U.S. median for this major: $74,373.
College Scorecard field of study; 71 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 43% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,903.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $54,222. College Scorecard.
Buena Vista University Accounting: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Accounting nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Buena Vista University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $12,901 | $55,603 | 2.1 years |
| $30–48k | $14,838 | $63,952 | 2.4 years |
| $48–75k | $18,094 | $77,985 | 2.9 years |
| $75–110k | $19,571 | $84,351 | 3.1 years |
| $110k+ | $24,967 | $107,608 | 4.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (35% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Accounting graduates 4 years after graduating ($63,454) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $26,793 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Accounting at Iowa colleges
Every Iowa college we cover that reports Accounting graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Iowa | $92,767 | $22,500 | $22,531 | 75% |
| 2 | Wartburg College | $89,696 | $26,840 | $32,908 | 64% |
| 3 | Drake University | $87,582 | $20,500 | $29,127 | 74% |
| 4 | Central College | $86,868 | $27,000 | $23,377 | 66% |
| 5 | Saint Ambrose University | $83,719 | $26,559 | $24,691 | 61% |
| 6 | University of Northern Iowa | $82,641 | $21,525 | $15,901 | 68% |
| 7 | Coe College | $81,408 | $26,000 | $18,745 | 66% |
| 8 | Dordt University | $77,629 | — | $25,807 | 70% |
| 9 | Simpson College | $76,272 | $27,000 | $21,936 | 63% |
| 10 | Luther College | $75,341 | $27,000 | $23,097 | 71% |
| 11 | Loras College | $74,811 | — | $20,716 | 68% |
| 12 | Iowa State University | $70,706 | $23,250 | $18,589 | 75% |
| 13 | Grand View University | $66,906 | $27,000 | $21,774 | 54% |
| 14 | Upper Iowa University | $63,645 | $37,608 | $20,942 | 34% |
| 15 | Buena Vista University | $63,454 | $27,000 | $18,846 | 62% |
| 16 | University of Dubuque | $63,082 | $29,000 | $23,386 | 40% |
| 17 | Mount Mercy University | $59,763 | — | $20,168 | 58% |
| 18 | Northwestern College | $59,192 | — | $25,907 | 66% |
5 more Iowa colleges offer Accounting but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Accounting graduates
Accountant / auditor
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Financial Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +9.7% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Financial and Investment Analysts
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +7.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Buena Vista University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Buena Vista University
- Acceptance rate: 78% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 62% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $49,156
- Full cost breakdown · all 54 majors · overview
Related majors at Buena Vista University
- Finance$63,950
- Business Administration$58,440
- Business—
- Business Economics—
- Marketing$55,330
- Human Resources$56,329
Buena Vista University Accounting questions
How much do Buena Vista University Accounting graduates earn?
Accounting graduates of Buena Vista University earn a median $63,454 four years after graduating and $53,280 one year after. The U.S. median for Accounting graduates across 741 colleges is $74,373.
How much debt do Buena Vista University Accounting graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Accounting graduates of Buena Vista University is $27,000, about 43% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,903.
Is Buena Vista University a good school for Accounting in Iowa?
On pay, Accounting graduates of Buena Vista University earn $63,454 four years out, $12,352 below the median for the same major across 18 Iowa colleges ($75,806) and $10,919 below the U.S. median ($74,373). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Buena Vista University rank for Accounting in Iowa?
Of 18 Iowa colleges reporting Accounting graduate earnings, Buena Vista University ranks 15th. The highest is University of Iowa at $92,767.
What jobs do Accounting graduates get?
A common career is accountant / auditor, with a median wage of $77,440 in Iowa and $83,680 nationally. Others include financial managers and financial and investment analysts.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Buena Vista University Accounting: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/buena-vista-university/majors/accounting (College Scorecard and BLS data).