A small-town school built for living there
University of the Ozarks is a private nonprofit, four-year institution that offers bachelor's degrees. It has no registered graduate programs: the highest level it reports is a bachelor's degree. That does not confirm that the exact major your child is interested in is offered there or that it necessarily leads to that degree — you confirm that by asking about the specific program.
It is in Clarksville, within Johnson County, in a setting the government classifies as a remote town, far from any large urban area. And it is, according to the Carnegie classification, a highly residential school: at least half of its undergraduate students live in institution-provided housing, and at least 80 out of every 100 study full time. If your family does not live nearby, this has a direct consequence: your child would probably move away. And note something that will be repeated several times in this article because it matters: living on campus is not the same as paying tuition. Room and board are charged separately, and they almost never come together in the first brochure you receive.
One more thing about identity, because it sometimes causes confusion: University of the Ozarks is not classified as a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. This is not a judgment or a sign of whom it serves — of the 3,012 universities in this directory, only 138 have one of those three designations. Not being on that list says nothing about how many Latino students are there or what communities exist on campus. Ask directly: what cultural centers are available, what student organizations are active today, and, if possible, speak with someone already studying there.
A small community, and a Latino presence that already matters
Let us get to the actual size: 763 students enrolled in the official fall count, all undergraduates. Compared with the 941 selective private four-year schools in this census, it is on the smaller side — seven out of ten of those schools have more students than it does. Being small is neither better nor worse. But it does change one practical thing worth asking: whether courses in the major your child is interested in are offered every semester or only once a year, because that affects how long it takes to finish the degree.
And here is a figure that matters to me, as an immigrant parent, to name clearly: 15 out of every 100 undergraduate students reported themselves as Hispanic or Latino in fall 2023. They are not a majority, but they are not a rarity either. Compared with the 941 selective private schools in this census, University of the Ozarks is above the middle of the group on this figure, without reaching the highest quarter. It is a clear presence, not a symbolic one.
The rest of the picture: there are more women than men (56 out of every 100), there are almost no adult students — just 2 out of every 100 are between 25 and 64 years old — and fewer than half of first-time students, 49 out of every 100, had permanent residence reported in Arkansas. The rest come from other states, other countries, or their residence was not clearly reported. That does not measure distance or travel cost, but it does tell you something important: if your family lives far away, you would not be the only ones. Review the full cost of attendance and build the budget around actual travel, not just tuition.
How the academic year is organized and how concentrated the offerings are
The year at University of the Ozarks is organized in semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. The school accepts credit for AP exams, but not for life experience — and here is a hard truth that can save you from a bad calculation: saying they accept AP does not mean they will award credit for every exam. It does not say what scores they require or how many credits they award, or whether those credits apply to your child's specific major. Ask for the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling, and do not budget the savings until you have it in hand. It also enrolls high school students in credit-bearing college courses through a formal dual-enrollment program.
As for what it awards: 154 bachelor's degrees in the year, spread across 16 career families. But there is real concentration: business and administration accounted for 52 of those 154 degrees, or 34 out of every 100. Compared with 942 similar schools, University of the Ozarks is in the quarter that awards the fewest degrees each year. With numbers this small, the count can change considerably from one year to the next — ask for the last three years for the exact program your child is interested in; do not rely on the snapshot from just one.
The student-faculty ratio is 13 to 1. That is a low figure in general terms, but compared specifically with schools of the same type, it is above the median — both things are true at the same time, which is why I am telling you separately. Watch out for a common misunderstanding: this number is not class size. IPEDS does not report that.
Regarding structured opportunities, the institution reports: study abroad, undergraduate research, teacher-certification preparation, and state approval of its initial teacher-certification program.
Getting into University of the Ozarks: what they require and what actually happens
This is where many families get nervous unnecessarily, so let us go slowly and use the exact numbers.
