Buena Vista University

Buena Vista University's published cost of attendance is $54,222. Need-based aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $12,901, middle-income families pay around $18,094, and higher-income families pay approximately $24,967.

Azimuth ranks Buena Vista University #585 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.

Buena Vista University participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside institutional aid. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $25,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $12,074; 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 the typical graduate at Buena Vista University's median four-year earnings of $50,318, median federal debt of $25,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $282 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 Buena Vista University earn median 4-year earnings of $50,318, placing Buena Vista University in the 10.5 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,440 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Buena Vista University in the 38.7 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Buena Vista University #1081 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern centers on Business and related professional fields.

Teacher Education is the largest program with 85 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $45,573, performing at 1.0x the national benchmark for the field. Human Services, General and Business Administration follow as substantial cohorts, with Business Administration graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $58,440 at 0.9x the benchmark.

Psychology, General graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $44,755, and Accounting rounds out the top five with median 4-year earnings of $63,454 at 0.8x the benchmark. This concentration in career-focused fields supports consistent early-career earnings and positions graduates for stable long-term financial outcomes.

Buena Vista University's program mix is anchored in Business and professional fields, reflecting the institution's regional liberal arts identity. Teacher Education is the largest program with 85 graduates, followed by Human Services, General, Business Administration, Psychology, General, and Accounting.

Across 21 programs serving roughly 481 students annually, the institution concentrates on applied business, education, and health-related fields that connect directly to regional labor markets. The earnings pattern reflects this applied-professional orientation.

Finance leads with median earnings of $63,950 four years after enrollment, followed by Accounting at $63,454, Business Administration at $58,440, and Digital Marketing at $55,330. Teacher Education, the institution's largest program, delivers median earnings of $45,573 four years after enrollment, anchoring the school's economic profile through sheer cohort scale.

Business Administration and Psychology, General round out the earnings picture with $58,440 and $44,755 respectively, showing consistent outcomes across the largest enrollment clusters. The institution's program portfolio emphasizes fields where four-year earnings reflect direct workforce entry — particularly Business, education, and health-related majors where graduates move into stable, in-demand roles in Iowa and surrounding regions.

The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these dominant program families align with regional labor-market demand and long-term wage trends in the Midwest.