U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 134 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 49% 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 $19,568. College Scorecard.
Missouri Southern State University 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 Missouri Southern State University'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 | $9,759 | $43,135 | 3.2 years |
| $30–48k | $10,132 | $44,783 | 3.3 years |
| $48–75k | $11,233 | $49,650 | 3.6 years |
| $75–110k | $14,578 | $64,435 | 4.7 years |
| $110k+ | $15,083 | $66,667 | 4.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (23% 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 ($49,114) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $13,676 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 Missouri Southern State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Missouri Southern State University
- Acceptance rate: 97% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 42% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $42,620
- Full cost breakdown · all 37 majors · overview
Missouri Southern State University Criminal Justice questions
How much do Missouri Southern State University Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of Missouri Southern State University earn a median $49,114 four years after graduating and $33,167 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do Missouri Southern State University Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of Missouri Southern State University is $24,120, about 49% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is Missouri Southern State University a good school for Criminal Justice in Missouri?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of Missouri Southern State University earn $49,114 four years out, $1,788 below the median for the same major across 18 Missouri colleges ($50,902) and $6,094 below the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Missouri Southern State University rank for Criminal Justice in Missouri?
Of 18 Missouri colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, Missouri Southern State University ranks 10th. 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 $45,460 in the Joplin, MO-KS area and $76,210 nationally. Others include compliance officers and child, family, and school social workers.
Is Missouri Southern State University the right fit for your family?
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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: “Missouri Southern State University Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/missouri-southern-state-university/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).