The state of Missouri currently employs 9,536 correctional officers to maintain order with 31,537 incarcerated inmates throughout 20 state facilities such as the Southeast Correctional Center, and the Western Missouri Correctional Center, and with prisoners awaiting sentencing in county jails like Jackson County Detention Center and Lawrence County Detention Center. Missouri does not have a federal penitentiary. The State Department of Corrections mandates that offenders should be released with the tools and skillsets to become productive members of society in order to lessen the chance that they will be a threat to public safety through re-offending. The state of Missouri was chosen as a demonstration site for the Transition from Prison to Community Model - a leader in the field of corrections. As the correctional officer role evolves in order to meet prisoner need and stop recidivism, BLS.gov predicts a stable growth of 5% in the state between now and 2022. That statistic will allow for the creation of 119 new jobs, as well as recruitment for additional jobs as senior officers retire or are promoted.
Top Schools Supporting Careers in Criminal Justice & Corrections
The following rankings are based on student data, published surveys, and other school and career data collected from several sources which include the following government agencies:
Data Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
By obtaining our base data set from the above data sources, schools were ranked using the criteria below:
- Schools with less than 10 total graduates per year were omitted in order to maintain statistical integrity
- Schools must have at least 1 graduate in the field of criminal justice
- Only 4-year, 2-year, and technical public and private non-profit schools were included
Schools were sorted in order of the highest percentage of total students graduating with a degree in the field of criminal justice (CIPCODES: 43.0102, 43.0110, 43.0113, 43.0103, 43.0104, 43.0107, 43.0109, 43.0111, 43.0112, 43.0199).
Missouri Southern State University
Missouri Southern State University ranks 1st in our rankings with 214 students completing programs in law enforcement administration, criminal justice, and juvenile corrections out of a total 2,158 students from the 2012-2013 school year.
Harris-Stowe State University
Harris-Stowe State University ranks 2nd in our rankings with twenty-eight students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total 324 students in the 2012-2013 school year.
Hannibal-LaGrange University
Hannibal-LaGrange University ranks 3rd in our rankings with 28 students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total 532 students from the 2012-2013 school year.
Columbia College
Columbia College ranks 4th in our latest rankings with 494 students completing programs in law enforcement administration out of a total nine thousand graduates in the 2012-2013 school year.
Mineral Area College
Mineral Area College ranks 5th in our rankings with 57 students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total a thousand graduates from the 2012-2013 school year.
Missouri Valley College
Missouri Valley College ranks 6th in our rankings with 40 students graduating from programs in criminal justice out of a total 930 students.
College of the Ozarks
College of the Ozarks is a private, 4 year college located in Point Lookout, Missouri. Home to approximately 2,470 students, COFO was founded in 1905 and offers certified, associate's, and bachelor degree programs. Students who are interested in a career in corrections are encouraged to apply to COFO's programs. Through a combination of academics and practical skill acquisition both on campus and through field trips, the Department of Criminal Justice prepares successful graduates for entry into the disciplines of corrections and law enforcement.
Park University
Park University ranks eighth in our latest rankings with 215 students completing programs in law enforcement administration out of a total 5,488 graduates in the 2012-2013 school year.
Missouri Western State University
Missouri Western State University ranks ninth in our latest rankings with sixty-five students graduating from programs in criminal justice and criminal justice out of a total a thousand graduates in the 2012-2013 school year.
Lincoln University
Lincoln University ranks 10th in our rankings with thirty-four students completing programs in law enforcement administration out of a total 926 graduates in the 2012-2013 school year.
Continued List of All Criminal Jusitice Programs in Missouri
| Program | Website |
|---|---|
University of Central Missouri
202 Administration Building, Warrensburg, MO 64093
Phone: (660) 543-4111 | ucmo.edu |
Drury University
900 N.Benton, Springfield, MO 65802-3791
Phone: (417) 873-7879 | drury.edu |
Jefferson College
1000 Viking Drive, Hillsboro, MO 63050-2440
Phone: (636) 797-3000 | jeffco.edu |
Culver-Stockton College
One College Hill, Canton, MO 63435-1299
Phone: (573) 288-6000 | culver.edu |
Southeast Missouri State University
One University Plaza, MS4675, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Phone: (573) 651-2000 | semo.edu |
Moberly Area Community College
101 College Ave, Moberly, MO 65270-1304
Phone: (660) 263-4110 x208 | macc.edu |
Three Rivers Community College
2080 Three Rivers Blvd, Poplar Bluff, MO 63901
Phone: (573) 840-9600 | trcc.edu |
Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
411 Central Methodist Square, Fayette, MO 65248-1198
Phone: (660) 248-3391 | centralmethodist.edu |
Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City
3200 Broadway, Kansas City, MO 64111-2429
Phone: (816) 604-1000 | mcckc.edu |
Truman State University
100 E Normal, Kirksville, MO 63501-4221
Phone: (660) 785-4000 | truman.edu |
Saint Louis Community College
300 South Broadway, Saint Louis, MO 63102-2810
Phone: (314) 539-5000 | cte.stlcc.edu |
Missouri Baptist University
One College Park Dr, Saint Louis, MO 63141-8698
