U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 67 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 57% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $26,000.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $43,635. College Scorecard.
Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Criminal Justice: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Criminal Justice nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $20,260 | $85,295 | 8.2 years |
| $30–48k | $18,894 | $79,544 | 7.7 years |
| $48–75k | $20,680 | $87,063 | 8.4 years |
| $75–110k | $23,883 | $100,547 | 9.7 years |
| $110k+ | $27,411 | $115,400 | 11.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (44% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Criminal Justice graduates 4 years after graduating ($45,805) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $10,367 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Criminal Justice at Missouri colleges
Every Missouri college we cover that reports Criminal Justice graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint Louis University | $61,099 | $23,694 | $24,398 | 80% |
| 2 | Park University | $59,401 | $18,299 | $21,032 | 38% |
| 3 | Lindenwood University | $58,400 | $27,000 | $19,638 | 49% |
| 4 | Truman State University | $56,596 | $21,997 | $12,780 | 69% |
| 5 | Columbia College | $56,128 | $25,750 | $22,715 | 42% |
| 6 | University of Missouri-Kansas City | $53,113 | $18,944 | $13,310 | 55% |
| 7 | University of Central Missouri | $52,875 | $23,279 | $14,462 | 54% |
| 8 | Missouri Western State University | $52,709 | $20,149 | $13,251 | 39% |
| 9 | Missouri Baptist University | $52,689 | $23,187 | $27,006 | 48% |
| 10 | Missouri Southern State University | $49,114 | $24,120 | $12,007 | 42% |
| 11 | Harris-Stowe State University | $49,010 | $32,000 | $9,922 | 28% |
| 12 | Lincoln University | $48,315 | $37,171 | $19,092 | 21% |
| 13 | Southeast Missouri State University | $47,934 | $26,625 | $15,882 | 58% |
| 14 | Drury University | $47,695 | $34,000 | $20,831 | 62% |
| 15 | Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studiesbachelor's & associate | $47,695 | $34,000 | $10,566 | 43% |
| 16 | Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | $45,805 | $26,000 | $22,766 | 51% |
| 17 | Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies | $45,805 | $26,000 | $14,601 | 0% |
| 18 | Culver-Stockton College | $45,287 | $27,000 | $21,983 | 39% |
8 more Missouri colleges offer Criminal Justice but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Criminal Justice graduates
Police officer
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +3.5% by 2035. Typical entry: high school diploma or equivalent.
Compliance Officers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +3.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Child, Family, and School Social Workers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +4.4% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Acceptance rate: 57% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 51% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $48,991
- Full cost breakdown · all 41 majors · overview
Related majors at Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Public Administration—
Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Criminal Justice questions
How much do Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences earn a median $45,805 four years after graduating and $36,223 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is $26,000, about 57% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences a good school for Criminal Justice in Missouri?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences earn $45,805 four years out, $5,097 below the median for the same major across 18 Missouri colleges ($50,902) and $9,403 below the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences rank for Criminal Justice in Missouri?
Of 18 Missouri colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences ranks 16th; among the 17 that mostly award bachelor's degrees it ranks 15th. The highest is Saint Louis University at $61,099.
What jobs do Criminal Justice graduates get?
A common career is police officer, with a median wage of $62,080 in the Columbia, MO area and $76,210 nationally. Others include compliance officers and child, family, and school social workers.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/central-methodist-university-college-of-liberal-arts-and-sciences/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).