Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Briar Cliff University #730 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $15,285 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Briar Cliff University in the 92.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Briar Cliff University #357 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. --- Briar Cliff University's composite ranking reflects its balance of access, affordability, and graduate outcomes among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution's 92.7 percentile performance for earnings beyond expectations demonstrates how graduates outperform peers at comparable institutions.
Azimuth ranks Briar Cliff University #730 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A private university located in Sioux City, IA, Briar Cliff University enrolls roughly 624 undergraduates. Retention stands at 64.2% and the six-year graduation rate is 47.5%, reflecting solid completion outcomes for a regional institution. Briar Cliff University performs strongest on return on investment. Azimuth ranks Briar Cliff University #357 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $61,163, and Briar Cliff University earn about $15,285 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 92.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. This performance reflects the institution's concentration in Business and related professional fields that connect directly to regional employment pathways. Access and affordability sit lower in the composite. Briar Cliff University enrolls 53.2% Pell-eligible students and 36.4% first-generation undergraduates, positioning the institution in the 67.0 percentile for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution sits in the 41.7 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting a private sticker price that is substantially reshaped by need-based aid for families that qualify. Mobility outcomes place Briar Cliff University in the 3.6 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, indicating that graduates move into stable career pathways aligned with regional labor-market demand.
Briar Cliff University's published cost of attendance is $51,493. Net price by income band varies meaningfully across the income spectrum: low-income families pay approximately $17,764, middle-income families pay around $25,516, and higher-income families pay approximately $27,328. Azimuth ranks Briar Cliff University #831 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Briar Cliff participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside institutional aid. The gap between published cost of attendance and net price reflects the institution's aid structure; families should review the net price illusion to understand how sticker price and actual out-of-pocket cost differ. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $23,250, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $19,260; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $61,163, median federal debt of $23,250 projects to a monthly payment of about $263 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Briar Cliff University is a strong fit for students interested in business and related fields who want a private university experience in IA, with a focus on delivering solid financial outcomes relative to the region. Graduates earn median earnings four years after enrollment of $61,163, placing Briar Cliff University in the 46.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. They earn about $15,285 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Briar Cliff University in the 92.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The university serves a meaningful share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 53.2% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 36.4% are first-generation. These figures track IA's regional labor market and represent meaningful returns relative to the state's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $34,809. The strongest program rankings cluster in Business — students whose interests align with this field will find the strongest outcomes at Briar Cliff University.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
Personalized cost and earnings calculator
This is the Briar Cliff University hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Briar Cliff University's published cost of attendance is $51,493. Net price by income band varies meaningfully across the income spectrum: low-income families pay approximately $17,764, middle-income families pay around $25,516, and higher-income families pay approximately $27,328.
Azimuth ranks Briar Cliff University #831 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Briar Cliff participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside institutional aid. The gap between published cost of attendance and net price reflects the institution's aid structure; families should review the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) to understand how sticker price and actual out-of-pocket cost differ.
Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $23,250, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $19,260; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $61,163, median federal debt of $23,250 projects to a monthly payment of about $263 under standard ten-year repayment.
For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Briar Cliff University earn median 4-year earnings of $61,163, placing Briar Cliff University in the 46.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $15,285 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Briar Cliff University in the 92.7 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Briar Cliff University #357 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Briar Cliff University's concentration in business and professional fields.
Kinesiology is the largest program with 22 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $50,286, performing at 0.9x the national benchmark for the field. The Business Administration program graduates 22 students with median 4-year earnings of $63,150, while Nursing and Social Work round out the institution's largest degree programs.
Social Work graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $50,315, performing at 1.0x the national benchmark. These programs anchor Briar Cliff University's earnings profile and reflect the institution's focus on Business as the primary degree concentration.
Business Administration, Management and Operations
22 graduates
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
20 graduates
Social Work
16 graduates
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
22 graduates
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
11 graduates
Briar Cliff University's program mix centers on business and professional fields, reflecting the institution's regional positioning as a private nonprofit serving the upper Midwest. Kinesiology is the largest program with 22 graduates annually, followed by Business Administration, Nursing, Social Work, and Biology, General.
Across 11 total programs, 0 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, with particular strength in applied business and professional-pathway fields. Business Administration leads the earnings profile, with graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $63,150 [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/).
Social Work follows with median earnings of $50,315 and 16 graduates, while Kinesiology delivers median earnings of $50,286. The concentration of strength in Business — which accounts for 17% of degrees — aligns with the institution's applied-professional identity and positions graduates for direct entry into regional labor markets.
The program portfolio reflects a direct-to-workforce orientation where most graduates enter employment immediately rather than pursuing graduate study. Kinesiology and Business Administration, as the largest cohorts, anchor the institution's economic footprint and employer visibility in the upper Midwest region.
The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how Briar Cliff University's dominant program families align with regional labor-market demand and wage trends.
