College of the Ozarks 
The information on this page was last updated 11/17/2025. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
C of O is committed to its founding mission of providing a quality, Christian education to those who are found worthy, but who are without sufficient means to obtain such training. Instead of paying tuition, all full-time students work campus jobs to defray the cost of education. Upon complete participation in the Work Education Program, the College guarantees to meet the entire cost of education for students, allowing them the opportunity to graduate debt-free. The College openly discourages debt by not participating in any government loan programs and leads by example through having no institutional debt of any kind.
Contact information
Mailing address:
College of the Ozarks
P.O. Box 17
Point Lookout, MO 65726
Website: cofo.edu
Phone: 1-800-222-0525
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 440556862
CEO/President: Dr. Brad Johnson
Chairman: General Terrence R. Dake
Board size: 18
Founder: James Forsythe
Ruling year: 1941
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 05/31
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2025
Purpose
The vision of College of the Ozarks is to develop citizens of Christlike character who are well-educated, hard-working, and patriotic.
To achieve this vision, the College has Academic, Vocational, Christian, Patriotic and Cultural pillars. Even as College of the Ozarks has evolved through secondary and junior college stages to the present four-year liberal arts institution, the fundamental pillars have remained the same.
Mission statement
The mission of College of the Ozarks is to provide the advantages of a Christian education for youth of both sexes, especially those found worthy, but who are without sufficient means to procure such training.
Statement of faith
As an interdenominational school, the college affirms two basic, historical statements to describe the faith it hopes to foster.
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
- Apostles' Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy universal and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
- Nicene Creed
Donor confidence score
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Transparency grade
A
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Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Colleges/Universities
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 936 of 1423 | 116 of 155 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 705 of 1423 | 70 of 155 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 817 of 1423 | 88 of 155 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 985 of 1424 | 125 of 155 |
To understand our financial efficiency ratings, click here.
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 13% | 12% | 8% | 3% | 4% | 3% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 15% | 8% | 15% | 22% | 15% | 22% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 85% | 92% | 85% | 78% | 85% | 78% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 84% | 82% | 83% | 87% | 86% | 88% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 96% | 71% | 85% | 71% | 69% | 83% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 81% | 58% | 70% | 62% | 59% | 73% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 4% | 29% | 15% | 29% | 31% | 17% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 2% | 5% | 2% | 5% | 5% | 2% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 14% | 16% | 16% | 12% | 13% | 11% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.52 | 0.11 | 0.11 | 0.12 | 0.12 | 0.10 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 2.73 | 1.50 | 1.51 | 1.58 | 1.57 | 1.54 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.45 | 0.16 | 0.17 | 0.19 | 0.19 | 0.15 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 8.18 | 88.96 | 87.40 | 64.36 | 62.65 | 69.62 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.12 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.01 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 6.99 | 72.52 | 70.49 | 61.77 | 63.30 | 78.75 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 20% | 3% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 4% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 10% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 148% | 891% | 872% | 796% | 811% | 981% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Cash | $1,901,318 | $5,785,494 | $7,402,030 | $3,656,394 | $6,089,824 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $8,419,118 | $5,687,776 | $5,306,153 | $6,549,814 | $6,557,235 |
| Short-term investments | $619,527,664 | $572,945,033 | $479,086,606 | $491,529,191 | $544,121,733 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $629,848,100 | $584,418,303 | $491,794,789 | $501,735,399 | $556,768,792 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $128,026,990 | $127,668,606 | $126,231,642 | $118,015,145 | $107,543,569 |
| Other long-term assets | $187,335,526 | $172,563,504 | $158,567,618 | $167,738,685 | $193,027,748 |
