Tuition at the college is paid for via a student work program and charitable donations.
From the Joplin Globe:
"It’s definitely a lot of hard work,” said Gregory, who is majoring in animal science and agriculture business. “You’re just working for your education so you don’t have to pay it off. Just to know that you’re graduating and you can focus on getting a place to live, or a job, and you don’t have to pay (your education) off — you can focus on other things, like a car. We will have more freedom than being tied down to debt.”Many college students graduate other 4 year schools with an average of $26,600 in loan debt.
During a time when most students are graduating from college with loan debt, College of the Ozarks, a private, four-year school of nearly 1,400 students near Branson, is swimming against the tide. It has long discouraged student debt by not participating in any federal or state loan programs, and its president, Jerry C. Davis, recently announced that the college will no longer honor private bank loans for students.
“Basically what we’re saying is if you want to borrow money, go somewhere else,” he said. “Trust me, there are plenty of colleges that will loan you money. This is not one of them.”
The College of the Ozarks website is here.