Buena Vista University

With 8 social work graduates in the latest year, Buena Vista University runs a small BSW cohort — #472 among 587 programs nationally by size. Worth asking the department how often required practice courses run, since smaller programs sometimes offer them only once a year.

61.8% of students here finish their degree, against a national median of 50.4% across the BSW colleges in this directory — a meaningful margin. Students who finish take a median of 5 years to do it.

The average student pays $19,704 a year after grants and scholarships — $4,327 below the $24,031 median across the 13 BSW colleges in Iowa. 49.0% of first-time students receive Pell Grants, a high share that usually reflects a student body with substantial financial need — and a financial aid office practiced at handling it. Net price is the number that matters when comparing programs, not sticker tuition — and because most social work roles are with government or nonprofit employers, graduates are typically eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.