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2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec

16 Ranked Colleges
1,184 Degrees Awarded
$26,300 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec

With all of the options veterans have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 73,813 people earned their degree in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies, making the major the 15th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,423 and had an average of $24,388 in loans still to pay off.

Across Minnesota, there were 1,184 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,166 and $25,590 respectively.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec” ranking looked at 16 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs, but they also offer a lot of support to veterans and active service members.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran satisfaction. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec

The colleges and universities below are the best for minnesota vets studying parks & rec.

Top 16 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges for Veterans in Minnesota

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec list. UMN Twin Cities is a large school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 124 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Twin Cities not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 52,017 students enrolled at UMN Twin Cities, 752 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 436 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,020. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. UMN Twin Cities offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Veteran Student Life Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Minnesota State University - Mankato. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec. Minnesota State University - Mankato is a fairly large public school situated in Mankato, Minnesota. It awarded 175 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our minnesota vets studying parks & rec list, Minnesota State Mankato has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 14,761 students enrolled at Minnesota State Mankato, 331 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 147 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,814. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

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

[Read full report on veteran student life at Minnesota State University - Mankato]](/colleges/minnesota-state-university-mankato/student-life/veterans/)

3
Winona State crest
Winona State University
Winona, Minnesota

Out of the 16 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec that were part of this year’s ranking, Winona State University landed the #3 spot on the list. Winona State University is a medium-sized school located in Winona, Minnesota that handed out 97 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Winona State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Winona State supports 7,106 students, and 142 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 69 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,645. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Winona State does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

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

Full Winona State University Veteran Student Life Report

4
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Out of the 16 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec that were part of this year’s ranking, Saint Cloud State University landed the #4 spot on the list. Saint Cloud, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at St. Cloud State University, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 11,841 students enrolled at Saint Cloud State University, 291 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 126 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,067. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 More…

5
Bethel University Minnesota crest
Bethel University Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Bethel University Minnesota. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec list. Bethel University Minnesota is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 24 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Bethel University Minnesota not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Bethel University Minnesota supports 3,814 students, and 116 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 72 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,703. In addition to receiving other benefits, 18 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Bethel University Minnesota offers credit for military training for eligible students.

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

Read More…

6

Minnesota State University - Moorhead ranked #6 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec list. Moorhead, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 41 students in 2020-2021.

MSU Moorhead not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, MSU Moorhead supports 5,547 students, and 99 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 40 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,920. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

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

[Read full report on veteran student life at MSU Moorhead]](/colleges/minnesota-state-university-moorhead/student-life/veterans/)

7

With a ranking of #7, Southwest Minnesota State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec list. Southwest Minnesota State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Marshall, Minnesota. It awarded 48 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Southwest Minnesota State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 41 of the 7,259 students enrolled at Southwest Minnesota State University were GI Bill® students, of which 15 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,724. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Southwest Minnesota State University]](/colleges/southwest-minnesota-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

8

With a ranking of #8, University of Minnesota - Duluth did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec list. University of Minnesota - Duluth is a medium-sized public school situated in Duluth, Minnesota. It awarded 74 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Duluth also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 10,275 students enrolled at University of Minnesota - Duluth, 249 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 88 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,883. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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

Full UMN Duluth Veteran Student Life Report

9
Gustavus Adolphus crest
Gustavus Adolphus College
Saint Peter, Minnesota

With a ranking of #9, Gustavus Adolphus College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec list. Gustavus Adolphus is located in Saint Peter, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 29 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Gustavus Adolphus, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 2,230 students enrolled at Gustavus Adolphus, 24 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 12 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,970. On top of their other funding sources, 7 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Gustavus Adolphus Veteran Student Life Report

10

With a ranking of #10, Concordia College at Moorhead did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec list. Moorhead, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 13 students in 2020-2021.

Concordia College Moorhead also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 1,973 students enrolled at Concordia College at Moorhead, 28 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 13 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,498. To help with additional expenses, 8 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Concordia College at Moorhead offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Concordia College at Moorhead Veteran Student Life Report

11
Crown crest
Crown College
Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota

Crown College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec ranking, coming in at #11. Crown is a small school located in Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota that handed out 15 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Crown not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 1,485 students enrolled at Crown, 38 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 26 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,270. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

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

[Read full report on veteran student life at Crown]](/colleges/crown-college/student-life/veterans/)

12
Augsburg crest
Augsburg University
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Augsburg University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec ranking. Augsburg is a small school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 22 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our minnesota vets studying parks & rec list, Augsburg has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 3,346 students enrolled at Augsburg University, 71 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 40 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,851. On top of their other funding sources, 9 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Augsburg University]](/colleges/augsburg-college/student-life/veterans/)

13

University of Minnesota - Crookston came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec ranking. Crookston, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 17 students in 2020-2021.

UMN Crookston did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 2,530 students enrolled at University of Minnesota - Crookston, 65 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 29 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,970. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full UMN Crookston Veteran Student Life Report

14

Concordia University, Saint Paul ranked #14 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec list. Saint Paul, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 198 students in 2020-2021.

Concordia University, Saint Paul also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 196 of the 5,585 students enrolled at Concordia University, Saint Paul were GI Bill® students, of which 118 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,143. During this same period, 7 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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

Full Concordia University, Saint Paul Veteran Student Life Report

15
St. Olaf crest
St Olaf College
Northfield, Minnesota

St Olaf College ranked #15 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec list. St Olaf College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Northfield, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 23 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

St. Olaf did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 23 of the 2,953 students enrolled at St. Olaf were GI Bill® students, of which 10 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $25,252. In addition to receiving other benefits, 4 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read More…

16
St. Kate's crest
St Catherine University
Saint Paul, Minnesota

St Catherine University ranked #16 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec list. St. Kate’s is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 34 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

St. Kate’s not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 4,277 students enrolled at St. Kate’s, 55 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 26 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,157. On top of their other funding sources, 2 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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

[Read full report on veteran student life at St Catherine University]](/colleges/st-catherine-university/student-life/veterans/)

Notes and References

References

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