Comparison tool
Rankings across 8 publishers plus admissions, cost, debt and outcome data for Buena Vista University, Calvin University, Alverno College. Every figure is sourced and dated.
| Metric | Buena VistaStorm Lake, IA | Calvin UniversityGrand Rapids, MI | AlvernoMilwaukee, WI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 77.6% | 70.9% | 85.7% |
| SAT middle 50% | Not reportedBuena Vista University did not report an SAT score range for its most recent entering class. | 1083–1330 | Not reportedAlverno College reports that it neither requires nor recommends admissions test scores, and does not report a score range to the Department of Education. |
| Average net price | $18,84643.8% on Pell grants | $22,99217.4% on Pell grants | $22,54045.1% on Pell grants |
| Published tuition & fees | $41,798Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $39,350Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $34,086Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release |
| 6-year graduation rate | 61.7% | 74.1% | 49.2% |
| First-year retention | 76.0% | 86.8% | 61.0% |
| Undergraduates on Pell grants | 43.8% | 17.4% | 45.1% |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $49,156 | $58,375 | $53,145 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $25,000 | $23,250 | $27,000 |
| Student-faculty ratio | 13:1 | 14:1 | 10:1 |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,366 | 3,193 | 631 |
| Consensus percentile | 30Lower is better | 30Lower is better | 31Lower is better |
| Methodology sensitivity | 32 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 48 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 17 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points |
Highlighted cells mark the most favourable value in that row where a direction is meaningful. No highlight appears for metrics like enrollment or SAT range, where “better” depends entirely on what you want.
“Not ranked by this source” means that publisher’s list does not include the school — not missing data and not a poor rank.
| Source | Buena Vista | Calvin University | Alverno |
|---|---|---|---|
| US News | #48 of 165Regional univ. (Midwest)Regional Universities (Midwest) · 2026 | #4 of 165Regional univ. (Midwest)Regional Universities (Midwest) · 2026 | #67 of 165Regional univ. (Midwest)Regional Universities (Midwest) · 2026 |
| Forbes | Not ranked by this source | #251 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 | Not ranked by this source |
| Washington Monthly | #216 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #750 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #354 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 |
| WSJ | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| Niche | #1220 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #476 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #760 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 |
| Money | Listed | Listed | Listed |
| Princeton Review | Not ranked by this source | Listed | Not ranked by this source |
| QS | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
Students comparing Buena Vista University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing Calvin University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing Alverno College on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
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