University of the Ozarks does not have open admission — there are items it reviews before saying yes. Of nine possible considerations, it marks two as required: the high school transcript and high school grade-point average. The rest — the course plan, essay, letters of recommendation, a portfolio or competency exam, and the English-proficiency exam when applicable — are not required, but they are considered if submitted. The undergraduate application fee is $0.
And how difficult is it to get in, in practice? In the 2023 cycle, 1,916 first-time students applied. 1,114 received an offer of admission — that is 58 out of every 100. Compared with 942 selective private schools, it is on the lower side: seven out of ten of those schools admitted a greater percentage of their applicants. It is not automatic, and it is not a lottery. The application is reviewed.
But here is a distinction that changes the picture completely: being admitted is not the same as enrolling. Out of every 100 admitted students, only 17 ultimately enrolled. The other 83 had a place there and did not take it. Put another way: out of every 6 young people who receive a yes, about one ends up attending. And do not read this as a stain on the school — the federal record does not say why each person chose what they chose. What I will tell you is this: what others decided does not tell you what they will offer your child. Wait for the letter with the net price. With that number in hand, decide whether the school stays on the list.
Regarding tests: the SAT and ACT are not required. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application proceeds normally. Of enrolled students, only 26 out of every 100 submitted SAT results, and the reported percentiles come from just 25 students — a small sample. The middle half scored between 510 and 580 in reading and writing, and between 508 and 583 in mathematics. With a sample this small, do not treat those numbers as a cutoff you must reach or as a guarantee if you exceed them.
And regarding moving from or to this university: of the cohort that entered in 2017 seeking a bachelor's degree, 24 out of every 100 transferred to another institution without finishing there — a common percentage compared with similar schools. Transferring is not failing. But it is still wise for your child to know in advance how to request the documents to leave, should it become necessary. On the other hand, in fall 2023, 43 transfer students arrived from other institutions — this is a different count and is not comparable to the previous one.
The sticker price and what each family actually pays
At University of the Ozarks, among 47 first-time, full-time students seeking a credential who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $10,780. Among 24 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $13,810; among 35 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $19,376. For dependent students, the band adds their parents' income and their own.
The difference between the average for the lower-income band (47 students) and that for the higher-income band (35 students) is $8,596. Among first-year students who received any scholarship, the average was $16,651.
Among the 937 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, this one falls in the least expensive quarter for lower-income families, after scholarships are subtracted. That does not mean it is inexpensive for your family. It is a figure that matters when you build the list of schools to apply to.
None of these figures is a quote for your child. The income bands on this profile describe first-time, full-time students seeking a credential who received federal Title IV aid; public institutions use the in-state or district rate. The overall average with scholarships, when it appears, describes first-time, full-time students seeking a credential who received federal, state, local, or institutional scholarships or grants. The number that governs is the aid letter you receive. In the meantime, use the net price calculator on the school's website.
Scholarships, Pell, and loans: who pays what
At University of the Ozarks, the figure reached the maximum: all degree-seeking students received some scholarship or aid that does not have to be repaid. That does not mean everyone received the same amount — among those who did receive something, the average was $18,445. In addition, 37 out of every 100 students received a Pell Grant, the federal aid for families with demonstrated financial need.
A high number is not a promise. It is what happened to other students in a past year. Ask in writing which applications must be completed, what the deadlines are, and what happens to the scholarship if your child’s grades decline.
And now the loans section, where it is worth being direct:
43 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal student loan in academic year 2022-23 — more than two out of ten, but fewer than half. Among those who borrowed, each received $5,509 on average that year. Compared with 942 similar schools, University of the Ozarks is on the lower side: seven out of ten of those schools had a higher share of students with loans.
Some young people spent the year without debt, and some borrowed. Which group your child falls into is not decided by this percentage — it is decided by the financial-aid letter they receive in writing, and only that letter. And one necessary clarification: that average of $5,509 is for only one year and covers only federal loans in the student's name. It does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes end up signing, bank debt, or credit-card debt. It is not the total debt with which someone graduates either — that would require adding all years, and that number is not in this report.
