Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Higher Learning Commission
Sioux City, Iowa
Briar Cliff University — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
3.21Avg GPA
$49,693Annual Cost
$54,475Grad Salary
29.5%Pell Grant
Avg GPA
3.21
Selectivity
Open Enrollment
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission
SAT Middle 50%
-40–30
Need-Based Aid
29.5% receive Pell
Briar Cliff University is a private, Catholic institution in Iowa that provides a values-based liberal arts education with a strong focus on professional development and community service. Known for its supportive environment, small class sizes, and commitment to academic excellence, the university offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs. Its mission-driven approach encourages students to integrate their faith and personal values with their professional aspirations, making it an excellent choice for those seeking a holistic, mission-focused undergraduate experience.
Briar Cliff University Acceptance Rate
Briar Cliff University runs an open-access admission policy — with a 100% acceptance rate, the focus is on getting qualified students in, not filtering them out.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in — worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Open Enrollment
Selectivity scale: Open Enrollment — rate not reported
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Slightly below-average GPA? A strong test score or clear leadership track record can still keep you competitive.
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.21 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.01 – 3.20
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.76
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Briar Cliff University Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Briar Cliff University follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline.
Key Admission Dates
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
Briar Cliff University reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
💡 The scholarship deadline (Priority scholarship: 2026/03/01) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Briar Cliff University GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Briar Cliff University is 3.21. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 2.91–3.21 range, a high SAT or ACT score still carries real weight.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently — for an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 3.41–3.61.Briar Cliff University GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Holistic review is critical for admission.
Recommended Strategy: Requires Contextual Factors (Leadership, hardship, or talent).
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.21 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.01 – 3.20
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.81 – 3.00
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.80
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Acceptance rate estimates vary meaningfully by source (roughly 60% to reports of near-100%) - don't rely on a single number; verify current-cycle selectivity directly with admissions.
- Average GPA of admitted students clusters around 3.15?3.21, with test scores (SAT/ACT) still functioning as a required, not optional, component per the school's own reporting.
- Briar Cliff is a Franciscan Catholic university (sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration) organized around four named values: service, caring for all, reverence of creation, and peacemaking.
- Nursing is the flagship/most-enrolled program; students targeting it should expect the transcript science-course rigor to be weighted heavily in review.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at Briar Cliff University
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Briar Cliff University's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
⚠️ Note: Predicting based on regional averages as this institution does not publicly report full score datasets.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Briar Cliff University Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Briar Cliff University is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Briar Cliff University Without SAT or ACT?
Briar Cliff University's test-score policy isn't published. As a default, submit your score only if it's at or above the state/national average — a below-average score can work against you.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Briar Cliff University
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
Getting into Briar Cliff University is the easy part — what matters next is using placement testing, advising, and available resources to set up a strong first year.
Test scores are not optional here - treat them as a first-tier lever
Unlike most small private schools that have gone test-optional, Briar Cliff's own data source still lists test scores as required, and a strong score functionally overrides a weak GPA (a 24 ACT / 1090 SAT pushes acceptance odds toward near-certain even against a below-average transcript). If a student's GPA sits at or below the school's 3.15?3.21 average, prioritize an ACT/SAT retake over polishing extracurriculars - this school's evaluation model rewards that trade more than most peer Catholic colleges.
Target the Trustee-level scholarship threshold explicitly, don't just apply and hope
Briar Cliff's top merit scholarship tier requires a minimum 3.75 GPA plus a 1170 SAT (or 26 ACT composite) and demonstrated leadership - this is an automatic-consideration threshold, not a separate application, so a student sitting at 3.7/25 should retake the ACT even a single point to cross into the top aid bracket before the priority scholarship review date, since crossing that line changes the aid package, not just the odds of admission.
Catholic-parish applicants: the Diocese of Sioux City scholarship needs a priest's endorsement, arranged early
A parish-based scholarship (min. 3.25 GPA, top-quarter class rank, 1100 SAT/24 ACT) requires the applicant to belong to a parish within the Diocese of Sioux City AND have their priest's explicit support - this isn't a form field, it's a relationship a student needs to build with their parish priest months before the deadline, not something to request the week applications are due.
Frame the essay and activities list around the four Franciscan values, not generic "well-roundedness"
Briar Cliff is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration and explicitly organizes its identity around four Franciscan values: service, caring for all, reverence of creation, and peacemaking. Application essays and activity descriptions that explicitly connect a student's service work, environmental stewardship, or peacemaking/conflict-resolution experience to these four named values will read as a stronger institutional fit than generic community-service language that could apply to any Catholic school.
Expert Insight:
Because Briar Cliff's overall acceptance rate sits in the 60?100% range depending on source, families often treat every scholarship as "automatic if admitted" - but the top merit tiers and parish-based awards have hard, separate GPA/test/leadership or clergy-endorsement thresholds that must be documented before a priority deadline. Missing that separate scholarship paperwork after being admitted is the single costliest mistake families make here, since admission and merit aid are evaluated on different timelines.
Briar Cliff University Profile
Full Name
Briar Cliff University
City
Sioux City
State
Iowa
ZIP Code
51104
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission (NCACHE)
Is a Briar Cliff University Degree Worth It?
Briar Cliff University offers a rigorous academic environment, but 'worth it' is a personal calculation of cost, program fit, and outcomes — the figures below are a starting point.
The average household income among admitted students is $55,400, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.62%.
How much does a degree from Briar Cliff University Cost?
The sticker price is $49,693/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is typically much lower.
29.5% of students receive a Pell Grant and 55% take federal loans at Briar Cliff University — file your FAFSA early and list Briar Cliff University as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Briar Cliff University Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $54,475 — about 34% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Degree Programs at Briar Cliff University
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Briar Cliff University Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Briar Cliff University run about $54,475 a year.
Briar Cliff University costs roughly $49,693 a year — most students combine this with scholarships or aid.
About 29.5% receive a Pell Grant at Briar Cliff University — moderate odds, largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
Admitted students at Briar Cliff University average a 3.21 GPA.
Briar Cliff University doesn't publish a hard GPA floor — but landing at or above 2.91 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 2.81, Briar Cliff University becomes a harder reach — though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
Briar Cliff University follows Rolling Admissions — applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is Priority scholarship: 2026/03/01. Submit FAFSA before then for maximum consideration.
Yes — transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most — along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.