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2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s

123 Ranked Colleges
2,584 Degrees Awarded
$26,400 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor's

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies is the 218th most popular major in the country with 3,106 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,584 parks, recreation and leisure studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking analyzed 123 colleges that offered a degree in parks, recreation and leisure studies. To top this list, a school must have a successful parks, recreation and leisure studies program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.

1

Out of the 123 schools in the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #1 spot on the list. IU Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 134 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at IU Bloomington

2

Out of the 123 schools in the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in San Luis Obispo, California, and it awarded 119 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

3

Out of the 123 schools in the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Missouri - Columbia landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Columbia, Missouri, this large public school handed out 116 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Missouri - Columbia

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brigham Young University - Provo. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s list. Provo, Utah is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 110 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

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

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s. UIUC is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 99 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

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

6

With a ranking of #6, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in Sacramento, California, and it awarded 96 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Sac State Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

7

California State University - Chico did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Chico, California, this fairly large public school awarded 95 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Chico State

7

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Kutztown, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 95 students in 2020-2021.

Full Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

9

California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school handed out 81 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at California State University - Long Beach

10
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas

University of Arkansas ranked #10 on this year’s Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s list. UARK is located in Fayetteville, Arkansas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 77 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified 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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Arkansas Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

11

University of North Carolina at Greensboro did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #11. UNC Greensboro is a fairly large public school situated in Greensboro, North Carolina. It awarded 64 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at UNC Greensboro

12
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

University of Utah came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Utah is located in Salt Lake City, Utah and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 62 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

Full University of Utah Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

13

University of Nebraska at Kearney came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Kearney, Nebraska, this medium-sized public school awarded 60 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Nebraska at Kearney

14
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Iowa is a public institution located in Iowa City, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 53 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Iowa Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

15
NAU crest
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona

With a ranking of #15, Northern Arizona University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s list. NAU is located in Flagstaff, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 52 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% 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%.

Full NAU Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

16

University of Northern Iowa landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and it awarded 51 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

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

16
GaSou crest
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, Georgia

With a ranking of #16, Georgia Southern University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s list. Georgia Southern University is a public institution located in Statesboro, Georgia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 51 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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

18
WWU crest
Western Washington University
Bellingham, Washington

Western Washington University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #18. This fairly large school is located in Bellingham, Washington, and it awarded 48 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Western Washington University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

19
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University ranked #19 on this year’s Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s list. San Francisco State University is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 46 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

20

Bowling Green State University - Main Campus came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Bowling Green, Ohio, this fairly large public school handed out 45 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

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

21
Radford crest
Radford University
Radford, Virginia

Radford University ranked #21 on this year’s Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s list. Radford is a medium-sized school located in Radford, Virginia that handed out 41 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

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

22
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. San Jose State is a large public school situated in San Jose, California. It awarded 40 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full San Jose State Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

23

With a ranking of #23, California State University - Fresno did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Fresno, California, this large public school handed out 37 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% 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 California State University - Fresno

24
Jacksonville State University crest
Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville, Alabama

Jacksonville State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #24. This medium-sized school is located in Jacksonville, Alabama, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Jacksonville State University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

25
ECU crest
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

With a ranking of #25, East Carolina University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Greenville, North Carolina, this large public school awarded 33 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

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

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