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Point Lookout , MO
College of the Ozarks, also known as Hard Work U, is a private Christian liberal arts college located in Point Lookout, Missouri, United States. Established in 1906, the college follows a unique mission of providing a quality education to deserving students who demonstrate financial need. What sets College of the Ozarks apart is its work-study program, where students work on campus to cover their tuition and other expenses, gaining valuable work experience along with their academic studies.
The college offers a range of undergraduate programs across various disciplines, including liberal arts, business, education, health professions, and natural and physical sciences. The curriculum is designed to foster critical thinking, ethical behavior, and a Christian worldview. In addition to academics, College of the Ozarks emphasizes character development and instills values like hard work, integrity, and service, preparing students for a successful and purposeful life beyond college.
At College of the Ozarks, every student is required to participate in the work-study program, where they work a minimum of 15 hours per week in various roles on campus, such as landscaping, maintenance, food services, or retail. This unique approach not only helps students graduate debt-free, as all tuition costs are covered through work, but also provides them with hands-on skills and a strong work ethic. It creates a nurturing environment where students develop a sense of responsibility, teamwork, and a commitment to community service, as they understand the value of hard work and its impact on personal growth and societal well-being.
Overall, College of the Ozarks sets itself apart with its distinctive approach to education, combining academic excellence with character development and work experience. Through its mission of providing a quality education to those who could not otherwise afford it, the college is committed to equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to succeed in their chosen professions and make a positive difference in the world.
Located in Point Lookout, MO and set in a rural environment, College of the Ozarks is a private four-year college. This school follows a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 11%. The freshman retention rate at College of the Ozarks is 90% and the six-year graduation rate is 64%.
The freshmen application deadline for this school is December 31. The transfer application deadline is December 31.
Explore this school's profile to find out the most important things about College of the Ozarks.
Quick Facts
1,454
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
$21,800
Tuition
14:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
64%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
Discovering as much as possible about the institution's criteria for admission improves your chances of getting admitted. Read on to find out some relevant facts about admission policy and requirements at College of the Ozarks.
According to the most recent data, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 350 in 2025. Looking at entrance difficulty level for all or most incoming freshmen, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is moderately difficult to get into.
Test Scores
10% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 90% submitted ACT scores, out of the overall number of those who submitted test scores. 1% of the new students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 7% between 1,200 and 1,399, 18% between 1,000 and 1,199, and 3% between 800 and 999. The percent of new students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 10, 81 between 24-29, 147 in the range between 18-23, and 19 between 12-17.
The ACT composite average score for all the accepted students in 2025 was 22 while the average GPA was 3.75. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into College of the Ozarks; the same goes for your ACT score.
The SAT Critical Reading average score was 586 for the enrolled first-year students, while the average SAT Math score was 545.
Deadlines
The final day for applications to College of the Ozarks is December 31. When submitting your application as a transfer student, the application deadline is December 31.
Retention Rate
The freshman retention rate is defined as the percentage of first-year students who return for their sophomore year at a college or university. That information can tell you if the majority of freshmen liked their first year enough to come back.
As reported in 2025, the freshman retention rate for College of the Ozarks was 90%, which is an amazing retention rate only the most prestigious institutions achieve.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. This metric measures how efficiently students complete their degrees within a specific time period. The six-year graduation rate at this institution stands at 64%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
It is always challenging to figure out which school is best for you. You can have a better understanding of the school's culture and way of life by learning more about the student body.
Main Student Body
In 2025, the school had an enrollment of 1,454 students.
The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 41% for that year. There was a total of 1,454 students pursuing undergraduate degrees, including 24 international students. The school admitted a total of 23 transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
With a coeducational student body, the school had 633 male and 794 female full-time students in 2025.
Student Population Diversity
Higer Education is committed to expanding the diversity of its student population and improving students' sense of inclusion and belonging. In a diverse learning space, you will be exposed to people from different backgrounds, which promotes the feeling of inclusion and acceptance. Find out more about different ethnic groups you can meet at College of the Ozarks.
This school had 16 Asian students and 25 Afro-American students in 2025. 67 undergraduate students at this school declared as Hispanic/Latino and 55 as multirace. There were also 14 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Before submitting an application to any college or university, the financial component should be taken into account. Here are some important information on College of the Ozarks costs that most students encounter at this school.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some facts that can be useful if you were curious about College of the Ozarks estimated tuition price.
In 2025, tuition amounted to $21,800 for all full-time domestic students. College of the Ozarks is a private institution, so tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Full-time students in 2025 were required to pay additional fees in the amount of $520.
Books and Supplies
When you try to estimate the cost of attendance for a college or university, you need to take into account the cost of books and supplies you're going to need. Most students have to spend about $1,150 for books and supplies during their time at College of the Ozarks.
Boarding
The cost of dorm rooms and meals in the school's cafeteria is for sure something to take into consideration. How much do room and board fees average around at colleges and universities?
In 2025, the price of room and board at College of the Ozarks was $8,800 per academic year. Room-only (on campus) cost per academic year at this school amounted to $4,400, according to the data from 2025.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 21,800 |
| Room and Board | $ 8,800 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,150 |
| Total Expense | $ 31,750 |
Financial Aid
Be it a grant, loan, scholarship, or work-study program, any type of financial aid can be a great deal for most students. If you are interested in finding out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at College of the Ozarks, here are some recent data you should take into consideration.
According to the most recent data, 230 freshmen were awarded financial aid. The average financial aid package awarded to students added up to $20,800.
Need-based
Need-based financial aid is exactly what it sounds like — it’s awarded based on the determined financial need.
702 students received some form of need-based financial aid. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need came to be 1,284. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution added up to $3,431,103, and state $1,176,900. The students of College of the Ozarks received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $33,876,950, and external in the amount of $432,954.
$20,800
Average Amount of Aid Received
Majors
Faculty
14:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty or student-to-professor ratio is the number of students compared to the number of professors at a school.
In 2025, this ratio at College of the Ozarks was 14:1. That means that there were 14 times more students than teachers at this school. According to the most recent information, there are 140 faculty members at this school. Out of that number, there were 76 male and 64 female faculty members.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Not everything at College of the Ozarks is about learning and grades: campus life is an essential part of your educational experience. Find out some information about social life at College of the Ozarks.
It has a campus size of 1,000 acres.
Student Organizations
Student organizations are run by students of an institution, and its membership typically consists only of current students and/or alumni.
This school has 37 open-membership student organizations you can participate in. 50 percent of male and 50 of female students are involved in different organizations at College of the Ozarks. The student organization that has the biggest membership is SMSTA, followed by Film Makers Club and The Fort. Other popular student organizations at this school are FCA and Aggie Club.
There is a drama club you can join if acting is something that interests you. For individuals with an interest in media and communication, College of the Ozarks publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
College of the Ozarks provides a number of services important for a comfortable and safe life on campus.
There are emergency phone and alarm devices available around the clock. There are electronically operated dormitory entrances. There is a round-the-clock security patrol. There is a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. All in all, campus life at College of the Ozarks is rich and vibrant and provides all you need for a comfortable stay.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at College of the Ozarks.
Career Counselling
At College of the Ozarks, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. There is campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be highly beneficial for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
FAQ
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College of the Ozarks is located in Point Lookout, MO.
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The overall full-time tuition per academic year for College of the Ozarks is 21,800 USD, based on the most recent data.
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This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
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The most recent reported acceptance rate for College of the Ozarks is 11%.
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According to the latest information, the freshman retention rate for College of the Ozarks is 90%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
