Saint Ambrose University vs Buena Vista University

Saint Ambrose University and Buena Vista University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Saint Ambrose, located in the vibrant city of Davenport, Iowa, boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a more diverse student body. Buena Vista, nestled in the charming town of Storm Lake, Iowa, maintains a smaller student population, fostering a close-knit community. While Saint Ambrose excels in business and nursing programs, Buena Vista shines in education and exercise science. Both universities prioritize student success, reflected in their impressive graduation rates. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Buena Vista University	Saint Ambrose University
Overview
Location	Storm Lake, Iowa	Davenport, Iowa
Campus setting	Town: Remote	City: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	4-1-4	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	73.0%	75.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation	Presbyterian	Catholic

Admission
Acceptance rate	66.0%	72.4%
Application fees
SAT range	963 - 1140	1030 - 1190
ACT range	18 - 25	20 - 27
Students submitting SAT score	8.0%	21.0%
Students submitting ACT score	57.0%	34.0%
Total number of applicants	1,749	4,005
Total number of admissions given out	1,154	2,900
Admitted students who chose to enroll	237	493
Yield rate	20.5%	17.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$53,162	$51,924
Average net price	$18,532	$24,844
Tuition	$37,518	$33,290
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $5,114 Meal plan: $5,256	Room/dormitory: $7,196 Meal plan: $4,442
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $31,137	100.0% Average amount $22,790
Students receiving federal student loan	72.0% Average amount $5,750	70.0% Average amount $5,278
Students taking out private loans	29.0% Average amount $5,551	18.0% Average amount $14,015

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,506 Men 36.5% Women 63.5%	2,228 Men 45.3% Women 54.7%
Graduate students	453 Men 16.3% Women 83.7%	685 Men 27.7% Women 72.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Low
Out-of-state students	39.4%	63.9%
International students	0.5%	2.0%
Campus local/setting	Town: Remote	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	836	1,688
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Iowa Texas Nebraska Minnesota Arizona	Illinois Iowa California Missouri Indiana

Academics
Popular study areas	Education Business Psychology Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Computer and Information Science	Health Professions Business Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Public Administration and Social Service Education
Students to faculty ratio	11:1	12:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	62.8%	64.4%
Dropout rate	36.8%	15.9%
Transferred out	N/A	19.7%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $58,501 Year 2: $58,943 Year 3: $61,003 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,278 Year 2: $47,260 Year 3: $52,709 Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $45,249 Year 2: $45,455 Year 3: $48,387 Human Resources Management and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,936 Year 2: $43,426 Year 3: $46,768 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $44,901 Year 2: $47,494 Year 3: $46,501 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,530 Year 2: $35,416 Year 3: $45,327 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,042 Year 2: $40,089 Year 3: $45,181 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,301 Year 2: $39,369 Year 3: $44,742 Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,198 Year 2: $35,416 Year 3: $43,790 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,262 Year 2: $37,819 Year 3: $37,074	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $83,289 Year 2: $78,657 Year 3: $82,825 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $67,136 Year 2: $66,287 Year 3: $68,203 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $70,519 Year 2: $49,019 Year 3: $66,569 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,077 Year 2: $59,377 Year 3: $61,530 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,766 Year 2: $50,856 Year 3: $54,838 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $45,000 Year 2: $48,432 Year 3: $54,578 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $54,715 Year 2: $53,358 Year 3: $54,557 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $43,428 Year 2: $47,260 Year 3: $53,324 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,216 Year 2: $39,729 Year 3: $52,751 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,037 Year 2: $31,133 Year 3: $52,398

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