Best Emergency Management Schools Near Poplar Bluff, MO (2026)

Poplar Bluff, Missouri has 2 accredited schools offering emergency management programs, with tuition ranging from $8,090 to $14,522 per year for indexed programs. Poplar Bluff has a population of about 16,243. Median household income is $42,035 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 16.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Missouri, the top-earning emergency management-related role is First-Line Supervisor of Firefighting and Prevention Workers at a median $75,970 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Emergency Management Schools to Poplar Bluff

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer emergency management programs near Poplar Bluff, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Poplar Bluff 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 Poplar Bluff. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Southeast Missouri State University

Cape Girardeau, MO 62.1 miles from Poplar Bluff 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

#2

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, MO 131.7 miles from Poplar Bluff BOC Score 74.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $70,783
Avg net price $24,398/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Missouri State University-Springfield

Springfield, MO 161.1 miles from Poplar Bluff BOC Score 56.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,827
Avg net price $17,613/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 83

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Ozarks Technical Community College

Springfield, MO 161.2 miles from Poplar Bluff BOC Score 54.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 29%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,455
Avg net price $6,936/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 64

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studies

Springfield, MO 161.5 miles from Poplar Bluff 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

Columbia College

Columbia, MO 184.1 miles from Poplar Bluff BOC Score 32.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,378
Avg net price $22,715/yr
Tuition
In‑state$25,826
Out‑of‑state$25,826
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Missouri Southern State University

Joplin, MO 223.7 miles from Poplar Bluff 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

#8

University of Central Missouri

Warrensburg, MO 228.2 miles from Poplar Bluff BOC Score 54.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 64%
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,560
Avg net price $14,462/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,050
Out‑of‑state$18,600
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Emergency Management Wages Near Poplar Bluff

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Missouri, statewide)
Emergency Management Director$75,660
Firefighter$49,080
Emergency Medical Technician$42,160
First-Line Supervisor of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$75,970

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.


Poplar Bluff at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population16,243Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$42,035Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+16.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Poplar Bluff-Area Cities With Emergency Management Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited emergency management schools are near Poplar Bluff, MO?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering emergency management programs near Poplar Bluff. The closest is Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, MO (61.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Arkansas State University (65.3 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying emergency management roles in Missouri?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying emergency management-related roles in Missouri are: First-Line Supervisor of Firefighting and Prevention Workers ($75,970), Emergency Management Director ($75,660), Firefighter ($49,080). Wages for Poplar Bluff workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Paragould instead of Poplar Bluff?

Paragould, AR is 49.2 miles from Poplar Bluff and has its own set of local emergency management programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Poplar Bluff an affordable place to study emergency management?

Poplar Bluff’s median household income of $42,035 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Poplar Bluff 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 Emergency Management Programs

Other Programs Available in Poplar Bluff

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

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 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.