College of the Ozarks
Point Lookout, Missouri · Private Nonprofit · 12.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 48/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
College of the Ozarks scores 48 (Below Average Value) - a mixed result driven by unusual financial characteristics. The institution charges $22,320 tuition but has a $6,100 net price through its work-program model, and Scorecard does not report a median debt figure, so our debt-to-earnings measure gets a neutral middle score of 50. The paradox is that low or no debt doesn't produce a strong overall ROI when average six-year earnings are only $28,800, and the payback period is 24.9 years. The repayment rate is imputed (missing actual data), reducing confidence. The completion rate of 63.7% is adequate. This is a school where the financial model is distinctive but the earnings outcomes are weak.
How College of the Ozarks scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- Payback period24.9 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
College of the Ozarks
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $22,320/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $22,320/yr |
| Average net price | $6,100/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $24,400 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $41,592 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $28,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | N/A |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | N/A |
| Estimated payback period | 24.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 63.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,444 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $22,320/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $6,100/year, or roughly $24,400 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $6,381/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $10,426/year.
The Department of Education does not report a median debt figure for this school, usually because too few students borrow federal loans for the figure to be published. Our ROI score gives this measure a neutral middle value rather than treating it as zero debt.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $6,381 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $6,140 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $5,022 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $6,409 |
| $110,001+ | $10,426 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-$30,000 income bracket pays $6,381 per year. Combined with the work program's debt-prevention model, low-income students who are accepted and complete a degree here graduate with essentially no loan burden. The tradeoff is that earnings outcomes post-graduation are modest; the financial model reduces debt without increasing wages.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $5,022 - counterintuitively less than the lowest bracket - and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $6,409. The aid model appears to provide slightly more aid to the $48,001-$75,000 bracket than to the very lowest income group. Middle-income families whose students qualify for the work program get an extraordinary cost reduction; the debt-free graduation is the primary financial benefit.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000 or more pay $10,426 per year - still very low in absolute terms. The no-debt graduation model benefits all income brackets, but the earnings ceiling of $28,800 average six-year wages means even debt-free graduates face a long payback of the opportunity cost of four years of work and study.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at College of the Ozarks with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $47,665 | - |
| Psychology | $44,659 | - |
| Teacher Education | $32,676 | - |
| Registered Nursing | $60,192 | - |
| Animal Sciences | $42,296 | - |
| Accounting | $60,422 | - |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $32,583 | - |
| Social Work | $32,701 | - |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $44,554 | - |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $49,360 | - |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Accounting
Accounting (12 graduates) reaches $60,422 at year four with no year-one data available. The Springfield, Missouri regional accounting market provides modest but stable employment. Small program size limits Scorecard confidence.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing (17 graduates) earns $57,521 year one and $60,192 year four - solid RN wages for the southwest Missouri market. No debt data is reported. The relatively flat year-one to year-four trajectory reflects nursing salary compression in smaller regional markets versus urban healthcare systems. Debt-free nursing graduates from this program face essentially no financial headwinds from education borrowing.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business (23 graduates) earns $39,081 year one and $47,665 year four with null debt reported. The earnings are modest for a business graduate in any market, reflecting the southwest Missouri labor market ceiling and the generalist nature of the program. Without debt, the financial burden is low, but the earnings trajectory is also low - payback calculations are almost moot when the denominator (debt) is near zero.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education (21 graduates) earns $32,676 year one with null year-four and null debt data. For students who want to teach in Missouri and can graduate debt-free, this program is financially defensible in a way it would not be at an institution with significant tuition burden.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | N/A | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | N/A | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | N/A | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | N/A | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How College of the Ozarks’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 12.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 510-590 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 540-630 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 20-25 |
| Enrollment | 1,444 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 49.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,409 |
College of the Ozarks admits only 12% of applicants - more selective than the earnings profile would suggest. SAT Math 510-590 and Reading 540-630, ACT 20-25 describe the admitted range. The selectivity reflects both capacity limits (1,444 students) and the mission-fit screening the institution applies to align students with its values-based work program. Financial need is effectively a requirement - the work program is designed for students who cannot afford traditional tuition.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| College of the Ozarks (this school) | 48 | $6,100 | $41,592 |
| AdventHealth University | 63 | $30,135 | $72,282 |
| St. Francis College | 57 | $18,129 | $58,099 |
| Southern Nazarene University | 55 | $22,084 | $54,951 |
| Avila University | 51 | $16,053 | $52,773 |
| Mission University | 15 | $21,383 | $38,641 |
Who Thrives Here
College of the Ozarks serves students who want a work-focused, Christian, patriotic educational environment in the Missouri Ozarks, are willing to work on campus as part of their financial aid package, and have modest post-graduation earnings expectations. The 12% acceptance rate is genuinely selective - competitive by this group's standards. The 49.2% Pell rate is very high, confirming the institution primarily serves lower-income students who benefit from the no-tuition work model. Students who need competitive earnings credentials for high-demand fields won't find them here in the data. The work program is a genuine differentiator; it's not a financial gimmick, but it also doesn't produce higher earnings.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for College of the Ozarks is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $6,100 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $41,592 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 24.9 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What to keep an eye on: a long payback period.
College of the Ozarks: Common Questions
Is College of the Ozarks worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. College of the Ozarks scores 48/100 on our ROI scale. At $6,100 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $41,592 ten years after entry, so it takes about 24.9 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does College of the Ozarks cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $6,100 a year, or roughly $24,400 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do College of the Ozarks graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $41,592 ten years after enrolling, at or below the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off College of the Ozarks?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 24.9 years for College of the Ozarks. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
What is the graduation rate at College of the Ozarks?
The six-year graduation rate is 63.7%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.