Criminal Justice Programs in Missouri

Updated September 17, 2026

Missouri has 46 in-state colleges offering a criminal justice program, from certificates through master’s degrees. To become a Missouri peace officer, you must be 21+, a U.S. citizen with a high school diploma, graduate a POST-certified academy, and pass the Missouri Peace Officer License Exam (MPOLE). Police officers earn a $59,460 median salary, per May 2025 BLS data.

State Agency: Missouri Department of Public Safety

Overview

Missouri has produced a number of infamous outlaws and criminals, but none more so than Jesse James. He got his start in the fighting that ravaged the Missouri-Kansas border before the Civil War, then joined up with “Bloody Bill” Anderson. After the war, he and his brother made a career of robbing banks, killing several men in the process. Despite his outlaw status, though, he became a folk hero to some, and long after his death, his legend remains a subject of fascination.

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Below, we speak with Darryl Forté, former Chief of Police in Kansas City, Missouri (later Jackson County Sheriff), about his law enforcement career and advice for aspiring police officers.

Criminal Justice Education in Missouri

With a criminal justice program from a Missouri school, you can prepare for work in patrol, corrections, probation, or investigations. To become a licensed peace officer in Missouri, you need to be 21 or older, a U.S. citizen, and hold a high school diploma or its equivalent. From there, you graduate from a POST-certified Basic Law Enforcement Training Center, meet Missouri POST’s criminal-history eligibility standards, and pass the Missouri Peace Officer License Exam (MPOLE) with a qualifying score. Corrections officers and 911 dispatchers follow a different path — they aren’t POST-licensed peace officers, and their training and hiring requirements are set by the individual employer rather than by POST.

Whether a degree helps beyond that minimum depends on the agency. Some departments set additional education preferences for hiring, promotion, or specialized units, and requirements for federal law enforcement agencies vary by position, so check the specific agency’s own posting rather than assuming a fixed rule.

Common topics in a Missouri criminal justice program include:

How criminology theories explain why people commit crime, and how the criminal justice system is built to respond
How to apply social science research methods to real criminal justice problems, not just textbook ones
How sociology, psychology, economics, and political science shape crime and punishment in the U.S.

Programs commonly combine core courses, electives, and, in some cases, field experience. Courses you’re likely to see across Missouri criminal justice programs include:

Introduction to Criminal Justice and Criminology
Criminal Law and Theories of Crime
Criminal Justice Research Methods
Sociology
Statistical Analysis
Courts and Corrections

You’ll find financial help in more places than you’d expect. The American Criminal Justice Association awards scholarships to criminal justice students, and the National Science Foundation’s CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service program funds students studying cybersecurity in exchange for working for the federal government afterward, for a period equal to the length of the scholarship (up to three years). Our financial aid guide covers more of what’s available specifically to criminal justice majors.

Where to Study Criminal Justice in Missouri

Missouri has 46 in-state colleges and universities offering a criminal justice-family program at some credential level (138 program rows), per U.S. Department of Education data. Options run from undergraduate certificates through master’s degrees; no Missouri institution in this data currently offers a criminal justice doctorate. One additional school, Bryan University in Springfield, offers an online-only associate and certificate and is excluded from the table below because it isn’t tied to a physical Missouri campus.

Institution	City	Control / Level	Credential Levels Offered
Avila University	Kansas City	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s
Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies	Fayette	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s
Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences	Fayette	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s
College of the Ozarks	Point Lookout	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s
Columbia College	Columbia	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Undergraduate certificate, Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s
Crowder College	Neosho	Public, 2-year	Undergraduate certificate, Associate
Culver-Stockton College	Canton	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s
Drury University	Springfield	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Undergraduate certificate, Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s
Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studies	Springfield	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Undergraduate certificate, Associate, Bachelor’s
East Central College	Union	Public, 2-year	Undergraduate certificate, Associate
Evangel University	Springfield	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s
Hannibal-LaGrange University	Hannibal	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s
Harris-Stowe State University	Saint Louis	Public, 4-year	Undergraduate certificate, Bachelor’s
Jefferson College	Hillsboro	Public, 2-year	Undergraduate certificate, Associate
Lincoln University	Jefferson City	Public, 4-year	Associate, Bachelor’s
Lindenwood University	Saint Charles	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s
Maryville University of Saint Louis	Saint Louis	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s
Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City	Kansas City	Public, 2-year	Undergraduate certificate, Associate
Mineral Area College	Park Hills	Public, 2-year	Undergraduate certificate, Associate
Missouri Baptist University	Saint Louis	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s, Master’s
Missouri Southern State University	Joplin	Public, 4-year	Undergraduate certificate, Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s
Missouri State University-Springfield	Springfield	Public, 4-year	Graduate certificate
Missouri State University-West Plains	West Plains	Public, 2-year	Associate
Missouri University of Science and Technology	Rolla	Public, 4-year	Graduate certificate
Missouri Valley College	Marshall	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s
Missouri Western State University	Saint Joseph	Public, 4-year	Undergraduate certificate, Associate, Bachelor’s, Graduate certificate, Master’s
Moberly Area Community College	Moberly	Public, 2-year	Undergraduate certificate
North Central Missouri College	Trenton	Public, 2-year	Undergraduate certificate, Associate
Northwest Missouri State University	Maryville	Public, 4-year	Bachelor’s
Ozarks Technical Community College	Springfield	Public, 4-year	Undergraduate certificate, Associate
Park University	Parkville	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Undergraduate certificate, Associate, Bachelor’s, Graduate certificate, Master’s
Rockhurst University	Kansas City	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Undergraduate certificate, Bachelor’s
Saint Louis Community College	Bridgeton	Public, 4-year	Undergraduate certificate, Associate
Saint Louis University	Saint Louis	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Undergraduate certificate, Bachelor’s, Graduate certificate, Master’s
Southeast Missouri State University	Cape Girardeau	Public, 4-year	Bachelor’s, Master’s
Southwest Baptist University	Bolivar	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s
St Charles Community College	Cottleville	Public, 2-year	Undergraduate certificate, Associate
State Fair Community College	Sedalia	Public, 2-year	Associate
Stevens-The Institute of Business & Arts	Saint Louis	Private for-profit, 4-year	Associate, Bachelor’s
Three Rivers College	Poplar Bluff	Public, 2-year	Undergraduate certificate, Associate
Truman State University	Kirksville	Public, 4-year	Bachelor’s
University of Central Missouri	Warrensburg	Public, 4-year	Undergraduate certificate, Bachelor’s, Master’s
University of Missouri-Kansas City	Kansas City	Public, 4-year	Bachelor’s, Master’s
Webster University	Saint Louis	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Undergraduate certificate, Graduate certificate, Master’s
Westminster College	Fulton	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s
William Woods University	Fulton	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Associate, Bachelor’s

