2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California
24
Ranked Colleges
678
Degrees Awarded
$26,500
Avg Cost*
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
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.
Across California, there were 678 parks, recreation and leisure studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,222 and $17,096 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California” ranking, we looked at 24 colleges that offer a degree in parks, recreation and leisure studies. That schools that top this list have a program in parks, recreation and leisure studies in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
One Size Does Not Fit All
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 Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California”.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California”.
Top 24 Most Focused Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies in California
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Chico. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. Chico, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 99 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full California State University - Chico Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is located in San Luis Obispo, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 119 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
Out of the 24 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Humboldt State University landed the #3 spot on the list. Arcata, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 31 students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Humboldt State University
Out of the 24 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Lake Tahoe Community College landed the #4 spot on the list. LTCC is a small public school situated in South Lake Tahoe, California. It awarded 3 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at LTCC
Out of the 24 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Sacramento landed the #5 spot on the list. Sac State is a public institution located in Sacramento, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 100 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at California State University - Sacramento
With a ranking of #6, Feather River Community College District did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. Feather River College is a small school located in Quincy, California that handed out 3 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Feather River College Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking, coming in at #7. California State University - Long Beach is a large school located in Long Beach, California that handed out 91 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at CSULB
California State University - Fresno did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking, coming in at #8. Fresno State is a public institution located in Fresno, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 37 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Fresno State
San Francisco State University ranked #9 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. San Francisco State University is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 46 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 San Francisco State University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
California State University - East Bay ranked #10 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. This fairly large school is located in Hayward, California, and it awarded 31 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 California State University - East Bay Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
San Jose State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking, coming in at #11. San Jose, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 40 students in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at San Jose State University
San Diego State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking, coming in at #12. Located in San Diego, California, this large public school awarded 32 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at SDSU
Sierra College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking, coming in at #13. Rocklin, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Sierra College
Allan Hancock College ranked #14 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. Allan Hancock College is a medium-sized public school situated in Santa Maria, California. It awarded 11 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Allan Hancock College
Fresno City College ranked #15 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 10 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Fresno City College
American River College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking, coming in at #16. American River is a public institution located in Sacramento, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full American River College Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
With a ranking of #17, El Camino College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. El Camino College is located in Torrance, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Full El Camino College Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
College of the Canyons did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking, coming in at #18. Santa Clarita, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at College of the Canyons
Cuesta College ranked #19 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. San Luis Obispo, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Cuesta College
California State University - Northridge came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking. CSUN is a large public school situated in Northridge, California. It awarded 1 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full CSUN Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Palomar College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking. Located in San Marcos, California, this fairly large public school awarded 0 degrees to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Palomar College
California State University - Dominguez Hills came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking. California State University - Dominguez Hills is a public institution located in Carson, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 0 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full California State University - Dominguez Hills Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Simpson University ranked #21 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. Located in Redding, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 1 degrees to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Simpson U
College of the Desert ranked #21 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. Palm Desert, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 0 students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at College of the Desert
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
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