Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degree) at William Woods University

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$36,879

Est. from MO median (18 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$26,000

Est. from MO median (11 programs)

Analysis

Criminal justice programs in Missouri show a startling range—top programs at Park University and Columbia College place graduates near $50,000 in first-year earnings, while similar programs across the state cluster around $37,000. William Woods' estimated outcomes align with this lower tier, suggesting first-year earnings around $36,879 based on comparable Missouri programs. That $13,000 gap between the state's best and typical programs matters considerably when you're carrying debt.

The estimated $26,000 debt figure produces a manageable 0.71 debt-to-earnings ratio, which means roughly seven months of gross income to cover the full loan balance. That's reasonable on paper. However, criminal justice careers often start at modest public-sector salaries with structured advancement timelines. If your child plans to enter law enforcement or corrections work, the starting wage may cover bills but won't leave much cushion for aggressive loan repayment or building savings.

The central question is whether William Woods offers something—specialized training, connections, or career placement support—that justifies similar costs to programs producing $10,000-15,000 higher starting salaries. Since we're working with estimated figures here rather than actual graduate outcomes, you'll want to press the school for concrete employment data: Where do graduates actually get hired? What do they earn? Without that verification, you're betting on uncertain outcomes in a field where the earnings ceiling matters as much as the starting point.

Where William Woods 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
William Woods UniversityFulton	$28,860	$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 William Woods University, approximately 30% 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.