Accolades

U.S. News and World Report

Best Colleges 2020:

  • No. 1 Most Innovative School in the Midwest
  • No. 1 Best Value Regional College in the Midwest
  • No. 3 Best Regional College in the Midwest
  • No. 6 Best Undergraduate Teaching in the Midwest
  • A+ School for B Students

TripAdvisor

  • 2019, The Keeter Center in the Top 25 of Top Small Hotels in the U.S.
  • 2019, The Keeter Center Traveler’s Choice Winner
  • 2019, Awards of Excellence for College of the Ozarks, The Keeter Center, Mabee Lodge, Dobyns Dining Room, Nettie Marie’s College Creamery

Forbes, 2019

  • No. 270 among America’s Top Colleges, a ranking of 650 colleges and universities. The publication looks at alumni salaries, retention and graduation rates, debt load upon graduation, and signs of individual success including academic and career accolades.
  • No. 1 in Least Student Debt for the America’s Best Value Colleges

The Chronicle of Higher Education

  • One of the 2019 Great Colleges to Work For
  • Honor Roll — Hard Work U. was placed on the Honor Roll, a status given to the 10 institutions cited most often across all of the recognition categories —College of the Ozarks received recognition in the following categories— Professional/Career Development; Compensation and Benefits; Facilities, Workspace, and Security; Job Satisfaction; Supervisor/Department Chair Relationship; and Respect and Appreciation.

Washington Monthly, 2019

  • No. 1 Best Bang for the Buck Midwest Colleges
  • No. 3 Bachelor’s Colleges

The Princeton Review

  • The Best 385 Colleges, 2020 Edition

Accreditation

College of the Ozarks is accredited by
Higher Learning Commission
30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400
Chicago, IL 60602-2504
800-621-7440

Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS)
College of the Ozarks is a member of the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) [15935 Forest Road, Forest, VA 24551; Telephone: (434) 525-9539; e-mail: info@tracs.org], having been awarded Accredited status as a Category II institution by the TRACS Accreditation Commission on November 4, 2019. This status is effective for a period of five years. TRACS is recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDOE), the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), and the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE).

The Nursing Program is approved/accredited by
Missouri State Board of Nursing
P. O. Box 656
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0656
575-751-0681
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
One Dupont Circle, NW
Suite 530
Washington, DC 20036-1120
202-887-6791

The Dietetics Program is accredited by
Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
800-877-1600 Ext. 5400

The Culinary Arts Program is accredited by
American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accrediting Commission
180 Center Place Way
Saint Augustine, Florida 32095
904-824-4468

The Education Programs are accredited by
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
P.O. Box 480
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0480
573-751-4212

Recruitment

The College has long been committed to Christ-like goals and practices in its recruitment efforts: to operate with honesty,integrity, kindness, and respect. Additionally, the College belongs to the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) which is also committed to sustaining professional ethics and practice.

Other Interesting Facts

  • Founded as the School of the Ozarks in 1906. The Junior College started in 1956. Four-year program started in 1965. Renamed College of the Ozarks in 1990.
  • Located on a 1,000 acre campus overlooking Lake Taneycomo at Point Lookout, Missouri, 40 miles south of Springfield, near Branson and Hollister, Missouri.
  • Special Recognition: 

   U.S. News & World Report, "Best College" yearly since 1989,
   Forbes, "Top Colleges" and "Best Buy Colleges,"
   Templeton Honor Roll, "Character Building College,"
   Money Magazine's "Best Buy College Guide,"
   Barron's "300 Best Buys in Higher Education,"
   Princeton Review, "The Best 331 Colleges,"
   and many more.

  • Currently, the College has 91 full-time faculty members; the majority hold the doctoral degree. 190 staff members.
  • The current student-faculty ratio is 15:1.
  • Enrollment: 1,500
  • Residential campus
  • The College offers Bachelors of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Nursing degrees.