ACCEPTANCE RATE
71.8%
More selective than 47% of listed universities.
SelectiveAccessible
Private University
Buena Vista University
Buena Vista University offers a student-centered education in Storm Lake, Iowa, combining hands-on learning with flexible online programs and graduate degrees designed for real careers.
Storm Lake, IAtown, remote
71.8%ACCEPTANCE
$18,156AVG NET PRICE
47%GRAD RATE
1,951STUDENTS
University data profileIPEDS 2023
THE SIGNATURE
Buena Vista University Report Card
Explore university facts, programs, and campus life at a glance.
Buena Vista University is a private nonprofit four-year institution located on the shores of Storm Lake. The campus operates under the affiliation of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and maintains a total enrollment of 1,951 students.
Academic offerings include 77 undergraduate majors alongside graduate programs designed for working professionals seeking career advancement. The university emphasizes a welcoming community with hands-on opportunities, campus traditions, and experiences that help students connect and grow.
AT A GLANCE
TypePrivateFour or more years
Founded1891
Settingtown, remote
Religious affiliationPresbyterian Church (USA)
GETTING IN
Admissions
Applicants to Buena Vista University can apply through a rolling admissions process with no application fee required. The university reports an acceptance rate of 71.8 percent based on data from 1,544 applicants. Prospective students should note that the reported SAT math midpoint for admitted students is a statistic regarding accepted cohorts rather than a requirement for all applicants.
Source: IPEDS 2023
APPLICATION FEE
No application fee.
WHAT IT COSTS
Cost & Financial Aid
Sticker price tells you little — net price after aid is what most families actually pay.
Source: IPEDS 2023
IN-STATE TUITION & FEES
$40,190/yr
Out-of-state: $40,190/yr.
Net price by income band
$14,583$0–$30,000
$15,328$30,001–$48,000
$16,286$48,001–$75,000
$19,059$75,001–$110,000
$22,791$110,001+
AVERAGE NET PRICE AFTER AID
$18,156/yr
▼ 2% since 2020-2189% receive grants or scholarships
Average grant or scholarship aid $21,333.
IN THE CLASSROOM
Academics
The institution features 60+ programs designed to help students find their path and build their future. Academic strengths include extensive education tracks, business concentrations, and specialized endorsement areas such as agricultural education and special education instruction.
Source: IPEDS 2023
Student–faculty ratio
13:1
6-year graduation rate
47%
▼ 6 pts since 2016
First-year retention
76%
Median across 34 institutions in our national dataset: 89%.
Bachelor-level fields offered
77
Bachelor-level fields reported as offered in IPEDS
MOST POPULAR FIELDS OF STUDY
Share of bachelor's degree completions, not of all enrolled students.
Elementary Education and Teaching.21.5%
Human Services, General.10.6%
Business Administration and Management, General.7.5%
Psychology, General.6.5%
Accounting.5.2%
Criminal Justice/Safety Studies.4.7%
CAMPUS LIFE
Campus & Housing
Reported capacity of institution-controlled housing and campus setting. Capacity does not indicate how many students currently live in university housing.
University-controlled housing capacity
770
Includes institution-controlled housing; it may extend beyond campus.
Setting
town, remote
AFTER GRADUATION
Student outcomes
Earnings and employment of former students after entering the university.
Source: College Scorecard 2025
Median earnings · 10 yrs after entry
$49,156
Median earnings of former students working and not enrolled, ten years after entry.
Working after 10 yrs
92.3%
Share of former students working and not enrolled, ten years after entry.
Earning more than a high-school graduate
79.8%
79.8% of former students earn above the Scorecard high-school earnings threshold, ten years after entry.
Data Sources: U.S. Department of Education IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics, and College Scorecard. University Apartments is not affiliated with Buena Vista University.