Private nonprofitFour-year

Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, IA · Highest award: Graduate degree

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Net price (avg)
$18,846
Academic year 2023-24
Tuition & fees
$41,798
Academic year 2024-25
Graduation rate
61.7%
Fall 2018 entering cohort (150%), Fall 2016 (200%)
Median earnings (10 yr)
$49,156
Entering cohort AY2009-10 / 2010-11, measured in 2022 dollars

Read the years, not just the numbers

Each figure below is labelled with the period it covers, because they are not all from the same year. Tuition is Academic year 2024-25, while the earnings figure describes students who entered Entering cohort AY2009-10 / 2010-11, measured in 2022 dollars. They are historical facts about this institution, not a quote for you.

What it actually costs

Net price is what students paid after grant and scholarship aid — usually far below the sticker price.

Total cost of attendance
$54,222
Academic year 2023-24
Tuition & fees (in state)
$41,798
Academic year 2024-25
Tuition & fees (out of state)
$41,798
Academic year 2024-25
Room & board (on campus)
$11,330
Academic year 2024-25
Room & board (off campus)
$15,133
Academic year 2024-25
Books & supplies
$2,089
Academic year 2024-25

Average net price by family income

Academic year 2023-24

$0–30,00012,901
$30,001–48,00014,838
$48,001–75,00018,094
$75,001–110,00019,571
$110,001+24,967

Figures are U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard data for Academic year 2023-24, published by the U.S. federal government. They are historical reference values, not a quote, and not an offer. Your actual cost will depend on your own circumstances.

This college’s official net price calculator ↗

Outcomes

Historical results for students who attended. They do not predict your own.

Graduation rate (150% time)
61.7%
Fall 2018 entering cohort (150%), Fall 2016 (200%)
Graduation rate (200% time)
57.9%
Fall 2018 entering cohort (150%), Fall 2016 (200%)
Retention (full-time)
76.0%
Fall 2023 cohort
Median earnings (6 yr)
$43,572
Entering cohort AY2009-10 / 2010-11, measured in 2022 dollars
Median earnings (10 yr)
$49,156
Entering cohort AY2009-10 / 2010-11, measured in 2022 dollars
Loan default rate (3 yr)
0.0%
FSA FY2022 cohort
Median debt of completers
$25,000
NSLDS FY2020/21 pooled
Median debt monthly payment
$265.04
NSLDS FY2020/21 pooled
Repayment rate (3 yr)
58.2%
NSLDS FY2013/14 cohort

Compared with a high-school graduate

Students here earned a median of $49,156 ten years after entering, against a national benchmark for high-school graduates of $36,082. That benchmark is 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, 2024 dollars.

Admissions and size

Many institutions do not report these — “Not reported” is not a zero.

Admission rate
77.6%
Fall 2024
Average SAT (equivalent)
1,120
Fall 2024
ACT 25th–75th percentile
19–26
Fall 2024
Undergraduate enrollment
1,366
Fall 2024
Student-faculty ratio
13:1
Fall 2024
First-generation share
35.3%
Fall 2024
Pell grant recipients
43.8%
Academic year 2023-24
Federal loan recipients
67.1%
Academic year 2023-24
Median family income
$40,952
AY2022-23 (median family income)

Student body

Fall 2024

White78%
Hispanic13%
Black3%
Asian1%
Two or more races2%
Nonresident / international1%

Other Four-year institutions in IA

Peer institutions
InstitutionNet priceGrad rateEarnings (10 yr)
Allen CollegeNot reportedNot reported$71,261
Briar Cliff UniversityNot reported47.5%$54,475
Central CollegeNot reported66.2%$54,317
Clarke UniversityNot reported56.1%$55,396
Coe CollegeNot reported65.9%$57,125
Cornell CollegeNot reported61.8%$53,460
Des Moines University-Osteopathic Medical CenterNot reportedNot reportedNot reported
Divine Word CollegeNot reported100.0%Not reported
Dordt UniversityNot reported70.1%$52,559
Drake UniversityNot reported74.0%$71,901
Emmaus Bible CollegeNot reported83.0%$42,631
Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological SeminaryNot reported67.5%$40,650

Earnings by field of study

Four years after graduation, by programme. Compare each against the national median for that field.

Earnings by field of study
ProgrammeMedian earnings (4 yr)National medianMedian debt
Curriculum and Instruction.$68,691$63,399Not reported
Finance and Financial Management Services.$63,950$83,343$27,000
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities.$63,832$53,072Not reported
Accounting and Related Services.$63,454$76,194$27,000
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology.$62,389$65,184Not reported
Business Administration, Management and Operations.$61,710$103,485Not reported
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations.$58,540$61,027$27,000
Business Administration, Management and Operations.$58,440$68,257$31,000
Student Counseling and Personnel Services.$58,059$60,111Not reported
Human Resources Management and Services.$56,329$68,069$27,312
Marketing.$55,330$69,303$25,994
Criminal Justice and Corrections.$53,736$55,378$27,000
Education, General.$50,997$49,808$32,000
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness.$49,281$54,562$27,000
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas.$48,048$51,389$29,008
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods.$45,573$47,382$41,996
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other.$45,185$55,693$34,965
Psychology, General.$44,755$50,706$32,500
Education, Other.Not reported$49,113Not reported
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics.Not reported$55,000Not reported

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10) — https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/ · Data last updated 2026-06-10