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2026 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in New York

[Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/parks-recreation-leisure-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong parks, recreation & leisure studies education at a price that pays off.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools to find the best return on investment for parks, recreation & leisure studies students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in New York

2026 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in New York

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

1

Cuny Kingsborough Community College
Brooklyn, NY

$5,252 In-State Tuition & Fees

$7,858 Avg Student Debt

$42,621 Median Earnings (10yr)

Cuny Kingsborough Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value parks, recreation & leisure studies schools in New York. Set in the city of Brooklyn, Cuny Kingsborough Community College is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,252, while out-of-state students pay about $8,132. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates carry a median of $7,858 in student loans. Early-career parks, recreation & leisure studies graduates make about $35,562. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.

2

Suny College At Cortland
Cortland, NY

$8,874 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,369 Avg Student Debt

$60,236 Median Earnings (10yr)

A rank of #2 makes Suny College At Cortland one of the best values for parks, recreation & leisure studies. Suny College At Cortland is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Cortland. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,874, with out-of-state students paying around $18,784. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates carry a median of $25,369 in student loans. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates of Suny College At Cortland earn a median of $38,709 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.

View All Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 13 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.