William Penn University vs Buena Vista University

William Penn University and Buena Vista University, both private institutions with rich histories, offer distinct educational experiences. William Penn, located in Oskaloosa, Iowa, is a Quaker-affiliated university known for its liberal arts education and strong nursing program. Buena Vista, situated in Storm Lake, Iowa, emphasizes experiential learning and career preparation, with popular majors in business and education. While both universities have similar acceptance rates, William Penn boasts a slightly higher graduation rate. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about their differences in student body demographics, popular majors, and other key factors, helping you make an informed decision about your academic journey.
Buena Vista University logo

Buena Vista University

William Penn University logo

William Penn University

Overview

Location Storm Lake, Iowa Oskaloosa, Iowa
Campus setting Town: Remote Town: Remote
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% 61.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation Presbyterian Protestant

Admission

Acceptance rate 66.0% 57.7%
Application fees
SAT range 963 - 1140 830 - 1030
ACT range 18 - 25 16 - 21
Students submitting SAT score 8.0% 18.0%
Students submitting ACT score 57.0% 40.0%
Total number of applicants 1,749 1,387
Total number of admissions given out 1,154 800
Admitted students who chose to enroll 237 335
Yield rate 20.5% 41.9%
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 $40,600
Average net price $18,532 $21,112
Tuition $37,518 $27,200
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,114

Meal plan: $5,256
Room/dormitory: $3,206

Meal plan: $4,050
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 $18,221
Students receiving federal student loan 72.0%
Average amount $5,750
96.0%
Average amount $5,411
Students taking out private loans 29.0%
Average amount $5,551
96.0%
Average amount $2,104

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,506
Men 36.5% Women 63.5%
1,304
Men 52.3% Women 47.7%
Graduate students 453
Men 16.3% Women 83.7%
68
Men 61.8% Women 38.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students 39.4% N/A
International students 0.5% 5.3%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 836 856
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 N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Business
  • Psychology
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Education
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Communication and Journalism
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 17:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 62.8% 32.1%
Dropout rate 36.8% 67.2%
Transferred out N/A N/A
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/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,560
  • Year 2: $58,402
  • Year 3: $61,842
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,860
  • Year 2: $40,089
  • Year 3: $45,725
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,675
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,031
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,693
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,205
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Human Resources Management and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $46,478
  • Year 3: N/A

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