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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies in the Southeast Region

20 Ranked Colleges
587 Degrees Awarded
$18,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southeast Region

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 in the Southeast Region” ranking.

Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies is the 191st most popular major in the country with 3,224 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across the Southeast region, there were 645 parks, recreation and leisure studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 587 parks, recreation and leisure studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,277 and $25,415 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region” ranking, we looked at 20 colleges that offer a degree in parks, recreation and leisure studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great parks, recreation and leisure studies programs and 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.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region”.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region.

Top 20 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies in the Southeast Region

#1

Georgia Southern University

Statesboro, Georgia
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Georgia Southern University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region list. Georgia Southern University is a large public school situated in Statesboro, Georgia. It awarded 55 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students list, GaSou has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Georgia Southern University is $15,536 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.

Full GaSou Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

#11 in overall quality

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of South Alabama landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Mobile, Alabama, this fairly large public school awarded 49 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

USA also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #11. The estimated yearly cost for University of South Alabama is $15,501 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.

Full University of South Alabama Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

#3

University of Southern Mississippi

Hattiesburg, Mississippi
#14 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Southern Mississippi. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region list. Southern Miss is located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 24 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

Southern Miss also took the #14 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $14,923 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students per year to attend Southern Miss.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Southern Miss

#4

Shepherd University

Shepherdstown, West Virginia
#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Shepherd University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region. Shepherd University is a small school located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia that handed out 40 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Shepherd University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $11,021 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students per year to attend Shepherd University.

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

#5

University of Arkansas

Fayetteville, Arkansas
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Arkansas. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region. This large school is located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and it awarded 101 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students list, UARK has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Arkansas is $16,381 for southeast region bachelor’s degree 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.

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

#6

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro, North Carolina
#8 in overall quality

University of North Carolina at Greensboro did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #6. Greensboro, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 69 students in 2019-2020.

UNC Greensboro did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Carolina at Greensboro is $12,748 for southeast region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.

Full UNC Greensboro Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

#7

Radford University

Radford, Virginia
#3 in overall quality

Radford University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #7. Radford is a fairly large school located in Radford, Virginia that handed out 60 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Radford did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Radford University is $16,447 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Radford University

#8

East Carolina University

Greenville, North Carolina
#4 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, East Carolina University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region list. ECU is a large public school situated in Greenville, North Carolina. It awarded 34 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

ECU also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend ECU is $15,844 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at East Carolina University

#9

North Greenville University

Tigerville, South Carolina
#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, North Greenville University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region list. Tigerville, South Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at North Greenville, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Greenville is $22,058 for southeast region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at North Greenville

#10

Grambling State University

Grambling, Louisiana
#17 in overall quality

Grambling State University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Grambling State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Grambling, Louisiana. It awarded 30 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

GSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $18,516 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students per year to attend Grambling State University.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at GSU

#11

Jacksonville State University

Jacksonville, Alabama
#16 in overall quality

Jacksonville State University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Jacksonville, Alabama, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Jacksonville State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Jacksonville State University is $15,559 for southeast region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.

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

#12

Carson - Newman University

Jefferson City, Tennessee
#7 in overall quality

Carson - Newman University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Jefferson City, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

Carson - Newman not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Carson - Newman University is $17,471 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Carson - Newman University

#13

Georgia College & State University

Milledgeville, Georgia
#5 in overall quality

Georgia College & State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #13. Georgia College & State University is a medium-sized school located in Milledgeville, Georgia that handed out 10 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Georgia College also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend Georgia College & State University is $19,691 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.

The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Georgia College

#14

University of Mount Olive

Mount Olive, North Carolina
#19 in overall quality

University of Mount Olive came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region ranking. UMO is a private not-for-profit institution located in Mount Olive, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UMO also took the #19 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $16,437 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students per year to attend University of Mount Olive.

Full UMO Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

#15

Asbury University

Wilmore, Kentucky
#10 in overall quality

Asbury University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Wilmore, Kentucky, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 7 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

Asbury also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend Asbury University is $27,631 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.

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

#16

Newberry College

Newberry, South Carolina
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Newberry College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region list. This small school is located in Newberry, South Carolina, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Newberry College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $19,539 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students per year to attend Newberry College.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Newberry College

#17

Shaw University

Raleigh, North Carolina
#20 in overall quality

Shaw University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region list. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 12 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

Shaw University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Shaw University is $19,244 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.

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

#18

Brevard College

Brevard, North Carolina
#15 in overall quality

Brevard College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region list. Brevard College is a small school located in Brevard, North Carolina that handed out 13 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students list, Brevard College has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $22,933 for southeast region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students per year to attend Brevard College.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Brevard College

#19

Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach, Virginia
#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, Virginia Wesleyan University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region list. VWU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Virginia Beach, Virginia. It awarded 9 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at VWU, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $23,425 for southeast region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students per year to attend VWU.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at VWU

#20

Catawba College

Salisbury, North Carolina
#18 in overall quality

Catawba College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #20. This small school is located in Salisbury, North Carolina, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Catawba also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #18. It costs about $18,185 for southeast region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students per year to attend Catawba.

Full Catawba College Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

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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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