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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies in the Southeast Region

29 Ranked Colleges
489 Degrees Awarded
$28,183 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies is the 166th most popular major in the country with 3,106 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. 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.

Across the Southeast region, there were 568 parks, recreation and leisure studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $28,183 and $28,553 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 489 parks, recreation and leisure studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,400 and $27,180 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region” ranking, we looked at 29 colleges that offer a degree in parks, recreation and leisure studies. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in parks, recreation and leisure studies.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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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 the Southeast Region”.

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. 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.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region”.

Top 29 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies in the Southeast Region

1
VWU crest
Virginia Wesleyan University
Virginia Beach, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Virginia Wesleyan University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. Virginia Beach, Virginia 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 23 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at VWU

2
Ferrum College crest
Ferrum College
Ferrum, Virginia

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 in the Southeast Region. Located in Ferrum, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 10 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Ferrum College

3
Shepherd University crest
Shepherd University
Shepherdstown, West Virginia

Out of the 29 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Shepherd University landed the #3 spot on the list. Shepherd University is a small public school situated in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. It awarded 27 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Shepherd University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

4
Mars Hill crest
Mars Hill University
Mars Hill, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Mars Hill University. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region. Mars Hill University 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 undergraduate 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 full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Mars Hill

5
GSU crest
Grambling State University
Grambling, Louisiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Grambling State University. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region. Located in Grambling, Louisiana, this medium-sized public school awarded 25 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Grambling State University

6
Shaw University crest
Shaw University
Raleigh, North Carolina

Shaw University ranked #6 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region 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

7
Newberry College crest
Newberry College
Newberry, South Carolina

Newberry College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #7. Newberry College is a small school located in Newberry, South Carolina that handed out 6 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Newberry College Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

8
Radford crest
Radford University
Radford, Virginia

Radford University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Radford is a medium-sized public school situated in Radford, Virginia. It awarded 41 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Radford

9
Jacksonville State University crest
Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville, Alabama

Jacksonville State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #9. Jacksonville State University is a public institution located in Jacksonville, Alabama. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Jacksonville State University

10
North Greenville crest
North Greenville University
Tigerville, South Carolina

North Greenville University ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. North Greenville University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Tigerville, South Carolina. It awarded 7 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at North Greenville

11

With a ranking of #11, University of North Carolina at Greensboro did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. University of North Carolina at Greensboro is a fairly large public school situated in Greensboro, North Carolina. It awarded 64 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at UNC Greensboro

12
UMO crest
University of Mount Olive
Mount Olive, North Carolina

University of Mount Olive ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. University of Mount Olive is a private not-for-profit institution located in Mount Olive, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full University of Mount Olive Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

13
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas

University of Arkansas did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #13. Fayetteville, Arkansas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 77 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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 more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at UARK

14
GaSou crest
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, Georgia

Georgia Southern University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Statesboro, Georgia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 51 students in 2020-2021.

Full Georgia Southern University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

15
Alcorn State crest
Alcorn State University
Alcorn State, Mississippi

With a ranking of #15, Alcorn State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. Alcorn State is a public institution located in Alcorn State, Mississippi. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Alcorn State University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

16

University of South Alabama came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Mobile, Alabama, this fairly large public school awarded 31 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Full University of South Alabama Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

17
Asbury crest
Asbury University
Wilmore, Kentucky

With a ranking of #17, Asbury University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. Asbury University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wilmore, Kentucky. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Asbury

18
Ouachita Baptist crest
Ouachita Baptist University
Arkadelphia, Arkansas

Ouachita Baptist University ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. This small school is located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Ouachita Baptist

19
ECU crest
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

East Carolina University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. East Carolina University is a large school located in Greenville, North Carolina that handed out 33 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at ECU

20
Carson - Newman crest
Carson - Newman University
Jefferson City, Tennessee

Carson - Newman University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Jefferson City, Tennessee, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 3 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Carson - Newman

21
Southern Miss crest
University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, Mississippi

University of Southern Mississippi came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking. University of Southern Mississippi is a public institution located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full University of Southern Mississippi Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

22
Georgia College crest
Georgia College & State University
Milledgeville, Georgia

Georgia College & State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Milledgeville, Georgia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 7 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%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Georgia College & State University

23
CU crest
Cumberland University
Lebanon, Tennessee

Cumberland University ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. Lebanon, Tennessee 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 0 students in 2020-2021.

Full CU Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

23
Benedict College crest
Benedict College
Columbia, South Carolina

With a ranking of #23, Benedict College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. Columbia, 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 0 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Benedict College

23

West Virginia University Institute of Technology ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. West Virginia University Institute of Technology is a small public school situated in Beckley, West Virginia. It awarded 0 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Full West Virginia University Tech Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

23
Brevard College crest
Brevard College
Brevard, North Carolina

Brevard College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Brevard College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Brevard, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 0 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Brevard College Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

23

Virginia Commonwealth University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #23. Virginia Commonwealth University is a large public school situated in Richmond, Virginia. It awarded 0 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University

23
Catawba crest
Catawba College
Salisbury, North Carolina

Catawba College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Salisbury, North 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 0 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Catawba College

23
Bethune - Cookman University crest
Bethune - Cookman University
Daytona Beach, Florida

Bethune - Cookman University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Daytona Beach, Florida, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 0 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Bethune - Cookman University

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