Phone: (877) 434-1115 | mobap.edu |
University of Missouri-Kansas City
5100 Rockhill Rd, Kansas City, MO 64110
Phone: (816) 235-1000 | cas.umkc.edu |
Evangel University
1111 N Glenstone, Springfield, MO 65802
Phone: (417) 865-2811 | evangel.edu |
Southwest Baptist University
1600 University Ave, Bolivar, MO 65613-2596
Phone: (800) 526-5859 | sbuniv.edu |
East Central College
1964 Prairie Dell Rd, Union, MO 63084
Phone: (636) 584-6500 | eastcentral.edu |
St Charles Community College
4601 Mid Rivers Mall Dr, Cottleville, MO 63376-0975
Phone: (636) 922-8000 | stchas.edu |
Rockhurst University
1100 Rockhurst Rd, Kansas City, MO 64110-2561
Phone: (816) 501-4000 | rockhurst.edu |
Missouri State University-West Plains
128 Garfield Avenue, West Plains, MO 65775-2715
Phone: (417) 255-7255 | wp.missouristate.edu |
Saint Louis University
One Grand Blvd, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2097
Phone: (314) 977-2222 | catalog.slu.edu |
Crowder College
601 Laclede Ave, Neosho, MO 64850
Phone: (417) 451-3223 x5536 | crowder.edu |
State Fair Community College
3201 W 16th Street, Sedalia, MO 65301-2199
Phone: (660) 530-5800 x7217 | sfccmo.edu |
North Central Missouri College
1301 Main St, Trenton, MO 64683
Phone: (660) 359-3948 x1418 | ncmissouri.edu |
Westminster College
501 Westminster Ave, Fulton, MO 65251-1299
Phone: (573) 642-3361 | westminster-mo.edu |
William Woods University
One University Avenue, Fulton, MO 65251-1098
Phone: (573) 642-2251 x2251 | williamwoods.edu |
What Correctional Officer Training Can’t Prepare You For
Your CO training is never going to prepare you for what it's actually like when you do your first cell…
Life as a CO in Chicago’s Infamous Cook County Jail
Some of the fellow corrections officers you meet in the academy or the first day on the job will be…
The Benefits of a Criminal Justice Degree
Working as a correctional officer doesn’t always require that you have a degree in criminal justice. In fact, to get…
Degrees for Occupational Advancement in the Corrections Field
While working for a state correctional facility does not require a college education, many upper level supervisor positions do require…
Key Concepts & Skills Taught in Correctional Officer Training
If you are hired as a correctional officer, you will have to go through a training period before you can…
Missouri Correctional Officer Certification Requirements
Missouri's Department of Corrections has an open recruitment for men and women who are interested in becoming correctional officers and employees of the state's penitentiaries and country jails. The role is challenging, and therefore, the Missouri DOC is committed to ensuring that only those candidates who meet all the requirements of the role should be considered for employment. In order to ensure due process, the state has a several-stage hiring process that begins with basic eligibility criteria. Applicants must have the following in order to apply for the corrections officer role:
- Accurate and complete state application with DOC addendum
- Proof of age and U.S. citizenship
- Valid Missouri driver's license
- No felony charges
- Possess a high school diploma or GED
- Veterans to have proof of DD-214
- Proof of negative drug test
Candidates who meet the eligibility requirements for the state will then be contacted to pursue additional assessments. The second hiring phase is designed to allow candidates to showcase their fitness for the role of corrections officer. Those who fail any part of the assessment are welcome to reapply at a later time. The assessments are as follows:
- Fitness assessment
- Physical assessment by medical doctor
- Written test of knowledge
- Extensive personal and professional background check
- Fingerprinting
Candidates who pass the assessment portion of the hiring process will be contacted for an in-person interview. After a successful interview, applicants will be enrolled in basic training to take place at a state facility. Focus of training is on practical measures and tactics for the corrections officer role. Employment will be finalized upon successful completion of the final phase of training.
Missouri Department of Corrections
2729 Plaza Drive, P.O. Box 236
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Phone: (573) 751-2389
http://doc.mo.gov/
Missouri Correctional Officer Employment & Outlook
Correctional Officer Salary: Missouri vs National Salary Comparison
Source: BLS State Cross-Industry Estimates 2011
One of the ways that the state of Missouri serves and supports correctional officers is through strong growth and competitive salaries throughout the state. As such, the median income for front-line correctional officers throughout the state is much lower at $29,000 than the median income at $39,800, however, professional development can raise salary. According to the occupational profile for the state of Missouri found at http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_rep.asp?next=occ_rep&Level=&optstatus=011000000&jobfam=33&id=1&nodeid=2&soccode=333012&menuMode=&stfips=29&x=75&y=14 and published by CareerInfoNet.org, state and national trends predict a 3% and 5% increase in correctional officer jobs by 2022 respectively. For residents of Missouri this rate translates into 240 job openings per year.
Occupational Employment Statistics for Correctional Officers (http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333012.htm)
Missouri Correctional Officer Salaries By Area
The table below lists career information organized by the BLS for correctional officers in Missouri. The table is sorted by total employment, with the largest metropolitan areas listed first.
| Area | Total Employment | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | 2,220 | $19.71 | $40,990 |
| Kansas City | 2,190 | $16.58 | $34,480 |
| Jefferson City | 1,140 | $14.33 | $29,810 |
| Springfield | 350 | $20.57 | $42,780 |
| Joplin | 90 | $14.00 | $29,130 |
| Cape Girardeau, Jackson | - | $14.07 | $29,260 |
