# Buena Vista University

> private university in Storm Lake, Iowa

**Wikidata**: [Q4985470](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4985470)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buena_Vista_University)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/buena-vista-university

## Summary
Buena Vista University (BVU) is a private not-for-profit educational institution located in Storm Lake, Iowa. Founded in 1891 and affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, it is a baccalaureate college offering diverse fields of study with a very high undergraduate enrollment. The university serves over 1,800 students and maintains an endowment of approximately $112 million as of 2022.

## Key Facts
- **Location:** 610 W 4th St, Storm Lake, Iowa, 50588, United States.
- **Founded:** 1891.
- **Type:** Private not-for-profit university; affiliated with the Presbyterian Church.
- **Enrollment:** 1,863 students (as of September 2020); 1,779 full-time equivalent students (as of September 2021).
- **Endowment:** $112,245,020 USD (as of June 30, 2022).
- **Employees:** 492 (as of September 2020).
- **Admissions:** Acceptance rate of 56% with an admission yield rate of 23% (as of 2020).
- **Athletics:** Buena Vista Beavers.
- **Carnegie Classification:** Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields; Four-year, full-time, selective, higher transfer-in.

## FAQs
### Q: Where is Buena Vista University located?
A: The university is located in Storm Lake, Iowa, at 610 W 4th St, zip code 50588.

### Q: What is the religious affiliation of Buena Vista University?
A: The university is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church.

### Q: How selective is Buena Vista University?
A: As of 2020, the university had an admission rate of 56%, meaning it is selective in its admissions process.

## Why It Matters
Buena Vista University serves as a key higher education provider in northwestern Iowa, classified as a baccalaureate college with diverse fields. It plays a significant role in the regional economy and education sector by maintaining a "very high undergraduate" enrollment profile and serving as a "four-year, full-time, selective" institution.

The university distinguishes itself through a specific balance of arts and sciences with professional programs, operating without graduate coexistence in its main classification but offering postbaccalaureate single programs in education. This structure allows it to address specific workforce needs in teaching while maintaining a broad undergraduate curriculum. Financially, the institution manages substantial assets totaling over $204 million (as of 2020) and an endowment that has grown from approximately $112 million in 2022, ensuring the sustainability of its operations and scholarships. Its designation as a "higher transfer-in" institution also highlights its accessibility and role in facilitating degree completion for students transitioning from other colleges.

## Notable For
- **Classification Status:** Identified by the Carnegie Classification as a "four-year, small, highly residential" university with "balanced arts & sciences/professions."
- **Affiliation:** One of the higher education institutions affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in the United States.
- **Digital Presence:** Maintains a robust digital footprint with significant YouTube viewership exceeding 1 million views and an active social media presence across Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
- **Academic Affiliations:** Member of the Association of American Colleges and Universities.
- **Academic Output:** Affiliated with noted academics such as American computer scientist Carol Spradling.

## Body

### Institutional Profile
Buena Vista University is a private university founded in 1891. It operates as a not-for-profit educational institution in Storm Lake, Iowa. The university is officially affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. As of the 2020 fiscal year, the institution held total assets valued at $204,820,451.

### Campus and Location
The university's physical campus is situated at 610 W 4th St, Storm Lake, IA, 50588. The geographic coordinates are 42.6426° N latitude and 95.2079° W longitude. It is categorized as a "highly residential" institution.

### Student Demographics and Admissions
As of September 2020, the university employed 492 individuals and hosted a student body of 1,863 students. In 2021, the full-time equivalent (FTE) student count was recorded at 1,779.
Admissions data from 2020 indicates:
-   **Admission Rate:** 56%
-   **Admission Yield Rate:** 23%

### Academic Classification
According to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, Buena Vista University holds the following designations:
-   **Undergraduate Instruction:** Four-year, full-time, selective, higher transfer-in.
-   **Program Focus:** Balanced arts & sciences/professions, no graduate coexistence.
-   **Graduate Instruction:** Postbaccalaureate: single program - education.
-   **Size and Setting:** Four-year, small, highly residential.
-   **Enrollment Profile:** Very high undergraduate.

### Financial Data
The university's financial endowment has fluctuated over recent fiscal years:
-   **2020 (June 30):** $128,993,080 USD
-   **2021 (June 30):** $120,634,934 USD
-   **2022 (June 30):** $112,245,020 USD

### Digital Identity and Identifiers
Buena Vista University maintains a comprehensive online presence.
-   **Website:** https://www.bvu.edu/
-   **Social Media Handles:** @buenavistauniv (Twitter, Instagram, Threads); buenavistauniversity (Facebook, YouTube).
-   **YouTube Metrics:** As of late 2025, the channel has accumulated over 1,029,427 views and 582 subscribers.
-   **Academic Identifiers:**
    -   ROR ID: 018224j82
    -   GRID ID: grid.253378.8
    -   ISNI: 0000000100982735
    -   IPEDS ID: 153001
    -   Ringgold ID: 7707

## References

1. Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
2. GRID Release 2017-01-10
3. Virtual International Authority File
4. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20240120073011/https://secure.aacu.org/iMIS/AACUR/Membership/MemberListAACU.aspx)
5. Google Knowledge Graph
6. GeoNames
7. Freebase Data Dumps
8. [Source](http://www.bvu.edu)
9. [Source](http://km.aifb.kit.edu/services/crunchbase/)
10. [U.S. and Canadian 2022 NTSE Participating Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2022 Endowment Market Value, Change in Market Value from FY21 to FY22, and FY22 Endowment Market Values Per Full-time Equivalent Student (Excel). National Association of College and University Business Officers. 2023](https://www.nacubo.org/Research/2022/Public-NTSE-Tables)
11. [Source](https://www.bvu.edu/)
12. GRID Release 2015-12-14
13. GRID Release 2016-12-06
14. Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education
15. Quora
16. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
17. YouTube API
18. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
19. [U.S. and Canadian 2022 NTSE Participating Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2022 Endowment Market Value, Change in Market Value from FY21 to FY22, and FY22 Endowment Market Values Per Full-time Equivalent Student (Excel). 2023](https://www.nacubo.org/Research/2022/Public-NTSE-Tables)
20. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)