2027 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/parks-recreation-leisure-studies/parks-recreation-and-leisure-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for parks, recreation & leisure studies students.
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2027 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in parks, recreation & leisure studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools
For return on investment in parks, recreation & leisure studies, no school beat University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign this year. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $18,267 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Students borrow a median of $23,447 to complete the parks, recreation & leisure studies program here. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation & leisure studies degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $41,234. That is a strong return on a $23,447 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Northern Michigan University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value parks, recreation & leisure studies schools. Set in the town of Marquette, Northern Michigan University is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,322, compared with $19,944 for out-of-state students. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates carry a median of $23,855 in student loans. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation & leisure studies degree recipients from Northern Michigan University generally make around $28,890. Set against $23,855 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Northern Michigan University admits about 84% of applicants.
Indiana University Bloomington came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value parks, recreation & leisure studies schools. Set in the city of Bloomington, Indiana University Bloomington is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,144 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $41,891. Typical student debt for parks, recreation & leisure studies graduates is $19,750. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates of Indiana University Bloomington earn a median of $39,038 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Indiana University Bloomington admits about 78% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Ohio University Main Campus one of the best values for parks, recreation & leisure studies. Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the town of Athens. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,158, while out-of-state students pay about $24,838. Typical student debt for parks, recreation & leisure studies graduates is $24,546. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates of Ohio University Main Campus earn a median of $36,850 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 85%.
A rank of #5 makes Bowling Green State University Main Campus one of the best values for parks, recreation & leisure studies. Set in the town of Bowling Green, Bowling Green State University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,912, while out-of-state students pay about $21,900. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates of Bowling Green State University Main Campus earn a median of $32,709 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
