# Buena Vista University

Private nonprofit college in Storm Lake, IA. IPEDS ID 153001.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/buena-vista-university · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/buena-vista-university.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 78% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $18,846 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 62%; beats 38% of IA colleges and 65% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $49,156; beats 17% of IA colleges and 38% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $17,500

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $12,901 |
| 30-48k | $14,838 |
| 48-75k | $18,094 |
| 75-110k | $19,571 |
| 110k+ | $24,967 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.31 years on average (35% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $49,156 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $12,901 | $55,603 | 4.5 years |
| 30-48k | $14,838 | $63,952 | 5.1 years |
| 48-75k | $18,094 | $77,985 | 6.2 years |
| 75-110k | $19,571 | $84,351 | 6.8 years |
| 110k+ | $24,967 | $107,608 | 8.6 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $54,222
- Tuition and fees: $41,798
- Housing and meals: $10,896; books: $1,132

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: not reported; SAT math: not reported; ACT: 19–26 (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 1,544 applicants, 1,108 admitted, 217 enrolled; test scores considered but not required
- Fall 2024: acceptance 78%, ACT 19–26 (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 72%, ACT 18–25 (IPEDS Admissions)

## Majors (54 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance | $52,226 | $63,950 | $27,000 |
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | not reported | $63,832 | not reported |
| Accounting | $53,280 | $63,454 | $27,000 |
| Entrepreneurship | $49,099 | $58,540 | $27,000 |
| Business Administration | $47,385 | $58,440 | $31,000 |
| Human Resources | not reported | $56,329 | $27,312 |
| Marketing | $42,972 | $55,330 | $25,994 |
| Criminal Justice | $37,641 | $53,736 | $27,000 |
| Education | not reported | $50,997 | $32,000 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $38,356 | $49,281 | $27,000 |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | $44,551 | $48,048 | $29,008 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $42,834 | $45,573 | $41,996 |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $37,138 | $45,185 | $34,965 |
| Psychology | $35,559 | $44,755 | $32,500 |
| Agriculture | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Agricultural Business | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Animal Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Soil Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Communications | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Broadcasting / Digital Media | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Public Relations and Advertising | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Graphic Communications | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Computer Systems Analysis | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Special Education | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Education, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Legal Studies / Paralegal | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| English | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Biology | $30,682 | not reported | $27,000 |
| Biochemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Mathematics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Chemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Physics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Human Services | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Public Administration | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Social Work | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Criminology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Political Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Theatre | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Studio Art | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Music | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Arts and Entertainment Management | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Pre-Med / Pre-Health | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Business | $48,810 | not reported | $22,987 |
| Business Economics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| History | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Major to career
- Business Administration → Management analyst: median wage not reported (metro), $85,530 (IA), $101,860 (U.S.)
- Education (Elementary / Secondary) → Elementary school teacher: median wage not reported (metro), $60,580 (IA), $63,970 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).