School and program data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, institution file May 2025 and field-of-study file April 2025. Data accessed September 2026. This reflects what each school reported to the Department of Education, not necessarily what’s actively enrolling today. Confirm current program format, admission requirements, and whether a specific program is still open with the school directly before you apply.

Outlook for Criminal Justice in Missouri

Missouri’s criminal justice workforce runs from small-town sheriff’s departments to major metro units in Kansas City and St. Louis. As of May 2025 BLS wage data, a police or sheriff’s patrol officer in Missouri earns a median $59,460 a year, and a detective earns a median $75,650. Paralegals earn a median $61,410. Correctional officers earn a median $42,620, the lowest of this group.

Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists earn a median $46,840 in Missouri, per the same May 2025 data. BLS counts these two roles together because the daily work overlaps: writing pre-sentence reports, managing a caseload, and coordinating with the courts.

Job growth in Missouri varies by role. Per 2024–34 projections from ProjectionsCentral, the state expects police and sheriff’s patrol officer positions to grow 3.2%, detectives 1.5%, and probation officers 0.5%. Correctional officers are the outlier, with an 8.2% projected decline through 2034. Paralegal openings are projected to hold essentially flat, down 0.5%.

Occupation	Missouri Median Annual Wage (May 2025)	Projected Growth, Missouri (2024–34)
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers	$59,460	+3.2%
Detectives and Criminal Investigators	$75,650	+1.5%
Paralegals and Legal Assistants	$61,410	-0.5%
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists	$46,840	+0.5%
Correctional Officers and Jailers	$42,620	-8.2%

May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers, Detectives and Criminal Investigators, Paralegals and Legal Assistants, Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists, and Correctional Officers and Jailers. Long-term (2024–34) job growth projections from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, ProjectionsCentral. Figures reflect state-level data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed September 2026.

These are just a handful of the paths open to you with a criminal justice background. If you’re not sure which one fits, talk to a career counselor before committing to four years of tuition. Below, you can request information from Missouri criminal justice programs directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need a college degree to become a police officer in Missouri?

No. Missouri POST licensing rules require a high school diploma or its equivalent, not a college degree — plus being 21 or older, a U.S. citizen, graduating a POST-certified academy, and passing the Missouri Peace Officer License Exam (MPOLE) with a qualifying score. These rules govern peace officers specifically; corrections officers and 911 dispatchers aren’t POST-licensed, and their hiring requirements are set individually by each employer. Some police agencies also set their own degree preferences on top of the state minimum, so check with the department you’re targeting.

Which state agency oversees peace officer licensing in Missouri?

The Missouri Department of Public Safety’s Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Program licenses peace officers, and the POST Commission sets the standards the program enforces.

How much do police officers make in Missouri?

Missouri police and sheriff’s patrol officers earn a median $59,460 a year, according to May 2025 BLS wage data.

What degree levels can I earn in criminal justice in Missouri?

Missouri’s 46 in-state schools offer everything from undergraduate certificates through master’s degrees in criminal justice and related fields, per federal education data. No in-state Missouri school in this data currently offers a criminal justice doctorate.

Is job growth strong for criminal justice careers in Missouri?

It depends on the job. Police and sheriff’s patrol officer roles are projected to grow 3.2% through 2034, but correctional officer positions are projected to shrink 8.2% over the same period, per ProjectionsCentral.

Key Takeaways

No degree required for a peace officer license – Missouri POST requires age 21+, U.S. citizenship, a high school diploma, academy graduation, and a passing MPOLE score, not a degree.
Corrections and dispatch follow different rules – Those roles aren’t POST-licensed; each employer sets its own hiring requirements.
46 in-state schools – Missouri criminal justice programs run from certificates to master’s degrees, with no in-state doctoral option currently in the federal data.
Pay varies widely by role – Detectives ($75,650 median) out-earn correctional officers ($42,620) by a wide margin, per May 2025 BLS data.
Corrections jobs are projected to shrink, patrol isn’t – Correctional officer positions are projected to decline 8.2% through 2034, while police and sheriff’s patrol officer positions grow 3.2%.

If cost is what’s holding you back, our scholarships guide lists awards built specifically for criminal justice students before you look at loans.

Read: Scholarships for Criminal Justice Majors and Grad Students