Best Corrections Schools Near Independence, MO (2026)

Independence, Missouri has 4 accredited schools offering corrections programs, with tuition ranging from $3,210 to $23,700 per year for indexed programs. Independence has a population of about 121,944. Median household income is $59,480 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area, the top-earning corrections-related role is First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers at a median $69,780 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Corrections Schools to Independence

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer corrections programs near Independence, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Independence city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Independence. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City

Kansas City, MO 13.1 miles from Independence BOC Score 45.8
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 21%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,796
Avg net price $8,398/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Missouri Valley College

Marshall, MO 62.2 miles from Independence BOC Score 30.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,221
Avg net price $18,086/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 53%
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

William Woods University

Fulton, MO 129.9 miles from Independence BOC Score 33.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,401
Avg net price $26,569/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Missouri Southern State University

Joplin, MO 137.5 miles from Independence BOC Score 42.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,620
Avg net price $12,007/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studies

Springfield, MO 141.5 miles from Independence BOC Score 36.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,694
Avg net price $10,566/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 47%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Southeast Missouri State University

Cape Girardeau, MO 288.9 miles from Independence BOC Score 47.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,030
Avg net price $15,882/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Missouri schools on the Missouri corrections page.


Corrections Wages Near Independence

Independence is part of the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area (BLS area code 28140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Missouri statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Correctional Officer and Jailer$51,390Kansas City, MO-KS$55,557
Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist$49,380Kansas City, MO-KS$53,384
First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers$69,780Kansas City, MO-KS$75,438
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$62,960Kansas City, MO-KS$68,065

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Independence at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population121,944Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$59,480Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+20.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)92.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Independence-Area Cities With Corrections Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited corrections schools are near Independence, MO?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering corrections programs near Independence. The closest is Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City in Kansas City, MO (12.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Washburn University (72.6 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying corrections roles near Independence?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying corrections-related roles near Independence are: First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers ($69,780), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($62,960), Correctional Officer and Jailer ($51,390). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Missouri statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Blue Springs instead of Independence?

Blue Springs, MO is 6.6 miles from Independence and has its own set of local corrections programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Independence an affordable place to study corrections?

Independence’s median household income of $59,480 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Independence while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Missouri public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Corrections Programs

Other Programs Available in Independence

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Independence:

Data verified: August 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.