2026 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in Washington
[Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/parks-recreation-leisure-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for parks, recreation & leisure studies students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in Washington
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in parks, recreation & leisure studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools
Western Washington University earned the #1 spot for value among parks, recreation & leisure studies schools in Washington. Western Washington University is a large public school located in the city of Bellingham. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,582, while out-of-state students pay about $28,707. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates carry a median of $17,897 in student loans. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation & leisure studies degree recipients from Western Washington University generally make around $27,558. That is a strong return on a $17,897 median debt. Western Washington University admits about 93% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 2 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- 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.
