Accolades & Accreditation

Accolades

U.S. News and World Report

Best Colleges 2023-24: https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/college-ozarks-2500

• No. 1 Most Innovative School in the Midwest
• No. 1 Best Value Regional College in the Midwest
• No. 3 Best Regional Colleges in the Midwest
• No. 1 Best Undergraduate Teaching in the Midwest
• No. 2 Best Preforming Schools – Regional Colleges Midwest

The Princeton Review

The Best 387 Colleges, 2024 Edition: https://www.princetonreview.com/college/college-ozarks-1023957

• Best Midwestern
• Best Value Colleges
• The Best 389 Colleges
• Tuition-Free Schools
• No. 1 Cancel the Keg
• No. 8 Most Religious Students
• No. 3 Pot’s not Hot
• No. 1 Scotch and Soda, Hold the Scotch
• No. 2 Most Conservative Students
• No. 24 Great Town-Gown Relations
• No. 22 College Dorms not so Fancy

Washington Monthly, 2023

https://washingtonmonthly.com/2022/08/28/2022-college-guide-americas-best-bang-for-the-buck-colleges/

• No. 3 Best Bang for the Buck
• No. 13 Bachelor’s Colleges

College Consensus 2023

https://www.collegeconsensus.com/schools/college-of-the-ozarks/

• No. 2 Best Christian Colleges and Universities
• No. 13 Best Colleges and Universities in the Midwest
• No. 10 Best Tuition-Free Colleges
• No. 8 Best River and Lakes Colleges
• No. 22 Best Small Colleges
• No. 73 Best Colleges and Universities
• No. 25 Best Value Colleges and Universities
• No. 24 Underrated Colleges Doing Great Things

Niche 2024 Best Colleges Rankings

https://www.niche.com/colleges/college-of-the-ozarks/rankings/

• No. 1 Best Christian Colleges in America
• No. 1 Best Small Colleges in Missouri
• No. 4 Best College in Missouri
• No. 4 Best Academics in Missouri
• No. 9 Best Value in Missouri  
   

Wall Street Journal

www.wsj.com

• No. 124 -- Social Mobility: Best U.S. Colleges for Social Mobility
• No. 178 -- Student Experience: Best U.S. Colleges for Student Experiences
• No. 333 -- Main Survey Link: Best U.S. Colleges 2024 - WSJ / College Pulse Rankings
• No. 372 -- Salary Impact: Best U.S. Colleges for High Salaries
•  Inclusion in the ranking puts us in the Top 6% of colleges and universities nationwide!  
   

New York Times

• No. 5 on new list published by New York Times, the College-Access Index, a list of the country’s most selective universities, ranked in order of economic diversity

SmartAsset

• No. 6 Best Value College of the Ozarks  
   

Tripadvisor

• Traveler’s choice Award 2023

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) 
15935 Forest Road, Forest, VA 24551 
Telephone: (434) 525-9539 
e-mail: info@tracs.org 
College of the Ozarks is a member of the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) 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).

NC-SARA

College of the Ozarks has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements.

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 
655 K. Street, NW, Suite 750
Washington, DC 20001
202-887-6791

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

The Engineering Program is accredited by     
ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission 
415 North Charles St. 
Baltimore, MD 21201 
410-347-7700

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.
• No. 1 Best Value Regional College in the Midwest
• 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.