2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
In 2019-2020, 3,224 people earned their degree in parks, recreation and leisure studies, making the major the 152nd most popular in the United States. 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.
For this year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking, we looked at 77 colleges that offer a degree in parks, recreation and leisure studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality parks, recreation and leisure studies programs that also have a lower cost than 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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One Size Does Not Fit All
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” list to help you make the college decision.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brigham Young University - Provo. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Provo, Utah, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 78 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students 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 BYU is $13,322 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
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.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Brigham Young University - Provo
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Winona State University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s. Winona State University is located in Winona, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 38 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Winona State also took the #9 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $17,656 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students per year to attend Winona State University.
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%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Winona State University
Out of the 77 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Nebraska at Kearney landed the #3 spot on the 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 took the #11 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $16,017 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students per year to attend UNK.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at UNK
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Northern Iowa. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, this medium-sized public school handed out 48 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
UNI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UNI is $15,620 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Kutztown University is a public institution located in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 67 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree parks & rec students list, Kutztown University has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is $22,422 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
Full Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Northwest Missouri State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Maryville, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 43 students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $12,354 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students per year to attend Northwest.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Northwest
Southeastern Oklahoma State University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Southeastern Oklahoma State University is located in Durant, Oklahoma and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $8,237 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students per year to attend Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Southeastern Oklahoma State University
Missouri State University - Springfield ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Springfield, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Missouri State University - Springfield is $16,725 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Missouri State University - Springfield
University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Duluth, Minnesota, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
UMN Duluth also took the #23 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Duluth is $17,067 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Minnesota - Duluth
Georgia Southern University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. GaSou is a public institution located in Statesboro, Georgia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 55 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
GaSou not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Georgia Southern University is $15,536 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Georgia Southern University
Southeast Missouri State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Southeast Missouri State University is located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $12,774 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students per year to attend Southeast Missouri State University.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Southeast Missouri State University
California State University - Long Beach came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school awarded 87 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
CSULB also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Long Beach is $9,622 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full California State University - Long Beach Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
MSU Texas did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #13. Wichita Falls, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 16 students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend MSU Texas is $10,045 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
With a ranking of #14, California State University - Fresno did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Fresno State 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 did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Fresno State is $5,464 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
The low student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Fresno State Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Pittsburg State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #15. This medium-sized school is located in Pittsburg, Kansas, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Pitt State is $14,436 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Pittsburg State University
Bowling Green State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #16. This fairly large school is located in Bowling Green, Ohio, and it awarded 55 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
BGSU also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #19. The yearly cost to attend BGSU is $18,394 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Bowling Green State University - Main Campus
Southern Illinois University Carbondale ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. SIUC is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 21 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $16,945 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students per year to attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale
With a ranking of #18, University of South Alabama did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Mobile, Alabama, this fairly large public school awarded 49 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for University of South Alabama is $15,501 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of South Alabama
With a ranking of #19, University of Southern Mississippi did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. University of Southern Mississippi is a public institution located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend University of Southern Mississippi is $14,923 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Southern Miss
California State University - Chico came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. California State University - Chico is a fairly large public school situated in Chico, California. It awarded 87 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Chico State, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Chico State is $15,017 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
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%.
Full California State University - Chico Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Lindenwood University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #21. Lindenwood University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Charles, Missouri. It awarded 7 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Lindenwood University is $17,491 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
The low student loan default rate of 4.8% 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%.
Full Lindenwood University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Shepherd University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Shepherd University is a public institution located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 40 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $11,021 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students per year to attend Shepherd University.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Shepherd University
University of Central Oklahoma came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Edmond, Oklahoma, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for UCO is $16,562 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
York College of Pennsylvania landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. YCP is a small school located in York, Pennsylvania that handed out 16 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
YCP also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #16. It costs about $20,652 for bachelor’s degree parks & rec students per year to attend YCP.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at YCP
With a ranking of #25, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s list. California State University - Sacramento is located in Sacramento, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 121 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
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 estimated yearly cost for California State University - Sacramento is $9,979 for Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Sac State
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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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