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2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools

69 Ranked Colleges
3,106 Degrees Awarded
$15,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies is the 166th most popular major in the country with 3,106 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, parks, recreation and leisure studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,801 and had an average of $23,333 in loans still to pay off.

For this year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools” ranking, we looked at 69 colleges that offer a degree in parks, recreation and leisure studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent parks, recreation and leisure studies programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the parks, recreation and leisure studies program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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The parks & rec school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Parks & Rec Schools

The colleges and universities below are the best for parks & rec students.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brigham Young University - Provo. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools list. Brigham Young University - Provo is a large school located in Provo, Utah that handed out 110 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

BYU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list. It costs about $13,474 for Parks & Rec students per year to attend Brigham Young University - Provo.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full BYU Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

2
Winona State crest
Winona State University
Winona, Minnesota

Out of the 69 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, Winona State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Winona State University is located in Winona, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

Winona State also took the #13 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $17,634 for parks & rec students per year to attend Winona State University.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Winona State Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Northern Iowa. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools list. UNI is a medium-sized school located in Cedar Falls, Iowa that handed out 60 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

UNI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list. It costs about $16,438 for parks & rec students per year to attend University of Northern Iowa.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Northern Iowa

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwest Missouri State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools. This medium-sized school is located in Maryville, Missouri, and it awarded 29 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Northwest not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list. It costs about $12,925 for Parks & Rec students per year to attend Northwest.

Full Northwest Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

5

Out of the 69 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Nebraska at Kearney landed the #5 spot on the list. UNK is a medium-sized public school situated in Kearney, Nebraska. It awarded 60 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

UNK also took the #22 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Nebraska at Kearney is $17,099 for Parks & Rec students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at UNK

6

With a ranking of #6, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools list. CSULB is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 91 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

CSULB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Long Beach is $10,054 for parks & rec students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at CSULB

7
NAU crest
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona

Northern Arizona University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools list. Northern Arizona University is a public institution located in Flagstaff, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 59 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

NAU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for NAU is $14,308 for parks & rec students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full NAU Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

8

California State University - Chico came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools ranking. Chico State is a fairly large public school situated in Chico, California. It awarded 99 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Chico State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Chico State is $16,218 for parks & rec students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Chico State

9

Pittsburg State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools ranking, coming in at #9. Pitt State is located in Pittsburg, Kansas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

Pitt State also took the #25 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Pitt State is $14,575 for Parks & Rec students.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Pittsburg State University

10

Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Athens, Ohio, this large public school handed out 35 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

OHIO Athens also took the #11 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $23,831 for parks & rec students per year to attend OHIO Athens.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Ohio University - Athens Campus

11
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools ranking. Located in San Jose, California, this large public school awarded 40 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

San Jose State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for San Jose State University is $16,542 for parks & rec students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at San Jose State

12
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

University of Utah landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools ranking. Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, this large public school awarded 76 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

U of U also took the #6 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Utah is $13,572 for Parks & Rec students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Utah

13

With a ranking of #13, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools list. Kutztown University is located in Kutztown, Pennsylvania and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 95 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $23,227 for Parks & Rec students per year to attend Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Kutztown University

14

California State University - Sacramento came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools ranking. Sac State is a large school located in Sacramento, California that handed out 100 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Sac State also took the #14 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Sacramento is $11,178 for Parks & Rec students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full California State University - Sacramento Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

15

Arizona State University - Skysong ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools list. Arizona State University - Skysong is located in Scottsdale, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 25 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full ASU - Skysong Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

16

Oklahoma State University - Main Campus ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools list. Stillwater, Oklahoma is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 35 students in 2020-2021.

OSU also took the #18 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $14,237 for Parks & Rec students per year to attend Oklahoma State University - Main Campus.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at OSU

17
GaSou crest
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, Georgia

Georgia Southern University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools ranking. Located in Statesboro, Georgia, this large public school awarded 51 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $15,571 for parks & rec students per year to attend GaSou.

Full Georgia Southern University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

18
Southern Miss crest
University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, Mississippi

University of Southern Mississippi landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools ranking. Hattiesburg, Mississippi is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 14 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Southern Miss is $14,032 for parks & rec students.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Southern Mississippi

19
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

With a ranking of #19, San Francisco State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools list. San Francisco State University is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 46 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our parks & rec students list, SFSU has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SFSU is $14,459 for Parks & Rec students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at SFSU

20
SUNY Cortland crest
SUNY Cortland
Cortland, New York

SUNY Cortland did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools ranking, coming in at #20. SUNY Cortland is located in Cortland, New York and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

SUNY Cortland also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for SUNY Cortland is $19,273 for parks & rec students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full SUNY Cortland Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

21
ECU crest
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

East Carolina University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools ranking, coming in at #21. East Carolina University is a public institution located in Greenville, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 37 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend East Carolina University is $16,550 for Parks & Rec students.

Full East Carolina University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

22

With a ranking of #22, California State University - Fresno did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools list. Fresno State is a large public school situated in Fresno, California. It awarded 37 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $6,230 for Parks & Rec students per year to attend Fresno State.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Fresno State Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

23
Southeast Missouri State University crest
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Southeast Missouri State University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools list. Southeast Missouri State University is a public institution located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 11 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Southeast Missouri State University is $13,568 for Parks & Rec students.

Full Southeast Missouri State University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

24

Missouri State University - Springfield did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Springfield, Missouri, this large public school awarded 13 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $16,718 for Parks & Rec students per year to attend Missouri State.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Missouri State University - Springfield

25

With a ranking of #25, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 142 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our parks & rec students list, UIUC has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $14,321 for Parks & Rec students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UIUC Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

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Notes and References

References

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