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2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major

27 Ranked Colleges
198 Degrees Awarded
$42,720 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Master’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 master’s degree level specifically, there were 198 parks, recreation and leisure studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major” ranking looked at 27 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.

More Ways to Rank Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools

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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 Master’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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree parks & rec students.

Top 27 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies

1
SUNY Cortland crest
SUNY Cortland
Cortland, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend SUNY Cortland. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major. SUNY Cortland is a medium-sized public school situated in Cortland, New York. It awarded 18 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full SUNY Cortland Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major. Carbondale, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 26 students in 2020-2021.

Full Southern Illinois University Carbondale Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern Oregon University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Ashland, Oregon, and it awarded 8 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Southern Oregon University

4
University of Toledo crest
University of Toledo
Toledo, Ohio

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Toledo. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major. University of Toledo is a public institution located in Toledo, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 14 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full University of Toledo Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 41 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, 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 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

6
UNI crest
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, Iowa

With a ranking of #6, University of Northern Iowa did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. UNI is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Northern Iowa

7
IU Bloomington crest
Indiana University - Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. IU Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 26 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, 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 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at IU Bloomington

8
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

University of Utah came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Salt Lake City, Utah is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at U of U

9

Oklahoma State University - Main Campus came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Stillwater, Oklahoma is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Oklahoma State University - Main Campus

10

With a ranking of #10, California State University - Chico did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. This fairly large school is located in Chico, California, and it awarded 4 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

11

California State University - Long Beach landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. CSULB is a large school located in Long Beach, California that handed out 9 masters’s parks and rec degrees 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at California State University - Long Beach

12

With a ranking of #12, Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. This large school is located in Athens, Ohio, and it awarded 7 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Ohio University - Athens Campus

13
ECU crest
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

East Carolina University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. ECU is a large school located in Greenville, North Carolina that handed out 4 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at ECU

14

Northwest Missouri State University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Northwest Missouri State University is a medium-sized school located in Maryville, Missouri that handed out 1 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Northwest Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

15

California State University - Sacramento ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. Sac State is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 4 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Sac State

16
NAU crest
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona

With a ranking of #16, Northern Arizona University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. This large school is located in Flagstaff, Arizona, and it awarded 3 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at NAU

17

Arizona State University - Tempe ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. Tempe, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at ASU - Tempe

18
USD crest
University of South Dakota
Vermillion, South Dakota

University of South Dakota ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. USD is a public institution located in Vermillion, South Dakota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 0 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

18
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. San Francisco, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 46 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at SFSU

18

California State University - Northridge ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. California State University - Northridge is located in Northridge, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Northridge Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

18

Brigham Young University - Provo came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. This large school is located in Provo, Utah, and it awarded 110 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Brigham Young University - Provo

18
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. San Jose, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’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 more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at San Jose State

18
Morgan State crest
Morgan State University
Baltimore, Maryland

Morgan State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Morgan State is a medium-sized school located in Baltimore, Maryland that handed out 0 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Morgan State University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

18

With a ranking of #18, Virginia Commonwealth University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. Richmond, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 0 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at VCU

18

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. This large school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 11 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at UMN Twin Cities

18

Texas A&M University - College Station came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Texas A&M University - College Station is located in College Station, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 80 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Texas A&M College Station

18

University of Maryland - College Park ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. University of Maryland - College Park is a public institution located in College Park, Maryland. The school has a large population, and it awarded 0 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 UMCP Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

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