2027 Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for parks, recreation & leisure studies students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall parks, recreation & leisure studies education in the Great Lakes Region.
Top Schools in Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies
Indiana University Bloomington tops our 2027 ranking of the best parks, recreation & leisure studies schools. Indiana University Bloomington is a very large public school located in the city of Bloomington. Indiana University Bloomington graduates 80% of students within six years. There were roughly 117 parks, recreation & leisure studies students who graduated with this degree at Indiana University Bloomington in the most recent data year. Students who receive their parks, recreation & leisure studies degree from Indiana University Bloomington earn around $39,038 in the first couple years of their career. Indiana University Bloomington graduates carry a median of $19,750 in student loans.
More information about a degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies from Indiana University Bloomington
A rank of #2 makes University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign one of the top schools for parks, recreation & leisure studies. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. About 85% of students finish within six years. About 148 parks, recreation & leisure studies degrees were awarded at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign in the most recent year. Graduates of the parks, recreation & leisure studies program make about $41,234 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $23,447.
Get the full parks, recreation & leisure studies details for University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign
Ohio University Main Campus came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best parks, recreation & leisure studies schools. This very large public university is located in the town of Athens. Ohio University Main Campus graduates 65% of students within six years. Ohio University Main Campus awarded about 30 parks, recreation & leisure studies degrees in the most recent data year. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates of Ohio University Main Campus earn a median of $36,850 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $24,546 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies from Ohio University Main Campus
A rank of #4 makes Bowling Green State University Main Campus one of the top schools for parks, recreation & leisure studies. Set in the town of Bowling Green, Bowling Green State University Main Campus is a very large public institution. About 61% of students finish within six years. Bowling Green State University Main Campus awarded about 30 parks, recreation & leisure studies degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their parks, recreation & leisure studies degree from Bowling Green State University Main Campus earn around $32,709 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete this degree.
See the full parks, recreation & leisure studies program report for Bowling Green State University Main Campus
Students looking for a strong parks, recreation & leisure studies program will find one at Northern Michigan University, which ranked #5. Located in the town of Marquette, Northern Michigan University is a moderately-sized public university. Northern Michigan University graduates 53% of students within six years. There were roughly 25 parks, recreation & leisure studies students who graduated with this degree at Northern Michigan University in the most recent data year. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates of Northern Michigan University earn a median of $28,890 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $23,855 to complete this degree.
See the full parks, recreation & leisure studies program report for Northern Michigan University
Narrow Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools by State
More Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Rankings
View All Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 5 schools evaluated.
- 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.
