Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degree) at Southwest Baptist University

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$36,879

Est. from MO median (18 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$26,000

Est. from MO median (11 programs)

Analysis

Similar Criminal Justice and Corrections bachelor's programs in Missouri suggest this path produces starting salaries around $36,900—essentially matching the national median for the field. That means this program, based on peer data, appears to deliver typical outcomes for the major, but it's worth noting that Missouri's top programs in this field report significantly higher earnings, with several graduates starting above $40,000 or even $45,000.

The estimated $26,000 in debt aligns with both state and national norms for criminal justice degrees, creating a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71. In practical terms, comparable programs suggest graduates can handle their loan payments on an entry-level salary in law enforcement or corrections, though they shouldn't expect much financial cushion in those early years. The concern is less about crushing debt and more about whether these starting salaries leave room for the other expenses of early adulthood.

Without program-specific data from Southwest Baptist, you're essentially betting that this school performs at the Missouri median rather than joining the top tier of in-state programs that produce $45,000+ starters. If your student is committed to criminal justice and this school is the right fit otherwise, the estimated numbers suggest a defensible choice—just understand you're working with peer program projections, not a track record specific to this institution's outcomes.

Where Southwest Baptist University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all criminal justice and corrections bachelors's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Missouri

Criminal Justice and Corrections bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Missouri (26 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Southwest Baptist UniversityBolivar	$28,320	$36,879*	—	$26,000*	—
Park UniversityParkville	$16,400	$49,305*	$44,746	$18,299*	0.37
Columbia CollegeColumbia	$24,326	$46,195*	$47,907	$25,750*	0.56
Saint Louis UniversitySaint Louis	$53,244	$45,709*	$50,011	$23,694*	0.52
Missouri Baptist UniversitySaint Louis	$33,122	$42,555*	$59,300	$23,187*	0.54
Missouri Western State UniversitySaint Joseph	$9,800	$39,808*	$42,651	$20,149*	0.51
National Median	—	$37,856*	—	$26,130*	0.69

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with criminal justice and corrections graduates

Financial Examiners

Enforce or ensure compliance with laws and regulations governing financial and securities institutions and financial and real estate transactions. May examine, verify, or authenticate records.

$90,400/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

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:

Compliance Officers

Examine, evaluate, and investigate eligibility for or conformity with laws and regulations governing contract compliance of licenses and permits, and perform other compliance and enforcement inspection and analysis activities not classified elsewhere.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Environmental Compliance Inspectors

Inspect and investigate sources of pollution to protect the public and environment and ensure conformance with Federal, State, and local regulations and ordinances.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers

Monitor and evaluate compliance with equal opportunity laws, guidelines, and policies to ensure that employment practices and contracting arrangements give equal opportunity without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Government Property Inspectors and Investigators

Investigate or inspect government property to ensure compliance with contract agreements and government regulations.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Regulatory Affairs Specialists

Coordinate and document internal regulatory processes, such as internal audits, inspections, license renewals, or registrations. May compile and prepare materials for submission to regulatory agencies.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Customs Brokers

Prepare customs documentation and ensure that shipments meet all applicable laws to facilitate the import and export of goods. Determine and track duties and taxes payable and process payments on behalf of client. Sign documents under a power of attorney. Represent clients in meetings with customs officials and apply for duty refunds and tariff reclassifications. Coordinate transportation and storage of imported goods.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Detectives and Criminal Investigators

Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.

$77,270/yrJobs growth:

Police Identification and Records Officers

Collect evidence at crime scene, classify and identify fingerprints, and photograph evidence for use in criminal and civil cases.

$77,270/yrJobs growth:

Intelligence Analysts

Gather, analyze, or evaluate information from a variety of sources, such as law enforcement databases, surveillance, intelligence networks or geographic information systems. Use intelligence data to anticipate and prevent organized crime activities, such as terrorism.

$77,270/yrJobs growth:

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 Southwest Baptist University, approximately 35% 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 median of 18 similar programs in MO. Actual outcomes may vary.