Briar Cliff University
Sioux City, IA 51104
About Briar Cliff University
Briar Cliff University is a private research university in Sioux City, Iowa, enrolling about 624 students. Briar Cliff University awards degrees and certificates tracked in federal College Scorecard and IPEDS reporting. Published tuition for full-time study is about $39,064 per year before aid; net price varies by family income. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $59,643 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Briar Cliff University charges 29% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($39,064).
- Versus the Iowa median, sticker tuition is about 1.9×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 45.59%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $59,643.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Briar Cliff University is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 443% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Briar Cliff University | $39,064 | $27,472 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $30,216 | — | 1,451 |
| Iowa (state median) | $21,100 | $12,346 | 49 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,824 | $15,745 | 1,516 |
| United States (national median) | $12,200 | $17,569 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 30% below published tuition at Briar Cliff University
Key findings
- Briar Cliff University's average net price ($27,472) is 30% below published tuition ($39,064).
- Briar Cliff University charges 29% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($39,064).
- Versus the Iowa median, sticker tuition is about 1.9×.
Briar Cliff University tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $39,064
Finding Briar Cliff University charges 29% above the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $39,064. That is 29% above the national private non-profit median ($30,216). Versus the Iowa median ($21,100), sticker tuition is about 1.9×. Versus the U.S. median ($12,200), sticker is about 3.2×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Briar Cliff University versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Briar Cliff University versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Briar Cliff University is $27,472.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $27,472 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $15,126 above the Iowa median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $11,727 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Briar Cliff University’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 30% lower after grants and scholarships.
Briar Cliff University: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Briar Cliff University—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$39,064
Avg. net price
$27,472
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $21,729 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $23,860 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $26,301 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $30,461 |
| $110,001+ | $30,448 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $156,256. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Briar Cliff University is known for
Top program completions
- Business Administration and Management, General41
- Physical Therapy/Therapist27
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse25
- Family Practice Nurse/Nursing16
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology13
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Briar Cliff University a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Briar Cliff University is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Briar Cliff University.
Campus
Location
Sioux City, IA
City / state
- ZIP
- 51104
- NCES locale
- Town
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is 74% above the median for Town campuses ($15,745 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Plains
- Carnegie
- Doctoral/Professional Universities
Size
Enrollment
624
Undergraduates (fall)
- Undergraduates (full year)
- 796
- Graduate
- 181
- Full-time share
- 90%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$20,792
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 28.79%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Briar Cliff University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Briar Cliff University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Briar Cliff University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $26,650 | $26,650 | $19,000 |
| 2014 | $27,202 | $27,202 | $17,894 |
| 2015 | $28,090 | $28,090 | $17,465 |
| 2016 | $28,788 | $28,788 | $18,496 |
| 2017 | $29,786 | $29,786 | $22,566 |
| 2018 | $30,970 | $30,970 | $18,336 |
| 2019 | $32,202 | $32,202 | $20,604 |
| 2020 | $33,308 | $33,308 | $22,212 |
| 2021 | $33,998 | $33,998 | $21,002 |
| 2022 | $34,498 | $34,498 | $20,554 |
| 2023 | $35,534 | $35,534 | $21,590 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Briar Cliff University reported total enrollment of about 624 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 54% male and 46% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (58.7%), Hispanic or Latino (14.9%), and Non-Resident Alien (12.5%). About 28.79% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 36.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
90.1% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Briar Cliff University in 2024 is 624 students.
Over a full year, about 796 undergraduates enroll. Graduate enrollment is about 181 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
64.2%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
38.97% 100% Completion Time
45.59% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 38.97% of students graduating from Briar Cliff University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Business Administration and Management, General: 61% male / 39% female
- Physical Therapy/Therapist: 41% male / 59% female
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 16% male / 84% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Briar Cliff University graduates earn a median of $59,643 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Briar Cliff University.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $59,643. Median federal loan debt: $20,792. Average net price used in cost models: $27,472.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Briar Cliff University graduates report median earnings of $59,643 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Briar Cliff University.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (33 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Briar Cliff University.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Briar Cliff University graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Briar Cliff University—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$22M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Iowa median 0.61× the median ($36.3M)
- Plains median 0.91× the median ($24.1M)
- U.S. median 0.83× the median ($26.4M)
- Iowa median near the median ($28,406)
- Plains median 1.9× the median ($15,020)
- U.S. median 2.4× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 62.6%
- Iowa median 25.0 pp below median (87.6%)
- Plains median 2.1 pp below median (64.7%)
- U.S. median 4.7 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $6,888
- Iowa median near the median ($7,039)
- Plains median near the median ($7,194)
- U.S. median 0.90× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $10,458
- Iowa median 1.3× the median ($8,352)
- Plains median 1.3× the median ($8,150)
- U.S. median 1.4× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Briar Cliff University at a glance
Briar Cliff University
Briar Cliff University is a private non-profit institution in Sioux City, IA, classified as Doctoral/Professional Universities.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Business Administration and Management, GeneralPhysical Therapy/TherapistRegistered Nursing/Registered Nurse
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian58.7%Hispanic or Latino14.9%Non-Resident Alien12.5%
Schools near Briar Cliff University
Other campuses in Sioux City, IA when available, plus nearby institutions in Iowa.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C-) within Iowa, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Briar Cliff University located?
Briar Cliff University is located in Sioux City, IA.
What is Briar Cliff University's tuition?
Briar Cliff University tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $39,064 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $27,472 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Briar Cliff University cost?
Reported tuition is $39,064 and average net price is $27,472 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $11,861 annually.
Why is Briar Cliff University's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Briar Cliff University, published tuition is $39,064 while average net price is $27,472—about 30% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Briar Cliff University's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($27,472), completion (45.6% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($59,643). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Briar Cliff University?
Briar Cliff University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 796 students, White (58.7%), Hispanic or Latino (14.9%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Briar Cliff University?
About 36.4% of students at Briar Cliff University are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Briar Cliff University earn?
Median earnings are $52,203 six years after entry and $59,643 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Briar Cliff University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 45.6% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Briar Cliff University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $20,792.
Is Briar Cliff University public or private?
Briar Cliff University is a private nonprofit institution located in Sioux City, IA.
Is Briar Cliff University an HBCU?
No. Briar Cliff University is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.