| Total long-term assets | $315,362,516 | $300,232,110 | $284,799,260 | $285,753,830 | $300,571,317 |
| Total assets | $945,210,616 | $884,650,413 | $776,594,049 | $787,489,229 | $857,340,109 |
| Liabilities | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $2,497,865 | $1,983,872 | $2,655,351 | $2,637,557 | $2,551,923 |
| Other current liabilities | $4,582,318 | $4,702,875 | $4,985,688 | $5,370,967 | $5,445,869 |
| Total current liabilities | $7,080,183 | $6,686,747 | $7,641,039 | $8,008,524 | $7,997,792 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $19,526,081 | $20,108,544 | $20,599,377 | $20,668,143 | $28,977,646 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $19,526,081 | $20,108,544 | $20,599,377 | $20,668,143 | $28,977,646 |
| Total liabilities | $26,606,264 | $26,795,291 | $28,240,416 | $28,676,667 | $36,975,438 |
| Net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Without donor restrictions | $597,128,551 | $562,174,822 | $477,809,469 | $478,651,903 | $519,877,603 |
| With donor restrictions | $321,475,801 | $295,680,300 | $270,544,164 | $280,160,659 | $300,487,068 |
| Net assets | $918,604,352 | $857,855,122 | $748,353,633 | $758,812,562 | $820,364,671 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Total contributions | $12,268,456 | $16,819,918 | $29,187,821 | $19,810,905 | $22,056,552 |
| Program service revenue | $57,877,066 | $54,252,275 | $52,220,816 | $48,628,844 | $43,490,766 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $73,038,086 | $43,785,412 | $49,792,211 | $65,087,806 | $34,490,231 |
| Other revenue | $2,699,194 | $1,080,059 | $1,257,272 | $1,460,911 | $711,001 |
| Total other revenue | $133,614,346 | $99,117,746 | $103,270,299 | $115,177,561 | $78,691,998 |
| Total revenue | $145,882,802 | $115,937,664 | $132,458,120 | $134,988,466 | $100,748,550 |
| Expenses | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Program services | $84,851,153 | $81,424,955 | $81,895,078 | $80,261,660 | $73,760,029 |
| Management and general | $16,677,877 | $15,616,892 | $11,286,486 | $12,515,936 | $9,180,353 |
| Fundraising | $1,522,509 | $1,313,364 | $877,540 | $819,025 | $685,229 |
| Total expenses | $103,051,539 | $98,355,211 | $94,059,104 | $93,596,621 | $83,625,611 |
| Change in net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $42,831,263 | $17,582,453 | $38,399,016 | $41,391,845 | $17,122,939 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $42,831,263 | $17,582,453 | $38,399,016 | $41,391,845 | $17,122,939 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Brad S Johnson | President | $354,320 |
| Tom Healey | Gm of the Keeter Center | $223,766 |
| Sue Head | VP For Advancement | $222,829 |
| Eric Bolger | Provost | $218,358 |
| Weston T Wiebe | CFO and Treasurer | $205,487 |
| Jeffrey Schneider | CIO | $197,887 |
| Marci L Linson | VP For Vocational Programs | $181,972 |
| Natalie Rasnick | Dean of Development | $180,794 |
| Robert J Stricklin | Exec Chef, Food/Beverage D | $173,982 |
| Janice Williams | Director of Nursing Progra | $171,589 |
| Gregory W Stark | Asst Treasurer | $136,862 |
| Tamara Schneider | Corporate Secretary | $100,020 |
| Elizabeth Blevins | Asst Corporate Secretary | $92,501 |
Compensation data as of: 5/31/2025
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 11/17/2025. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
College of the Ozarks is a fully accredited, Christian, liberal arts college located just outside Branson, Missouri. Founded in 1906 by Presbyterian minister Reverend James Forsythe as a high school called The School of the Ozarks, the institution became a junior college in 1956 before becoming a four-year bachelor's program in 1965. It has been called College of the Ozarks since 1990.
The institution provides the opportunity for full-time students to work at one of more than 100 campus jobs or industries to help pay for part of their cost of education. The remaining portion of the students' expenses is covered through scholarships provided by gifts and contributions from donors who believe in and support the programs and policies of the College. These student work programs and donor contributions allow C of O to operate as a no-tuition college.
In 2012, College of the Ozarks reopened School of the Ozarks, a classical laboratory high school. The addition of School of the Ozarks was followed soon after with the full implementation of a lower school in the fall of 2015, completing the K-college format.
Famous Visitors
Every year, College of the Ozarks hosts world-renowned speakers on campus through both the Spring Forum Series and the Leonard and Edith B. Gittinger Community Convocation Series. Famous guests include world leaders such as President George W. Bush, Governor Sarah Palin, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, former Prime Minister of Great Britain Margaret Thatcher, and Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu. Students, staff and community members have enjoyed visits from Chick-fil-A Founder and Chairman S. Truett Cathy, Attorney General John Ashcroft, Duke University Coach Mike Krzyzewski, Dr. Franklin Graham, General Colin Powell, and others.