Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations at Buena Vista University

Buena Vista's entrepreneurship program starts strong but shows a troubling reversal: graduates earn nearly $50,000 their first year out—well above the national median of $45,265 and comparable to what Iowa State grads make. But by year four, earnings have dropped to $46,614, bucking the usual pattern where business degree holders gain ground as they establish their careers. This backward slide is unusual for an entrepreneurship program, where early business ventures typically gain traction over time rather than lose it.

The debt picture offers some consolation. At $27,000, graduates carry manageable loans that rank in just the 5th percentile nationally for debt burden, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55 that's quite favorable. This suggests students aren't overleveraging themselves to attend Buena Vista. The school's 43% Pell grant population also indicates it's accessible to students from various economic backgrounds.

The critical caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, making it statistically shaky. The earnings decline could reflect a handful of students changing career paths rather than a systematic problem with the program. Given the small sample and the unclear earnings trajectory, parents should dig deeper—request alumni outcomes directly from the school and talk to recent graduates about their post-graduation experiences. The fundamentals aren't alarming, but the limited data makes this more of a question mark than a sure bet.