The institution also offers a tuition installment-payment plan as an additional mechanism for managing the cost.
Campus life: housing, athletics, ROTC, and support
University of the Ozarks has institution-controlled housing and does not require all full-time, first-time students to live there — although that does not rule out that a specific program may require it. It also offers meal plans, with the number of meals varying by plan selected. The reported maximum capacity of institution-provided housing is 618 students. Having rooms does not guarantee an available bed. Ask in writing for this year's rate, the deadline for applying for housing, and whether you are guaranteed a space or placed on a waiting list.
Regarding ROTC: the school reported that there is an opportunity, and the only branch confirmed in writing is the Army. Navy and Air Force are not marked — that does not mean they are impossible; it means you need to ask directly. And one more thing: being marked does not confirm that the program is taught on this specific campus. Ask by name before building your child's plan around this.
In athletics, University of the Ozarks competes at the intercollegiate level and is affiliated with the NCAA, reporting membership in basketball, baseball, and cross country or track and field. The affiliation belongs to the school, not a promise to your child — write directly to the coach for the sport they are interested in and ask whether there is a place on the team, which division they compete in, and whether that sport offers athletic scholarships.
Regarding format: 1 out of every 100 undergraduate students take all their classes at a distance; the other 99 take at least one in-person class. There is no complete program that can be completed entirely at a distance, according to what the institution reported.
The library operates with employed staff, has physical and digital materials, and offers interlibrary loan. Reported support services include: combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services for graduates, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and military families, and a published services page for people with disabilities.
Those who stay and those who finish: the hardest part to read
We have reached the section that weighs most heavily on a family, so I am going to give it to you complete and without softening it.
Retention. Of 225 students who entered in fall 2022 seeking a bachelor's degree, 164 were still enrolled there or had already graduated one year later. That is 73 out of every 100. Compared with 930 similar schools, it is somewhat below the middle of the group. The other 27 did not meet that criterion — the source does not say whether they transferred, paused, or left their studies altogether. Transferring to another university and continuing to study elsewhere counts the same in this number as leaving school completely. That is a real limitation of the data, not a minor detail.
Six-year graduation. Of 255 students who entered in 2017, 132 had a degree from this school six years later: 52 out of every 100. At four years, the figure drops to 41 out of every 100. Compared with 920 similar schools, it is below the middle of the group. Honestly, it is half and half. The report counts outcomes, not the reasons behind each story. Before deciding, ask directly what concrete support the school offers for finishing on time, and how long students in the major your child is interested in typically take.
At eight years, with a special look at those who receive Pell. Of a cohort of 275 students who entered between 2015 and 2016, 49 out of every 100 had a degree or certificate from this institution eight years later. Compared with 935 similar schools, it is in the bottom quarter. And here is the figure that cannot be overlooked: among students who received a Pell Grant, only 39 out of every 100 earned a degree in those eight years — 17 points below those who did not receive Pell.
I will tell you without embellishing it, because embellishing it would be lying: if your family would qualify for Pell, this figure matters. It does not determine what will happen to your child — nothing in this report does that — but it is a question worth taking directly to the school: what assigned advising exists for those students, what emergency aid is available, and whether institutional aid renews automatically each year or students must qualify again. Ask them to answer in writing.
What this article cannot tell you
This report does not include information about employment after graduation, earnings, or debt at the time of completing the degree. That is a chapter that needs another source, and it is not authorized here.
Putting the pieces together
You now know, with real numbers and no filler, one of the three pieces you need to decide about University of the Ozarks: what this university is, what it costs, how it admits students, who stays, and who finishes.
You still need to put it together with what your child wants to study and what they have built so far in high school. And you need to put it together with what your family can and is willing to pay — something only you know and that no figure in this article can guess.
It is from those three pieces together, not from just one, that a real plan emerges.
The information in this article comes from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and the United States Department of Education, with data corresponding mainly to the years 2022-23 and 2023-24. Best College Aid does not represent University of the Ozarks or the United States government.