U.S. median for this major: $64,798.
College Scorecard field of study; 113 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 53% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,808.
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 Business Administration: 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.
Business Administration 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 | 2.6 years |
| $30–48k | $14,838 | $63,952 | 2.9 years |
| $48–75k | $18,094 | $77,985 | 3.6 years |
| $75–110k | $19,571 | $84,351 | 3.9 years |
| $110k+ | $24,967 | $107,608 | 4.9 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 Business Administration graduates 4 years after graduating ($58,440) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $21,779 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.
Business Administration at Iowa colleges
Every Iowa college we cover that reports Business Administration 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 | William Penn University | $79,791 | $27,000 | $22,601 | 33% |
| 2 | Iowa State University | $78,304 | $22,250 | $18,589 | 75% |
| 3 | Saint Ambrose University | $77,850 | $35,135 | $24,691 | 61% |
| 4 | Clarke University | $75,920 | $27,000 | $24,479 | 56% |
| 5 | University of Northern Iowa | $74,838 | $19,500 | $15,901 | 68% |
| 6 | Drake University | $73,523 | $20,485 | $29,127 | 74% |
| 7 | Simpson College | $69,958 | $26,975 | $21,936 | 63% |
| 8 | Northwestern College | $68,565 | $23,250 | $25,907 | 66% |
| 9 | Luther College | $68,510 | $27,000 | $23,097 | 71% |
| 10 | Central College | $68,021 | $27,000 | $23,377 | 66% |
| 11 | University of Iowa | $67,605 | $23,750 | $22,531 | 75% |
| 12 | Upper Iowa University | $65,858 | $34,453 | $20,942 | 34% |
| 13 | Loras College | $65,266 | $27,000 | $20,716 | 68% |
| 14 | Coe College | $64,619 | $27,000 | $18,745 | 66% |
| 15 | Briar Cliff University | $63,150 | $25,191 | $23,907 | 48% |
| 16 | University of Dubuque | $62,918 | $27,000 | $23,386 | 40% |
| 17 | Graceland University-Lamoni | $62,485 | $25,791 | $18,504 | 42% |
| 18 | Morningside University | $61,940 | $27,000 | $31,320 | 50% |
| 19 | Buena Vista University | $58,440 | $31,000 | $18,846 | 62% |
| 20 | Mount Mercy University | $57,378 | $27,000 | $20,168 | 58% |
4 more Iowa colleges offer Business Administration but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Business Administration graduates
Management analyst
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +10.1% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
General and Operations Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Project Management Specialists
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +6.7% 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
- Business—
- Finance$63,950
- Human Resources$56,329
- Accounting$63,454
- Marketing$55,330
- Business Economics—
Buena Vista University Business Administration questions
How much do Buena Vista University Business Administration graduates earn?
Business Administration graduates of Buena Vista University earn a median $58,440 four years after graduating and $47,385 one year after. The U.S. median for Business Administration graduates across 1104 colleges is $64,798.
How much debt do Buena Vista University Business Administration graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Business Administration graduates of Buena Vista University is $31,000, about 53% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,808.
Is Buena Vista University a good school for Business Administration in Iowa?
On pay, Business Administration graduates of Buena Vista University earn $58,440 four years out, $9,373 below the median for the same major across 20 Iowa colleges ($67,813) and $6,358 below the U.S. median ($64,798). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Buena Vista University rank for Business Administration in Iowa?
Of 20 Iowa colleges reporting Business Administration graduate earnings, Buena Vista University ranks 19th. The highest is William Penn University at $79,791.
What jobs do Business Administration graduates get?
A common career is management analyst, with a median wage of $85,530 in Iowa and $101,860 nationally. Others include general and operations managers and project management specialists.
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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 Business Administration: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/buena-vista-university/majors/business-administration (College Scorecard and BLS data).