Homeland Security (Bachelor's Degree) at Southeast Missouri State University

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$48,676

Est. from national median (29 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$23,250

Est. from national median (16 programs)

Analysis

A debt-to-earnings ratio under 0.5 suggests manageable financing, but the complete absence of reported data for this Southeast Missouri State program means families are making decisions in the dark. Based on national peer programs, first-year earnings around $49,000 and debt of $23,250 would represent reasonable numbers—yet without actual outcomes from Cape Girardeau graduates, there's no way to know whether this particular program connects students to the homeland security jobs that justify the credential.

The limited number of Missouri programs reporting outcomes raises questions about the state's homeland security job market for bachelor's degree holders. Northwest Missouri State, the only in-state school with published data, shows graduates earning $42,000—about $6,500 less than the national median. If Southeast Missouri's outcomes follow this Missouri pattern rather than national trends, the debt picture shifts considerably. Homeland security careers often require additional certifications or graduate degrees to advance beyond entry-level positions, which could mean taking on more debt before seeing significant salary growth.

Given that neither earnings nor debt figures reflect actual Southeast Missouri State graduates, families should directly ask the program for placement rates and starting employers. The homeland security field encompasses everything from TSA screeners to intelligence analysts, and understanding where this specific program's graduates actually land matters more than national estimates ever could.

Where Southeast Missouri State University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all homeland security bachelors's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Missouri

Homeland Security bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Missouri (7 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Southeast Missouri State UniversityCape Girardeau	$9,496	$48,676*	—	$23,250*	—
Northwest Missouri State UniversityMaryville	$10,181	$42,266*	$53,435	$25,125*	0.59
National Median	—	$48,676*	—	$23,475*	0.48

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with homeland security graduates

Emergency Management Directors

Plan and direct disaster response or crisis management activities, provide disaster preparedness training, and prepare emergency plans and procedures for natural (e.g., hurricanes, floods, earthquakes), wartime, or technological (e.g., nuclear power plant emergencies or hazardous materials spills) disasters or hostage situations.

$86,130/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in criminal justice, corrections, and law enforcement administration. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Managers, All Other

All managers not listed separately.

Regulatory Affairs Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate production activities of an organization to ensure compliance with regulations and standard operating procedures.

Compliance Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization to ensure compliance with ethical or regulatory standards.

Loss Prevention Managers

Plan and direct policies, procedures, or systems to prevent the loss of assets. Determine risk exposure or potential liability, and develop risk control measures.

Wind Energy Development Managers

Lead or manage the development and evaluation of potential wind energy business opportunities, including environmental studies, permitting, and proposals. May also manage construction of projects.

Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers

Plan and direct cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties for reuse. Does not include properties sufficiently contaminated to qualify as Superfund sites.

Postsecondary Teachers, All Other

All postsecondary teachers not listed separately.

First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force.

First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of security workers and security guards.

First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other

All protective service supervisors not listed separately above.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Southeast Missouri State University, approximately 29% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the national median of 29 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.