University of the Ozarks — ROI, Cost & Payback
University of the Ozarks charges a net price of $17,360/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $69,440. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,384, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, University of the Ozarks does not clear its cost — it ranks #12 of 47 Arkansas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $17,360/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $69,440 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,384 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,976/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $20,875 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$148,960 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on University of the Ozarks's own numbers. Net price $17,360 × 4 years = $69,440 total. Median earnings $44,384 fall $3,976 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $69,440 bill in about 6.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do University of the Ozarks students graduate with?
A median $20,875 in federal loans among completers, or 47% of the $44,384 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of University of the Ozarks students graduate?
51% finish their degree — 49% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $69,440 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $136,157 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is University of the Ozarks expensive compared with other Arkansas colleges?
Its $17,360 net price runs $4,994 above the $12,366 median across the 47 Arkansas colleges we profile, or $19,976 more across the full degree.