Drury’s statistics

There are many factors to consider when selecting a college to attend and finances are near the top. In a recent study published by LEND EDU, Drury University is 678 of 845 colleges across the nation from lowest to highest student debt. Drury ranked 17 out of 21 Missouri. Drury averages 35,202 dollars per student. Upon graduation, an estimated 59 percent of students will have debt to pay off.

While the price tag on Drury looks steep, the school offers scholarships and supplemental grants in addition to financial aid through loans.

In 2019, College Factual reports that 99 percent of Drury students receive some form of financial aid, with 90 percent of incoming freshmen receiving scholarships and grants that did not have to be paid back. 35 percent of freshmen had federal loans averaging at 4,519 dollars.

Bay Hall (Photo via Maclen Johnson)

“My scholarships were a real equalizer for a lot of schools. Drury offered me enough that it was comparable to some state schools. Still a little higher, but I felt like the more individualized learning environments and the campus culture was worth it,” Bayless Thompson said. Thompson graduated from Drury in 2017.

Receiving aid

College Factual also breaks down financial aid by income bracket. For families that make between 0 to 30,000 dollars a year, the estimated aid from Drury is around 15,969 dollars. For students from families that earn greater than 30,000 dollars but less than 75,000, the aid increases to about 18,000 dollars.

“Drury has so few poor students so, being one of the few poor students here, Drury bent over backwards to accommodate my financial need,” said Megan Sloan, a current sophomore.

Sloan remarked that compared to middle-class students she knows, her debt is notably lower. “It’s such a weird reversal, but large financial need means I need less loans than normal students,” she said.

“I do have less than the national average of student debt, but I can’t imagine what that number would look like had I not been an RA and not had the scholarships I did,” Thompson continued.

Drury offers more to a student than a low tuition rate, and it is a trade-off considered beneficial. Small class sizes, individual learning opportunities and connections to faculty grant more appeal to Drury as well.

“As a piece of paper [diploma], I’m not particularly tied to it, but the people that I met and the leadership positions I was allowed to hold were invaluable,” Thompson said.

“I recently moved jobs, and I feel strongly that the connections I have through my time at Drury were a big influencing factor in being offered the position,” she continued.

Although the high levels of financial aid from federal and school sources appear intimidating, additional factors like a unique campus experience and personal connections to faculty maintain Drury as a strong contender for potential new students.

Written by Maclen Johnson