2026 Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in Iowa

Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 2 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 Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in Iowa

Best Schools for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies in Iowa

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall parks, recreation & leisure studies education in Iowa.

Top Schools in Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies

1

University Of Iowa
Iowa City, IA

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

12 Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Degrees Awarded

$37,103 Median Starting Salary

Our analysis ranked University Of Iowa the best school in the country for a degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies. This very large public university is located in the city of Iowa City. About 75% of students finish within six years. About 12 parks, recreation & leisure studies degrees were awarded at University Of Iowa in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation & leisure studies degree recipients from University Of Iowa generally make around $37,103. Typical student debt for the program is $25,691. See the full parks, recreation & leisure studies program report for University Of Iowa

2

University Of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA

23 Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Degrees Awarded

$37,233 Median Starting Salary

A rank of #2 makes University Of Northern Iowa one of the top schools for parks, recreation & leisure studies. Located in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public university. Roughly 68% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of Northern Iowa awarded about 23 parks, recreation & leisure studies degrees in the most recent data year. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates of University Of Northern Iowa earn a median of $37,233 early in their careers. University Of Northern Iowa graduates carry a median of $23,907 in student loans. Read more about the parks, recreation & leisure studies program at University Of Northern Iowa

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 2 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.