Buena Vista University
A good fit for students who want accessible admissions and students who want small classes and close faculty access. no major red flags in the data. generous financial aid cuts net price well below sticker.
About This School
Buena Vista University is a private nonprofit institution located in Storm Lake, Iowa with approximately 1,366 undergraduate students enrolled. Buena Vista University has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 78%. The average net price after financial aid is $18,846 per year. The graduation rate is 62%, and the typical graduate earns $42,600 within 10 years of enrollment.
Buena Vista University is a private university in Storm Lake, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1891 as Buena Vista College, it is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. The university's 60-acre (240,000 m2) campus is situated on the shores of Storm Lake, a 3,200-acre (13 km2) natural lake.
The numbers tell a mixed story here — a 47% graduation rate is notably low, meaning fewer than half of students who start actually finish, which is worth taking seriously before committing. On the positive side, the average net price of $18,321/year is genuinely affordable for a private school, and median debt at graduation sits at a manageable $17,500. Worth considering if you're drawn to a tight-knit campus on a scenic Iowa lake and have a clear plan to stay enrolled, but families should ask hard questions about academic support and why so many students leave before finishing.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 27% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
Buena Vista University graduates earn most above the national rate in Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($63,832 vs $53,072 nationally), and most below it in Finance and Financial Management Services ($63,950 vs $83,343).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 83 | $45,573 | $47,382 | −$1,809 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 54 | $58,440 | $68,257 | −$9,817 |
| Psychology, General | 34 | $44,755 | $50,706 | −$5,951 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 25 | $48,048 | $51,389 | −$3,341 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 21 | $63,454 | $76,194 | −$12,740 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 19 | $49,281 | $54,562 | −$5,281 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 19 | $53,736 | $55,378 | −$1,642 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 16 | $63,950 | $83,343 | −$19,393 |
| Marketing | 14 | $55,330 | $69,303 | −$13,973 |
| Education, General | 10 | $50,997 | $49,808 | +$1,189 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 3 | $45,185 | $55,693 | −$10,508 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 1 | $63,832 | $53,072 | +$10,760 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing a bachelor's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (1,366 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
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See How Colleges Compare
Buena Vista University is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Buena Vista University?
Buena Vista University has an acceptance rate of 78%, based on the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Is Buena Vista University hard to get into?
Not especially. Buena Vista University has an acceptance rate of 78%, so admissions are relatively accessible for applicants who meet the requirements.
How much does Buena Vista University cost?
The average net price at Buena Vista University is about $18,846 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at Buena Vista University?
Buena Vista University has a graduation rate of 62%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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