FourYearCost

Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, IAPrivate nonprofitRank 5 of 1,732

Heads-up: 14% of undergraduates here are part-time and 45% study fully online (IPEDS fall 2023). Large part-time, online or adult populations can make the later-years average look lower for reasons unrelated to freshman aid, so this college is left out of the default traditional ranking.

Avg freshman grant · 2022-23
$34,333
234 recipients
Avg grant, later years · 2022-23
$18,654
1,063 recipients
The drop
$15,679
45.7% of the freshman average

Freshman grant vs later years

Freshman year$34,333Later years$18,654

Average grant per recipient, IPEDS SFA 2022-23.

Averages across all recipients, not a prediction for one student. Continuing students include transfers and part-time students. Data is about two years old. How this is calculated.

Average net price by family income (2022-23)

Family incomeAvg net price
$0–30k$14,583
$30–48k$15,328
$48–75k$16,286
$75–110k$19,059
$110k+$22,791

First-time, full-time students receiving Title IV aid. Source: IPEDS SFA 2022-23.

Published cost (IPEDS)

Tuition and fees (in-state), 2022-23$38,644
Tuition and fees (in-state), 2023-24$40,190
Change$1,546 (+4.0%)
On-campus room and board, 2023-24$10,896

Source: IPEDS Institutional Characteristics, academic years 2022-23 and 2023-24.

Tuition and fees trend

$34,0042018-19$35,1942019-20$36,4262020-21$37,5182021-22$38,6442022-23$40,1902023-24

Published tuition and required fees, +18.2% from first to last year shown. Source: IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2021-22 and 2023-24 files.

Average net price trend

$18,5322020-21$19,2042021-22$18,1562022-23

Average net price for first-time, full-time students receiving grant aid. Source: IPEDS SFA 2022-23.

Outcomes and aid profile

Bachelor's graduation rate within 6 years47%
Full-time freshman retention (return for year 2)76%
Freshmen receiving Pell Grants39%
Freshmen taking federal loans67%
Average federal loan (freshmen who borrow)$5,274
Aid drop one year earlier (2021-22)$16,027

Sources: IPEDS Graduation Rates 2023 (DRVGR), Fall Enrollment 2023 (retention), SFA 2022-23 and 2021-22. "Freshmen" = first-time, full-time undergraduates.

Compare with other colleges Compare with the two most similar

More: all IA colleges · how aid changes after year one · lowest net price for low-income families · 2026-27 state cost reports

Similar colleges

CollegeFreshman grantDrop
Simpson College$35,240$1,685
Drake University$31,783$1,763
Luther College$38,042$4,707
Graceland University-Lamoni$30,218$4,575
Cornell College$38,486$1,105

Same state and control, closest average freshman grant. All colleges in this state.

Get a personal estimate from the college's own net price calculator.

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