2026 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/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for parks, recreation & leisure studies students.
What’s on this page:
2026 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
Our analysis ranked Western State College Of Colorado the best value for a degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies in Colorado. Western State College Of Colorado is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Gunnison. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,318, compared with $24,434 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,507 to complete the parks, recreation & leisure studies program here. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates of Western State College Of Colorado earn a median of $25,903 early in their careers. Set against $19,507 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 100%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.