Briar Cliff University
Sioux City, Iowa · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 46/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Briar Cliff University scores 46 (Below Average Value), with the strongest single sub-score being a healthy 82.3% three-year repayment rate - graduates do service their debt. The drag is completion: 47.5% finish. The 20.4% earnings premium is mediocre, the 0.628 debt-to-earnings ratio reflects $23,250 median debt against $37,000 average 6-year earnings, and the 12.1-year payback period is acceptable but unspectacular. Sticker tuition is $36,956 with a net price of $23,907 - meaningful discounting. Median earnings climb to $54,475 at 10 years, which is decent. The three reported programs (business, kinesiology, social work) span the typical small-private range, with business posting the cleanest C+ grade and social work earning a D because of unusually high debt ($37,564) for the field. Without a high-earning anchor program like nursing or engineering, Briar Cliff's institutional ROI score reflects the structural challenge of small-private liberal arts pricing in a regional market.
Briar Cliff University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $36,956/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $36,956/yr |
| Average net price | $23,907/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $95,628 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $54,475 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $37,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $246 |
| Estimated payback period | 12.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 47.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 624 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $36,956/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $23,907/year, or roughly $95,628 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $17,764/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $27,328/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $23,250, which works out to about $246 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($37,000) and comes to 0.63, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $17,764 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $14,604 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $25,516 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $30,156 |
| $110,001+ | $27,328 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $17,764 net annually, but the $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays substantially less ($14,604). For low-income families, the cash math is workable on paper, but the 47.5% completion rate is the dominant risk.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $25,516 - significantly more than both lower brackets - and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays the highest of all ($30,156), exceeding the top bracket ($27,328). This is a classic squeezed-middle aid pattern. The middle tier faces the toughest absolute math: $102K over four years against $54K median 10-year earnings.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Top-bracket families ($110,001+) pay $27,328 net annually - notably less than the $75,001-$110,000 bracket. This unusual pattern likely reflects merit-based scholarships flowing more readily to high-stat applicants regardless of need.
Earnings by Major
Top 3 most popular majors at Briar Cliff University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $63,150 | C+ |
| Social Work | $50,315 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $50,286 | C+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (21 graduates) is Briar Cliff's strongest reported program: $55,784 first-year earnings - notably high for a small Iowa private - climb to $63,150 at four years. Median debt of $25,191 yields a 0.452 ratio (C+ grade). The first-year earnings figure suggests strong placement into the Sioux City regional employer base. This is the most defensible mainstream financial bet on campus.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology (9 graduates) earns a C+ grade with $50,286 four-year earnings against $27,000 median debt (0.537 ratio). First-year earnings aren't reported. As at most schools, this is a feeder program for graduate study (PT, OT, athletic training); terminal-bachelor's earnings are typically modest. The Briar Cliff program scale is small, suggesting limited internship and placement infrastructure.
Social Work
Social Work (12 graduates) has $42,935 first-year earnings against $37,564 median debt, which yields a 0.875 ratio and a D grade. Four-year earnings of $50,315 don't redeem the borrowing.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 79.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 82.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 74.0% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 76.6% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Briar Cliff University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 624 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 53.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,888 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, and SAT/ACT score ranges are also unavailable. The lack of selectivity data combined with a 47.5% completion rate suggests a school admitting widely and finishing fewer than half - a pattern worth flagging for prospective students who should ask the admissions office directly about retention support.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Briar Cliff University (this school) | 46 | $23,907 | $54,475 |
| Central College | 49 | $23,377 | $54,317 |
| Monmouth College | 46 | $17,133 | $51,110 |
| Dakota Wesleyan University | 45 | $19,735 | $53,728 |
| Randolph College | 45 | $15,921 | $53,409 |
| Buena Vista University | 39 | $18,846 | $49,156 |
Who Thrives Here
With 624 students and 53.2% Pell, Briar Cliff serves a heavily lower-income, locally-rooted Iowa/Nebraska/South Dakota student body. The 47.5% completion rate is a genuine concern that prospective students should weigh - half of entering students leave without a credential, and borrowed-and-not-finished is the worst financial outcome at this price point. Students entering business or specific allied health pipelines find the strongest ROI; broad humanities and social work tracks face structurally tough math.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Briar Cliff University is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $23,907 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $54,475 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 12.1 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What it has going for it: high loan repayment success. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 47.5% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63 (median across the schools we score: 0.61).
Median debt of $23,250 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $37,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Briar Cliff University: Common Questions
Is Briar Cliff University worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Briar Cliff University scores 46/100 on our ROI scale. At $23,907 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $54,475 ten years after entry, so it takes about 12.1 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Briar Cliff University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $23,907 a year, or roughly $95,628 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Briar Cliff University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $54,475 ten years after enrolling, roughly $12,675 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Briar Cliff University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 12.1 years for Briar Cliff University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Briar Cliff University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,250, against average earnings of $37,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Briar Cliff University?
The six-year graduation rate is 47.5%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.