Buena Vista vs Mount St. Joseph: Softball Program Comparison
Two D3 programs. Mount St. Joseph runs $3,344 less per year; Buena Vista graduates 6 points more of its students.
Which one is right for you?
Neither school is better in the abstract — they are better for different athletes. These are the differences big enough to actually decide on.
Lean Buena Vista if…
- Finishing the degree is the priority: Buena Vista graduates 6 percentage points more of its students than Mount St. Joseph.
- You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Buena Vista is $1,827 lower than at Mount St. Joseph.
- You need an evaluation this summer: we track 1 camp at Buena Vista against none listed at Mount St. Joseph.
- Admissions is the part you are least sure about: Buena Vista admits 78% of applicants.
Lean Mount St. Joseph if…
- The number on the bill matters: Mount St. Joseph lists $3,344 less per year in tuition and housing than Buena Vista, and neither charges by residency.
- You are weighing the degree as an investment: Mount St. Joseph graduates earn about $2,353 more per year a decade after enrolling.
- Your transcript is a strength: Mount St. Joseph admits 59% of applicants, so strong grades count for more here.
What it costs to go there
Published sticker price: tuition from the federal College Scorecard, room and board from IPEDS. Almost nobody pays it — athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off the top — but the gap between two schools is a fair read on the gap between two offers.
| Measure | Buena Vista | Mount St. Joseph |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & feesBoth schools charge one rate regardless of residency. | $41,798 | $38,150 — Mount St. Joseph leads on this measure: lower published tuition |
| Room & board | $10,896 | $11,200 |
| Est. year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $52,694 | $49,350 — Mount St. Joseph leads on this measure: lower total cost per year |
What you leave with
Federal College Scorecard figures for all students at the institution, not softball players specifically. Read them as a signal about the degree, not about the program.
| Measure | Buena Vista | Mount St. Joseph |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 62% — Buena Vista leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree | 56% |
| Median earnings, 10 years after entry | $49,156/yr | $51,509/yr — Mount St. Joseph leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 — Buena Vista leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door | $26,827 |
| Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back. | 51% | 52% |
Getting in, and what you'd walk into
Admissions and size. A coach can support your file, but at most schools they cannot admit you — the academic profile below is the bar you still have to clear.
| Measure | Buena Vista | Mount St. Joseph |
|---|---|---|
| Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit. | 78% | 59% |
| Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table. | 1,951 | 2,083 |
| Where it is | Storm Lake, IA | Cincinnati, OH |
The softball program itself
Division and conference set the ceiling; the postseason record and staff tell you what the program has actually done with it.
| Measure | Buena Vista | Mount St. Joseph |
|---|---|---|
| Conference | ARC | HCAC |
| Head coach | Tammy Utley | Beth Goderwis |
How you actually get in front of them
Camps and questionnaires are the two channels a recruit controls. Where a program runs its own camp, that camp is usually the shortest path to being evaluated by the staff that would recruit you.
| Measure | Buena Vista | Mount St. Joseph |
|---|---|---|
| Camps we track | 1 listed (1 with dates) | — |
| Recruiting questionnaire | — | Yes |
| Program on X / Instagram | — | Yes |
Scholarship money, honestly
Both programs sit at NCAA Division III, so the scholarship rules are identical: 0 (no athletic scholarships). There are no athletic scholarships at D3 — by rule. But D3 schools often award generous academic merit and need-based aid that can rival an athletic scholarship elsewhere.
What to do about it this week
Questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit one at any age. A program's own camp is where its staff does most of its evaluating — submit the questionnaire first so they know to look for you.
Buena Vista
Find the recruiting questionnaireWe do not hold a verified form link for this program — this opens a search.
Camps we track
- Prospect Camp01/31/2027 · 9th Grade - 12th Grade · $70
Mount St. Joseph
Open the recruiting questionnaireCamps we track
None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
Buena Vista vs Mount St. Joseph: common questions
- Is Buena Vista or Mount St. Joseph cheaper?
- On published price, Mount St. Joseph is cheaper — about $49,350 a year in tuition and housing, against $52,694 at Buena Vista. That is sticker price; athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off it, so ask both coaches what an actual offer would look like.
- Which school graduates more of its students, Buena Vista or Mount St. Joseph?
- Buena Vista, at 62% against 56% at Mount St. Joseph (College Scorecard). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
- Do Buena Vista and Mount St. Joseph offer softball scholarships?
- Both play at NCAA Division III: 0 (no athletic scholarships). There are no athletic scholarships at D3 — by rule. But D3 schools often award generous academic merit and need-based aid that can rival an athletic scholarship elsewhere.
- Do Buena Vista and Mount St. Joseph run softball camps?
- We track 1 camp at Buena Vista and none currently listed at Mount St. Joseph. Camp listings change through the year — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
- How do I contact the coaches at Buena Vista and Mount St. Joseph?
- Mount St. Joseph runs a recruiting questionnaire — submit it first, since questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules. For Buena Vista, we do not hold a verified form link, so start from the program page and email the staff directly.
Tuition, graduation, earnings, debt and admission rates from the federal College Scorecard (U.S. Dept. of Education, released June 10, 2026). Room and board, enrollment, and graduation rates at two-year colleges from IPEDS (2023-2024). Postseason results from the NCAA Division I softball tournament records, 2021-2026. Rankings from NCAA.com and U.S. News & World Report. Figures describe the institution, not the softball roster.
We work hard to keep all data for Buena Vista and Mount St. Joseph accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.
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