Private Nonprofit Graduate Good 64/100

Viterbo University

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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La Crosse, Wisconsin

About Viterbo University

Thinking about Viterbo University, a college in Wisconsin where more students graduate in Education than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Viterbo University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It enrolls 1,249 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
72.4%
Graduation
56.1%
Net Price
$21,260
Median Earnings (10yr)
$55,660
Enrollment
1,249
Student : Faculty
12:1

Accreditor Higher Learning Commission
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Good
64/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes 55
Value 47
Affordability 39
Selectivity 53

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Viterbo University admits 72.4% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective, and realistic if you meet the academic profile.

Acceptance Rate
72.4%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
22 – 26
Cumulative composite
Test Policy Not Considered Standardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Viterbo University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Stable ↓ 3.3 pts since 2019
76.6%201979.2%202077.5%202172.4%202273.3%2023

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $21,260 a year on average, it sits in line with what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$21,260
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
26%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
58%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees
$34,250
Room & Board (on-campus)
$11,320
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,320
Books & Supplies
$1,000
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,000
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,000
Total Cost of Attendance
$45,558

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $13,657
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $16,927
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $16,463
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $20,847
  • Over $110,000
    $26,365

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$4,500
10% percentile
$9,000
25% percentile
$25,000
Median percentile
$28,000
75% percentile
$37,500
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $20,908 ↓ $4,092
No Pell $18,750 ↓ $6,250
Dependent students $19,500 ↓ $5,500
Independent students $21,757 ↓ $3,243
Female students $20,500 ↓ $4,500
Male students $17,344 ↓ $7,656
Pell recipients: 17.6% (4,401 students)No Pell: 15.8% (3,947 students)Dependent students: 16.4% (4,105 students)Independent students: 18.3% (4,580 students)Female students: 17.3% (4,315 students)Male students: 14.6% (3,651 students)Overall Median$25,000
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,430, less than completers ($25,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

56% of students who start here finish within six years, and 73% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
56%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
73%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $55,660 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$55,660
Earning > $25K
84%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$55,500$56,000$56,500$57,500$58,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$47,700

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$46,700

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$40,000

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$45,400

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$53,600

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 12.2 pts across 6 years
76.7%1yr79.7%3yr84.8%5yr88.9%7yr
What this signals: Excellent. 89% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,249 students, a small, close-knit community.

Total Enrolled
1,249
Part-Time
17%
First-Generation
28%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 80.1% 1,001
Hispanic 6.9% 86
Other 3.8% 47
Black 2.6% 33
International 2.2% 27
Asian 1.8% 23
White: 80.1% (1,001 students)Hispanic: 6.9% (86 students)Other: 3.8% (47 students)Black: 2.6% (33 students)International: 2.2% (27 students)Asian: 1.8% (23 students)Total1,249

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Viterbo University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Small City La Crosse, Wisconsin
Housing
Mostly residential 733 beds on campus
Adult Learners
21% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Religiously affiliated

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Health graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Viterbo University offers a varied set of programs: 39 distinct programs across 16 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

8 Programs
6 Programs
2 Programs
1 Program
1 Program
2 Programs
2 Programs
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

There are 12 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
12:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$120M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$61,685
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

98 instructional faculty across 4 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
Full Professors 17 17% $71,325
Associate Professors 30 31% $66,286
Assistant Professors 45 46% $57,077
Instructors 6 6% $45,919

Pros & Cons of Viterbo University

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Viterbo University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Modest first-year retention
Best for: Based on the data, Viterbo University is a fit for students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Viterbo University

The questions families ask most about Viterbo University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Viterbo University hard to get into?
Admissions at Viterbo University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 72.4%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Viterbo University?
72.4% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Viterbo University?
Aim for 26 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 22 and 26 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Viterbo University cost?
Budget around $21,260 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Viterbo University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $55,660 a year against a net price of $21,260, about 2.6 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Viterbo University known for?
Mostly Teaching Specific Subjects, Nursing, Educational Administration. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Viterbo University graduates earn?
About $55,660 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Viterbo University accredited?
Yes. Viterbo University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Viterbo University?
1,249 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Viterbo University?
56% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Viterbo University a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Viterbo University located?
Viterbo University is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
What programs does Viterbo University offer?
39 different programs, most commonly Teaching Specific Subjects, Nursing, Educational Administration. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Viterbo University?
12 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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