furtaker licenses to eligible disabled Veterans. To qualify, Veterans must be Pennsylvania residents with a disability incurred during war or armed conflict and meet one of the following criteria: loss or loss of use of one or more limbs, a 100% disability rating certified by the VA, or being individually unemployable and compensated at the 100% rate by the VA.
Resident Veterans with a service-connected disability rating from the VA between 60% and 99%, resulting from injuries or illness incurred during a war or armed conflict, are eligible to purchase a Pennsylvania hunting or furtaker license for a reduced fee of $2.97 each.
Resident active-duty service members stationed outside Pennsylvania are eligible to purchase reduced-fee hunting licenses for $2.97. This license includes one antlered deer tag, one fall turkey tag, one spring turkey tag, and small game hunting privileges for one license year. To qualify, applicants must be Pennsylvania residents, currently serving full-time active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, assigned outside Pennsylvania, and on authorized leave within the state.
Pennsylvania National Guard and U.S. Armed Forces Reserve service members who recently returned from deployment may purchase reduced-fee general hunting licenses for $2.97. This license includes one antlered deer tag, one fall turkey tag, one spring turkey tag, and small game hunting privileges for one license year. To qualify, applicants must be Pennsylvania residents, serve in the National Guard or Reserves, and have been deployed overseas on federal active duty for 60 consecutive days or more (or released early due to injury or illness) within the past 24 months.
Pennsylvania resident former POWs are eligible to purchase reduced-fee annual general hunting licenses for $2.97. To qualify, applicants must be Pennsylvania residents who were officially declared prisoners of war.
The Pennsylvania Veterans Registry is an online platform that lets Veterans, their families, and those who work with Veterans connect with the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA). Registrants can request information about state benefits, programs, and services, and opt in to receive updates such as the monthly Together We Serve newsletter, breaking news, and other important information.
Pennsylvania offers a $150 per month pension to eligible blind Veterans. To qualify, Veterans must have received an honorable discharge, been a Pennsylvania resident when entering the U.S. Armed Forces, and suffered a service-connected injury or disease resulting in severe vision loss or significant visual field contraction.
Pennsylvania offers a $150 per month pension to eligible Veterans who are amputees or paralyzed. To qualify, Veterans must have received an honorable discharge, been a Pennsylvania resident when entering the U.S. Armed Forces, and suffered a service-connected injury or disease resulting in the loss or loss of use of two or more limbs, with each limb rated at least 40% disabled by the VA.
The Military Family Relief Assistance Program (MFRAP) provides financial grants to eligible Pennsylvania service members and their families, based on proven need, up to $5,000. Grants may cover emergencies such as sudden loss of income, critical illness or death of a family member, disaster-related needs, or other extraordinary circumstances that prevent a service member from providing basic necessities. Specific eligibility requirements apply.
