2027 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in Colorado

[Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/parks-recreation-leisure-studies/parks-recreation-and-leisure-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 2 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value parks, recreation & leisure studies schools.
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2027 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in Colorado
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
Western State College Of Colorado tops our 2027 list of the best value parks, recreation & leisure studies schools in Colorado. Western State College Of Colorado is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Gunnison. Students from in state pay about $11,318 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $24,434. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates carry a median of $19,507 in student loans. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation & leisure studies degree recipients from Western State College Of Colorado generally make around $25,903. Set against $19,507 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 100%.
Students looking for strong value in parks, recreation & leisure studies will find it at University Of Colorado Boulder, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,214, compared with $42,970 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,373 to complete the parks, recreation & leisure studies program here. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates of University Of Colorado Boulder earn a median of $55,861 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,373 median debt. University Of Colorado Boulder admits about 78% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 2 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.