2027 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Southwest Region
[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 schools below stand out for delivering a strong parks, recreation & leisure studies education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for parks, recreation & leisure studies students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Southwest Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the parks, recreation & leisure studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools
Northern Arizona University tops our 2027 list of the best value parks, recreation & leisure studies schools in the Southwest Region. Northern Arizona University is a very large public school located in the city of Flagstaff. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,619, with out-of-state students paying around $20,044. Students borrow a median of $21,500 to complete the parks, recreation & leisure studies program here. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation & leisure studies degree recipients from Northern Arizona University generally make around $31,672. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Arizona State University earned it the #2 place for parks, recreation & leisure studies. Located in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,223, while out-of-state students pay about $33,139. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates carry a median of $22,396 in student loans. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates of Arizona State University earn a median of $43,149 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Oklahoma State University Main Campus earned it the #3 place for parks, recreation & leisure studies. Set in the town of Stillwater, Oklahoma State University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,110 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $25,630. Students borrow a median of $21,313 to complete the parks, recreation & leisure studies program here. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates of Oklahoma State University Main Campus earn a median of $37,393 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Oklahoma State University Main Campus admits about 75% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in parks, recreation & leisure studies will find it at Texas A And M University College Station, which ranked #4. Set in the city of College Station, Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,995, while out-of-state students pay about $40,124. Students borrow a median of $20,031 to complete the parks, recreation & leisure studies program here. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates of Texas A And M University College Station earn a median of $64,891 early in their careers. Set against $20,031 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
