2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies (With Aid)
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 “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies is the 152nd most popular major in the country with 3,224 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, parks, recreation and leisure studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $29,957 and had an average of $22,487 in loans still to pay off.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,732 parks, recreation and leisure studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 77 colleges that offered a degree in parks, recreation and leisure studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great parks, recreation and leisure studies programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the parks, recreation and leisure studies program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid” list to help you make the college decision.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons 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.
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid
The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies (With Aid)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 99 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
UIUC also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $15,880 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Fresno. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. California State University - Fresno is a public institution located in Fresno, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Fresno State also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $5,464 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid per year to attend California State University - Fresno.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at California State University - Fresno
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana University - Bloomington. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 181 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at IU Bloomington, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for IU Bloomington is $13,253 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.
The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at IU Bloomington
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lehman College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Bronx, New York, this fairly large public school handed out 14 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Lehman is $1,814 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.
Full Lehman College Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Long Beach. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Long Beach, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 87 students in 2019-2020.
CSULB also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $9,622 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid per year to attend CSULB.
The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at CSULB
With a ranking of #6, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Sacramento, California, this large public school awarded 121 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
Sac State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Sacramento is $9,979 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Brigham Young University - Provo did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #7. Brigham Young University - Provo is a large school located in Provo, Utah that handed out 78 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at BYU, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Brigham Young University - Provo is $13,322 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Southeastern Oklahoma State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Durant, Oklahoma is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Southeastern Oklahoma State University is $8,237 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Southeastern Oklahoma State University
University of North Carolina at Greensboro did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #9. This fairly large school is located in Greensboro, North Carolina, and it awarded 69 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for UNC Greensboro is $12,748 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.
Shepherd University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. This small school is located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, and it awarded 40 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Shepherd University is $11,021 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Shepherd University
San Diego State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 41 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
SDSU also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #18. The estimated yearly cost for SDSU is $14,788 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 SDSU
San Jose State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #12. San Jose State is a large school located in San Jose, California that handed out 31 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
San Jose State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend San Jose State is $14,928 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.
The low student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at San Jose State
University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #13. Mizzou is a large public school situated in Columbia, Missouri. It awarded 126 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
Mizzou not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Mizzou is $16,001 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Mizzou
With a ranking of #14, University of Northern Iowa did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. University of Northern Iowa is a medium-sized public school situated in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It awarded 48 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNI, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $15,620 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend University of Northern Iowa.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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 University of Northern Iowa
University of Utah did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. U of U is a large school located in Salt Lake City, Utah that handed out 38 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid list, U of U has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for U of U is $14,773 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Utah
With a ranking of #16, University of Iowa did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Iowa is a large public school situated in Iowa City, Iowa. It awarded 67 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
Iowa also took the #4 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Iowa is $19,145 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
MSU Texas landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. MSU Texas is a medium-sized school located in Wichita Falls, Texas that handed out 16 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend MSU Texas is $10,045 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at MSU Texas
California State University - East Bay landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Cal State East Bay is a public institution located in Hayward, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 32 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid list, Cal State East Bay has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $11,116 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend California State University - East Bay.
Full Cal State East Bay Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
With a ranking of #19, University of Arkansas did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. University of Arkansas is a large public school situated in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It awarded 101 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid list, UARK has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $16,381 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend UARK.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Arkansas
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #20. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 26 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMN Twin Cities, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $17,740 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend UMN Twin Cities.
The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at UMN Twin Cities
University of Nebraska at Kearney ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. UNK is a medium-sized public school situated in Kearney, Nebraska. It awarded 57 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
UNK also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $16,017 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid per year to attend UNK.
The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Nebraska at Kearney
Winona State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #22. Winona State is a public institution located in Winona, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Winona State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Winona State University is $17,656 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.
The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 Winona State Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Northwest Missouri State University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Maryville, Missouri, and it awarded 43 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Northwest is $12,354 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Northwest Missouri State University
California State University - Chico ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in Chico, California, and it awarded 87 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
Chico State also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend Chico State is $15,017 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #25, University of Nebraska at Omaha did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Omaha, Nebraska is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for UNOMAHA is $14,040 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at UNOMAHA
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
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