2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking.
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies is the 191st most popular major in the country with 3,224 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,732 parks, recreation and leisure studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking analyzed 77 colleges that offered 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.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the parks, recreation and leisure studies program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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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 “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s
The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brigham Young University - Provo. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in Provo, Utah, and it awarded 78 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree parks & rec students list, BYU has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $13,322 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students per year to attend Brigham Young University - Provo.
The low 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Brigham Young University - Provo
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Winona State University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s. Winona State University is a medium-sized school located in Winona, Minnesota that handed out 38 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree parks & rec students list, Winona State has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Winona State University is $17,656 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Winona State
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Nebraska at Kearney. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. UNK is located in Kearney, Nebraska and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 57 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
UNK not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $16,017 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students per year to attend University of Nebraska at Kearney.
The 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 University of Nebraska at Kearney
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Northern Iowa. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s. Cedar Falls, Iowa is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 48 students in 2019-2020.
UNI also took the #7 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UNI is $15,620 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, 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%.
Out of the 77 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania landed the #4 spot on the list. Kutztown, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 67 students in 2019-2020.
Kutztown University also took the #17 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $22,422 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students per year to attend Kutztown University.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Kutztown University
Northwest Missouri State University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Northwest Missouri State University is located in Maryville, Missouri and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 43 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for Northwest Missouri State University is $12,354 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
Southeastern Oklahoma State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This medium-sized school is located in Durant, Oklahoma, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $8,237 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students per year to attend Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Southeastern Oklahoma State University
Missouri State University - Springfield did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Springfield, Missouri, this large public school awarded 30 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Missouri State is $16,725 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Missouri State University - Springfield
University of Minnesota - Duluth came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Duluth, Minnesota, this fairly large public school awarded 10 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
UMN Duluth also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #23. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Duluth is $17,067 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Minnesota - Duluth Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
With a ranking of #10, Georgia Southern University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. GaSou is a public institution located in Statesboro, Georgia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 55 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
GaSou also took the #21 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for GaSou is $15,536 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
With a ranking of #11, Southeast Missouri State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Southeast Missouri State University is a fairly large public school situated in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. It awarded 13 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $12,774 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students per year to attend Southeast Missouri State University.
Full Southeast Missouri State University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
California State University - Long Beach ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. California State University - Long Beach is a large school located in Long Beach, California that handed out 87 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSULB, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CSULB is $9,622 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at California State University - Long Beach
With a ranking of #13, MSU Texas did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. MSU Texas is a medium-sized public school situated in Wichita Falls, Texas. It awarded 16 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $10,045 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students per year to attend MSU Texas.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at MSU Texas
With a ranking of #14, California State University - Fresno did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Fresno State is a large public school situated in Fresno, California. It awarded 37 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Fresno State, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Fresno State is $5,464 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at California State University - Fresno
Pittsburg State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Pittsburg State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Pittsburg, Kansas. It awarded 23 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $14,436 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students per year to attend Pitt State.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Pitt State
Bowling Green State University - Main Campus came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Bowling Green, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 55 students in 2019-2020.
BGSU also took the #19 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $18,394 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students per year to attend Bowling Green State University - Main Campus.
With a ranking of #17, Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. SIUC is a public institution located in Carbondale, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale is $16,945 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at SIUC
With a ranking of #18, University of South Alabama did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. USA is a fairly large public school situated in Mobile, Alabama. It awarded 49 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $15,501 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students per year to attend USA.
Full University of South Alabama Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
With a ranking of #19, University of Southern Mississippi did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Southern Miss is a fairly large school located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi that handed out 24 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Southern Miss is $14,923 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Southern Miss
California State University - Chico did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #20. This fairly large school is located in Chico, California, and it awarded 87 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
Chico State also took the #14 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Chico is $15,017 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Chico State
With a ranking of #21, Lindenwood University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Saint Charles, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $17,491 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students per year to attend Lindenwood University.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Lindenwood University
Shepherd University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #22. Shepherd University is a small school located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia that handed out 40 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $11,021 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students per year to attend Shepherd University.
Full Shepherd University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
University of Central Oklahoma came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Central Oklahoma is located in Edmond, Oklahoma and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend UCO is $16,562 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Central Oklahoma
York College of Pennsylvania ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in York, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 16 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
YCP did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend YCP is $20,652 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
California State University - Sacramento ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Sac State is a public institution located in Sacramento, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 121 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Sac State also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Sacramento is $9,979 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Sac State
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Notes and References
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
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