Buena Vista University
Storm Lake, Iowa · Private Nonprofit · 77.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 39/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa scores 39 in the Below Benchmark tier. Four-year cost totals $75,384. Earnings climb from $36,000 at six years to $49,156 by year ten. The 15.2-year payback period and 0.694 debt-to-earnings ratio against $25,000 of median debt drag the score down. Completion at 61.7% is actually solid for a small private and one of the school's brighter metrics. Repayment is 65.2%. BVU has carved out a distinctive niche with strong professional schools (business, education, sciences) and an extensive online graduate program network across Iowa. The math works for students choosing the strong programs (accounting, finance, business) and aggressively negotiating institutional aid; the broader academic mix shows the standard pattern of small-private weakness in liberal arts and education tracks.
How Buena Vista University scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score39/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period15.2 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Buena Vista University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $41,798/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $41,798/yr |
| Average net price | $18,846/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $75,384 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $49,156 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 15.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 61.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,366 |
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: $41,798/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $18,846/year, or roughly $75,384 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 $12,901/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,967/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,000, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($36,000) and comes to 0.69, 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 | $12,901 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $14,838 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $18,094 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $19,571 |
| $110,001+ | $24,967 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $12,901 net per year. With Pell ($7,395 max) and Iowa Tuition Grant aid stacked, this is workable but not generous. The 61.7% completion rate is reasonable but not great; low-income students should plan for the academic and financial cushions to avoid stop-out.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Brackets behave normally: $30,001-$48,000 pays $14,838, $48,001-$75,000 pays $18,094, $75,001-$110,000 jumps to $19,571. Middle-income Iowa families face $59K-$78K over four years.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,001+ pay $24,967 - well below sticker tuition because of merit aid, but substantial. High-income families considering BVU are typically choosing the small-college experience and the school's strong professional programs over price.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Buena Vista University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education | $45,573 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $58,440 | C |
| Psychology | $44,755 | D |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $48,048 | C |
| Accounting | $63,454 | C+ |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $49,281 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $53,736 | D |
| Finance and Financial Management | $63,950 | C+ |
| Marketing | $55,330 | C |
| Business Administration and Management | $48,810 | 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.
Accounting
Accounting is BVU's standout: 21 graduates with $53,280 first-year and $63,454 four-year earnings against $27,000 debt - a 0.507 ratio and C+ grade. Iowa CPA firms (RSM, BKD, plus regional Iowa firms) and corporate accounting departments at Des Moines insurance/financial-services firms (Principal Financial, Wells Fargo, Nationwide) absorb graduates reliably. The first-year earnings above $50K is genuinely strong for a small Iowa private.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance (16 graduates) shows $52,226 first-year and $63,950 four-year earnings against $27,000 debt - a 0.517 ratio and C+ grade. Like accounting, the Des Moines financial-services labor market provides strong placement.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
General Business is the largest program (54 graduates) with $47,385 first-year and $58,440 four-year earnings against $31,000 debt - a 0.654 ratio and C grade. Students should aggressively pursue institutional aid and consider concentrations in finance or accounting.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education is BVU's other large program (83 graduates) but the financial picture is concerning: $42,834 first-year and $45,573 four-year earnings against $41,996 median debt - a 0.98 ratio and D grade.
Psychology
Psychology (34 graduates) shows $35,559 first-year and $44,755 four-year earnings against $32,500 debt - a 0.914 ratio and D grade. The high debt relative to earnings is concerning. Standard undergrad-psych problem: bachelor's-only earnings are weak and the credential alone doesn't open clinical-psych pathways. Students should plan for graduate school from day one.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 61.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 65.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 69.6% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 77.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Buena Vista 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
| Acceptance rate | 77.6% |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 19-26 |
| Enrollment | 1,366 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 43.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,912 |
BVU admits 77.6% of applicants. SAT data is not reported; ACT mid-50% bands run 19-26. Iowa students with average ACT scores fit the academic profile. The 61.7% completion rate is solid for this admission profile, suggesting the school's residential community and small classes provide retention support that exceeds what raw test scores alone would predict. Prepared students who arrive committed to a specific program tend to finish.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buena Vista University (this school) | 39 | $18,846 | $49,156 |
| Central College | 49 | $23,377 | $54,317 |
| Briar Cliff University | 46 | $23,907 | $54,475 |
| Muskingum University | 39 | $19,532 | $48,440 |
| Geneva College | 38 | $25,890 | $50,004 |
| Cornerstone University | 37 | $20,301 | $47,314 |
Who Thrives Here
BVU fits Iowa students wanting a small residential private college experience and willing to use the school's substantial institutional discounts to make the math work. Outcomes look strongest for accounting, finance, and business graduates - those programs feed Des Moines and Sioux City corporate employers. The teacher-education program is large (83 graduates) but carries unusually high debt that hurts ROI. Students should aggressively negotiate aid packages and pick high-ROI majors.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Buena Vista University scores 39/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $18,846 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $49,156 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 15.2 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 65.2% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $36,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69. 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.
Buena Vista University: Common Questions
Is Buena Vista University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Buena Vista University scores 39/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $18,846 a year after aid against $49,156 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 15.2 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Buena Vista 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 $18,846 a year, or roughly $75,384 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 Buena Vista University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $49,156 ten years after enrolling, roughly $7,356 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 Buena Vista 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 15.2 years for Buena Vista University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Buena Vista University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $36,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69. 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 Buena Vista University?
The six-year graduation rate is 61.7%. 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.