Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Missouri (2026)
Updated
This page lists the 18 schools in Missouri that report a Criminal Justice earnings cohort, ordered by the median earnings of Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing. Saint Louis University reports $61,099 in median earnings for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing.
The figures for median earnings after completing range from $61,099 to $29,685, with a median of $49,062 across the listed schools. For 5 of the 18 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list includes 8 public and 10 private nonprofit institutions. College of the Ozarks posts the lowest average net price at $6,100. Park University ranks 386th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Criminal Justice Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint Louis University · Saint Louis, MO | $61,099 | $24,398 | $22,501 | 75.0% |
| Saint Louis University reports $61,099 in median earnings of Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing, the highest figure on this list, alongside a six-year completion rate of 80%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (26 graduates), Security Science and Technology (10 graduates), Homeland Security (8 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($61,099) | |||||
| 2 | Park University · Parkville, MO | $59,401 | $21,032 | $18,687 | Not reported |
| Park University ranks 2nd on this page with median earnings of $59,401 four years after completing, and holds an Azimuth composite rank of 386th among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (138 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($59,401) | |||||
| 3 | Lindenwood University · Saint Charles, MO | $58,400 | $19,638 | $15,678 | 56.8% |
| A private nonprofit university in Saint Charles, Lindenwood University admits 57% of applicants and posts an average net price of $19,638. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (71 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($58,400) | |||||
| 4 | Truman State University · Kirksville, MO | $56,596 | $12,780 | $6,046 | 83.8% |
| Truman State University reports $56,596 in median earnings of Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $6,046 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (31 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($56,596) | |||||
| 5 | Columbia College · Columbia, MO | $56,128 | $22,715 | $23,967 | Not reported |
| With a six-year completion rate of 42%, Columbia College reports median earnings of $56,128 four years after completing its Criminal Justice program. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (119 graduates), Security Science and Technology (7 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($56,128) | |||||
| 6 | University of Central Missouri · Warrensburg, MO | $53,194 | $14,462 | $10,965 | 63.8% |
| University of Central Missouri admits 64% of applicants and reports an average net price of $14,462, with median earnings of $53,194 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (101 graduates), Homeland Security (23 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($52,875) | |||||
| 7 | Missouri Western State University · Saint Joseph, MO | $52,709 | $13,251 | $11,243 | Not reported |
| Missouri Western State University reports median earnings of $52,709 four years after completing and an average net price of $11,243 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (32 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($52,709) | |||||
| 8 | Missouri Baptist University · Saint Louis, MO | $52,689 | $27,006 | $21,808 | 68.6% |
| An average net price of $27,006 accompanies median earnings of $52,689 four years after completing at Missouri Baptist University, which ranks 8th on this list. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (17 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($52,689) | |||||
| 9 | Missouri Southern State University · Joplin, MO | $49,114 | $12,007 | $9,759 | 97.0% |
| Missouri Southern State University admits 97% of applicants and reports a six-year completion rate of 42%, with median earnings of $49,114 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (61 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($49,114) | |||||
| 10 | Harris-Stowe State University · Saint Louis, MO | $49,010 | $9,922 | $9,827 | Not reported |
| Harris-Stowe State University reports an average net price of $9,922 and median earnings of $49,010 four years after completing its Criminal Justice program. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (34 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($49,010) | |||||
| 11 | Lincoln University · Jefferson City, MO | $48,315 | $19,092 | $20,070 | Not reported |
| Lincoln University reports median earnings of $48,315 four years after completing and an average net price of $20,070 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (15 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($48,315) | |||||
| 12 | Southeast Missouri State University · Cape Girardeau, MO | $47,934 | $15,882 | $12,704 | 73.5% |
| Southeast Missouri State University admits 74% of applicants and reports a six-year completion rate of 58%, with median earnings of $47,934 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (57 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($47,934) | |||||
| 13 | Culver-Stockton College · Canton, MO | $45,287 | $21,983 | $17,712 | 99.1% |
| Culver-Stockton College, a private nonprofit institution in Canton, reports $45,287 in median earnings for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 99%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (13 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($45,287) | |||||
| 14 | Northwest Missouri State University · Maryville, MO | $37,208 | $16,244 | $13,176 | 86.1% |
| Northwest Missouri State University posts a median of $37,208 for its Criminal Justice graduates two years after completing, alongside a six-year completion rate of 54%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Homeland Security (20 graduates) | |||||
| 15 | Southwest Baptist University · Bolivar, MO | $35,060 | $21,677 | $21,978 | 68.4% |
| With an average net price of $21,677, Southwest Baptist University reports $35,060 in median earnings for Criminal Justice graduates two years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (9 graduates) | |||||
| 16 | Hannibal-LaGrange University · Hannibal, MO | $34,526 | $22,814 | $21,285 | 72.6% |
| Hannibal-LaGrange University ranks 1341st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows median earnings of $34,526 for its Criminal Justice graduates two years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (5 graduates) | |||||
| 17 | Missouri Valley College · Marshall, MO | $33,459 | $18,086 | $16,132 | 69.2% |
| Missouri Valley College admits 69% of applicants and reports a six-year completion rate of 22%, with Criminal Justice graduates earning a median of $33,459 two years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (12 graduates) | |||||
| 18 | College of the Ozarks · Point Lookout, MO | $29,685 | $6,100 | $6,381 | 12.0% |
| College of the Ozarks carries an average net price of $6,100 and an admission rate of 12%, while its Criminal Justice graduates earn a median of $29,685 two years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (16 graduates) | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only schools with a reported Criminal Justice earnings cohort in Missouri appear. The figure reflects federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 5 of the 18 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or differences in who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between Saint Louis University and Park University is $1,698, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom is $31,414.
Job market context in Missouri
The Bureau of Labor Statistics links Criminal Justice to occupations such as Security Guards, Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers, and Firefighters in Missouri. The median annual wage across those occupations is $58,975, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $48,039. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 3.5% higher, with about 1,051 openings a year for every hundred graduates, more projected openings than graduates. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing, not the occupation-wide figures described here.