Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Missouri2026 Rankings
Missouri is home to 26 accredited institutions offering Criminal Justice programs — from large public research universities to small private liberal arts colleges. This ranking evaluates each school on admission selectivity, four-year graduation rate, net price, and graduate earnings to surface the programs that deliver the strongest outcomes.
Among the schools listed here, College of the Ozarks is the most selective, admitting 15% of applicants. Average in-state tuition across this group sits at $21,664, while out-of-state students can expect to pay around $24,043. Median early-career earnings for Criminal Justice graduates in this state average $37,400 per year, and the average four-year graduation rate among ranked programs is 48%.
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| # | College | Value Score | Admit Rate | Grad Rate | Net Price | Median Earnings | Student:Faculty | Majors Offered | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint Louis UniversityPrivate | Great· 41 | 81% | 80% | $22,950 | $45,709 | 8:1 | 74 | 7,324 |
| 2 | Rockhurst UniversityPrivate | Great· 41 | 69% | 76% | $20,581 | $63,703 | 12:1 | 39 | 1,702 |
| 3 | Truman State UniversityPublic | Great· 39 | 80% | 68% | $11,125 | $32,176 | 12:1 | 38 | 2,666 |
| 4 | Hannibal-LaGrange UniversityPrivate | Strong· 37 | 59% | 44% | $19,304 | $36,796 | 7:1 | 28 | 381 |
| 5 | Drury UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 59% | 66% | $19,602 | $38,014 | 13:1 | 59 | 1,367 |
| 6 | University of Missouri-Kansas CityPublic | Strong· 35 | 75% | 56% | $11,602 | $37,397 | 14:1 | 48 | 6,618 |
| 7 | Lindenwood UniversityPrivate | Strong· 34 | 66% | 50% | $17,960 | $36,253 | 13:1 | 69 | 4,748 |
| 8 | Evangel UniversityPrivate | Strong· 34 | 69% | 65% | $18,882 | $36,453 | 12:1 | 48 | 1,205 |
| 9 | College of the OzarksPrivate | Strong· 34 | 15% | 61% | $7,275 | $35,171 | 14:1 | 52 | 1,415 |
| 10 | William Woods UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 74% | 57% | $21,217 | $36,372 | 11:1 | 39 | 1,061 |
| 11 | Southeast Missouri State UniversityPublic | Good· 32 | 79% | 56% | $13,576 | $36,537 | 20:1 | 61 | 6,588 |
| 12 | Westminster CollegePrivate | Good· 32 | 78% | 57% | $24,412 | $35,551 | 10:1 | 63 | 592 |
| 13 | University of Central MissouriPublic | Good· 32 | 69% | 49% | $14,997 | $37,221 | 19:1 | 72 | 5,653 |
| 14 | Missouri Valley CollegePrivate | Good· 32 | 53% | 24% | $17,712 | $36,304 | 16:1 | 34 | 1,274 |
| 15 | Missouri Southern State UniversityPublic | Good· 31 | 97% | 38% | $12,646 | $33,167 | 16:1 | 36 | 3,101 |
| 16 | Southwest Baptist UniversityPrivate | Good· 30 | 100% | 51% | $20,785 | $43,499 | 10:1 | 43 | 1,339 |
| 17 | Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and SciencesPrivate | Average· 29 | 88% | 53% | $24,195 | $36,223 | 11:1 | 45 | 1,015 |
| 18 | Missouri Baptist UniversityPrivate | Average· 28 | 64% | 48% | $24,627 | $42,555 | 21:1 | 38 | 1,452 |
| 19 | Culver-Stockton CollegePrivate | Average· 27 | 98% | 50% | $22,385 | $33,394 | 17:1 | 34 | 884 |
| 20 | Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended StudiesPrivate | Average· 27 | 87% | 0% | $20,195 | $36,223 | 17:1 | 26 | 1,807 |
| 21 | Park UniversityPrivate | Average· 26 | — | 30% | $15,902 | $49,305 | 13:1 | 47 | 5,250 |
| 22 | Missouri Western State UniversityPublic | Average· 26 | — | 40% | $12,834 | $39,808 | 14:1 | 46 | 2,372 |
| 23 | Lincoln UniversityPublic | Fair· 24 | — | 22% | $18,340 | $32,331 | 13:1 | 31 | 1,357 |
| 24 | Harris-Stowe State UniversityPublic | Fair· 24 | — | 27% | $15,521 | $34,108 | 14:1 | 21 | 1,086 |
| 25 | Drury University-College of Continuing Professional StudiesPrivate | Fair· 23 | — | 32% | $15,253 | $38,014 | 17:1 | 21 | 694 |
| 26 | Columbia CollegePrivate | Weak· 18 | — | 46% | $24,477 | $46,195 | 20:1 | 39 | 5,359 |