Best colleges for criminal justice in Missouri

    Saint Louis University ranks first in Missouri for criminal justice value (#124 nationally, value score 60): graduates earn $61,099 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $29,674 a year.

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard field of study, reporting year 2025 · 9 Missouri colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026

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    Best criminal justice colleges in Missouri

    Saint Louis University ranks first in Missouri for criminal justice value (#124 nationally, value score 60): graduates earn $61,099 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $29,674 a year. 9 Missouri colleges qualify. At the median one, criminal justice graduates earn $52,875 and the average net price is $17,110 a year.

    Source: U.S. College Scorecard field of study, 2025

    What the data shows

    Key findings

    • 9 Missouri colleges qualify. At the median one, criminal justice graduates earn $52,875 and the average net price is $17,110 a year.
    • The lowest average net price among them is at Missouri Southern State University: $10,836 a year.
    Median earnings
    $52,875
    National: $55,481
    Median net price
    $17,110
    National: $16,222
    Median federal debt
    $23,660
    criminal justice graduates
    Public colleges
    5 of 9
    in this list

    9 colleges

    The Missouri ranking

    Ordered by the national value score; the national rank is shown with each college. Earnings are medians 4 years after the bachelor's degree.

    1. Rank in Missouri 1

      Saint Louis University

      Saint Louis, MO · Private nonprofit · #124 nationally

      60.0Value
      Earnings
      $61,099
      Net price
      $29,674
      Federal debt
      $22,250
      Graduation rate
      79%
    2. Rank in Missouri 2

      Lindenwood University

      Saint Charles, MO · Private nonprofit · #204 nationally

      49.3Value
      Earnings
      $58,400
      Net price
      $21,443
      Federal debt
      $25,000
      Graduation rate
      56%
    3. Rank in Missouri 3

      University of Central Missouri

      Warrensburg, MO · Public · #218 nationally

      47.1Value
      Earnings
      $52,875
      Net price
      $15,554
      Federal debt
      $19,318
      Graduation rate
      52%
    4. Rank in Missouri 4

      Park University

      Parkville, MO · Private nonprofit · #221 nationally

      46.7Value
      Earnings
      $59,401
      Net price
      $19,119
      Federal debt
      $25,000
      Graduation rate
      36%
    5. Rank in Missouri 5

      Columbia College-Missouri

      Columbia, MO · Private nonprofit · #297 nationally

      34.8Value
      Earnings
      $56,128
      Net price
      $25,982
      Federal debt
      $27,676
      Graduation rate
      51%
    6. Rank in Missouri 6

      Missouri Southern State University

      Joplin, MO · Public · #306 nationally

      32.8Value
      Earnings
      $49,114
      Net price
      $10,836
      Federal debt
      $23,660
      Graduation rate
      39%
    7. Rank in Missouri 7

      Missouri Western State University

      Saint Joseph, MO · Public · #308 nationally

      32.6Value
      Earnings
      $52,709
      Net price
      $16,379
      Federal debt
      $23,917
      Graduation rate
      35%
    8. Rank in Missouri 8

      Harris-Stowe State University

      Saint Louis, MO · Public · #310 nationally

      32.5Value
      Earnings
      $49,010
      Net price
      $11,182
      Federal debt
      $22,512
      Graduation rate
      33%
    9. Rank in Missouri 9

      Southeast Missouri State University

      Cape Girardeau, MO · Public · #320 nationally

      30.1Value
      Earnings
      $47,934
      Net price
      $17,110
      Federal debt
      $23,100
      Graduation rate
      61%

    Method: the same value score as the national criminal justice ranking (earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate, each a national percentile). Data: College Scorecard, reporting year 2025; 2026–27 edition, verified Nov 2026.

    Questions about criminal justice colleges in Missouri

    What are the best colleges for criminal justice in Missouri?

    By CollegesRef value score, the top 3 Missouri colleges for criminal justice are Saint Louis University (value score 60), Lindenwood University (value score 49.3) and University of Central Missouri (value score 47.1). The score weighs graduate earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate.

    Which Missouri college has the highest earnings for criminal justice graduates?

    Saint Louis University: its criminal justice graduates have median earnings of $61,099 4 years after the bachelor's degree.

    What is the most affordable criminal justice college in Missouri on this list?

    Missouri Southern State University has the lowest average net price of the ranked Missouri colleges, $10,836 a year after grants. A family's own price depends on income and aid.

    How many Missouri colleges are ranked for criminal justice?

    9 Missouri colleges have a criminal justice bachelor's program with enough graduates and reported earnings, plus a published net price and graduation rate. Ranks shown are national; the state rank is their order within Missouri.