2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region
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 in the Plains States Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
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.
Across the Plains States region, there were 521 parks, recreation and leisure studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,750 and $23,096 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 506 parks, recreation and leisure studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” ranking, we looked at 15 colleges that offer 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.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the parks, recreation and leisure studies program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region
The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
Top 15 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies in the Plains States Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Winona State University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region. Winona State 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 #5 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Winona State University is $17,656 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
The 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 more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Winona State University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Nebraska at Kearney. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Kearney, Nebraska, and it awarded 57 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
UNK not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UNK is $16,017 for plains states region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
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 more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Nebraska at Kearney
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Northern Iowa. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region. Located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, this medium-sized public school awarded 48 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
UNI did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Northern Iowa is $15,620 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Northern Iowa
Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwest Missouri State University landed the #4 spot on the list. 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.
Northwest not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northwest Missouri State University is $12,354 for plains states region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
Full Northwest Missouri State University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Missouri State University - Springfield landed the #5 spot on the list. Missouri State University - Springfield is a large school located in Springfield, Missouri that handed out 30 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students list, Missouri State has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Missouri State University - Springfield is $16,725 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Missouri State
University of Minnesota - Duluth came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Duluth, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.
UMN Duluth not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Duluth is $17,067 for plains states region 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%.
Full University of Minnesota - Duluth Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Southeast Missouri State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #7. This fairly large school is located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students list, Southeast Missouri State University has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $12,774 for Plains States Region 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
Pittsburg State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Located in Pittsburg, Kansas, this medium-sized public school handed out 23 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Pitt State, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Pitt State is $14,436 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Pitt State
Lindenwood University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Lindenwood University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Charles, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Lindenwood University also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend Lindenwood University is $17,491 for Plains States Region 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%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Lindenwood University
With a ranking of #10, Emporia State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. ESU is a public institution located in Emporia, Kansas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
ESU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $14,822 for plains states region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students per year to attend Emporia State University.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Emporia State University
University of Nebraska at Omaha ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. University of Nebraska at Omaha is located in Omaha, Nebraska and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
UNOMAHA also took the #12 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UNOMAHA is $14,040 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Columbia, Missouri, this large public school awarded 126 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Mizzou, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Mizzou is $16,001 for plains states region 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 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Mizzou
University of Iowa ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Iowa City, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 67 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa is $19,145 for plains states region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Iowa
With a ranking of #14, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. This large school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
UMN Twin Cities also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $17,740 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Baker University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #15. Baldwin City, Kansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.
Baker also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend Baker is $22,879 for plains states region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.
The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Baker University
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Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students in the Plains States Region
Most Focused Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies in the Plains States Region
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students in the Plains States Region
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Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students with family income less than $30k in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students with family income $48-$75k in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies (Income Over $110k) in the Plains States Region
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students with family income exceeding $110k in the Plains States Region
Highest Paid Bachelor's Degree Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Graduates in the Plains States Region
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students in the Plains States Region
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies in the Plains States Region
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies in the Plains States Region (With Aid)
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students getting aid in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students with family income $30-$48k in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students with family income $75-$110k in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies in the Plains States Region
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students in the Plains States Region
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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