by our College Data Analytics Team
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major” ranking.
In 2020-2021, 3,106 people earned their degree in parks, recreation and leisure studies, making the major the 166th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, parks, recreation and leisure studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,801 and had an average of $23,333 in loans still to pay off.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,584 parks, recreation and leisure studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major” ranking, we looked at 123 colleges that offer a degree in parks, recreation and leisure studies. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their parks, recreation and leisure studies program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
The parks & rec school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major”.
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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major”.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Virginia Wesleyan University. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major. Virginia Wesleyan University is located in Virginia Beach, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Virginia Wesleyan University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ferrum College. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major. Ferrum College is located in Ferrum, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Ferrum College
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Western Colorado University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. Western is a small public school situated in Gunnison, Colorado. It awarded 31 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Western
Out of the 123 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Alaska Pacific University landed the #4 spot on the list. Alaska Pacific University is a small school located in Anchorage, Alaska that handed out 7 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Alaska Pacific
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is located in Kutztown, Pennsylvania and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 95 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Full Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Paul Smith’s College is located in Paul Smiths, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Paul Smith’s College
Shepherd University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Shepherd University is a public institution located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Shepherd University
University of Nebraska at Kearney came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. University of Nebraska at Kearney is located in Kearney, Nebraska and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 60 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad 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 Nebraska at Kearney
With a ranking of #9, Gallaudet University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. This small school is located in Washington, District of Columbia, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Full Gallaudet University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Houghton College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Houghton is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Houghton, New York. It awarded 9 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Mars Hill University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking, coming in at #11. Mars Hill is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Mars Hill, North Carolina. It awarded 9 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Mars Hill
With a ranking of #12, Grambling State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Grambling, Louisiana, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Grambling State University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
With a ranking of #13, Shaw University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. Shaw University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Raleigh, North Carolina. It awarded 6 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Shaw University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
With a ranking of #14, Central State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. Central State University is located in Wilberforce, Ohio and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Full Central State University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Gordon College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Wenham, Massachusetts 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 13 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Gordon College
Newberry College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Newberry, South Carolina 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 6 students in 2020-2021.
Full Newberry College Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
California State University - Chico landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Chico State is a public institution located in Chico, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 95 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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%.
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is located in San Luis Obispo, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 119 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Radford University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Radford is a medium-sized school located in Radford, Virginia that handed out 41 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Radford
With a ranking of #20, Winona State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. Winona State is a medium-sized school located in Winona, Minnesota that handed out 32 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Winona State Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
University of Northern Iowa landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. University of Northern Iowa is a medium-sized public school situated in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It awarded 51 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full University of Northern Iowa Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Jacksonville State University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Jacksonville, Alabama, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Jacksonville State University
Humboldt State University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Humboldt State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Arcata, California. It awarded 31 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Humboldt State University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Southern Oregon University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Ashland, Oregon, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Southern Oregon University
York College of Pennsylvania came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. YCP is a small school located in York, Pennsylvania that handed out 13 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad 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%.
Full York College of Pennsylvania Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
