2026 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in Utah
[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. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong parks, recreation & leisure studies education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value parks, recreation & leisure studies schools.
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2026 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in Utah
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
Southern Utah University earned the #1 spot for value among parks, recreation & leisure studies schools in Utah. Southern Utah University is a very large public school located in the town of Cedar City. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,962, with out-of-state students paying around $21,192. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates carry a median of $12,886 in student loans. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates of Southern Utah University earn a median of $44,998 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $12,886 median debt. Southern Utah University admits about 82% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in parks, recreation & leisure studies will find it at University Of Utah, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Salt Lake City, University Of Utah is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,620 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $30,860. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates carry a median of $22,982 in student loans. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation & leisure studies degree recipients from University Of Utah generally make around $37,009. Set against $22,982 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Brigham Young University Provo is a great value for students pursuing a degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Provo. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,688. Typical student debt for parks, recreation & leisure studies graduates is $12,000. Early-career parks, recreation & leisure studies graduates make about $47,596. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
