2023 Most Popular Master’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies
27
Ranked Colleges
198
Degrees Awarded
$42,720
Avg Salary
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 “Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s” 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 “Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s” ranking looked at 27 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in parks, recreation and leisure studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular parks, recreation and leisure studies programs in the United States.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s” list to help you make the college decision.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to 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.
Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s
The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree parks & rec students.
Top 27 Most Popular Master’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies
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 #1 for the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 41 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Indiana University - Bloomington. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s. Located in Bloomington, Indiana, this large public school handed out 26 degrees to qualified masters’s parks and rec 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Indiana University - Bloomington
Out of the 27 schools in the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #2 spot on the list. 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.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at SIUC
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend SUNY Cortland. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s. SUNY Cortland is a public institution located in Cortland, New York. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 18 masters’s degrees 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 3.5% 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 SUNY Cortland
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Toledo. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s. This fairly large school is located in Toledo, Ohio, and it awarded 14 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Toledo
With a ranking of #6, University of Utah did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s list. 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 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 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Utah Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
California State University - Long Beach came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s ranking. Long Beach, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 9 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 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%.
Full CSULB Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
University of Northern Iowa ranked #8 on this year’s Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s list. University of Northern Iowa is a medium-sized public school situated in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It awarded 8 masters’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.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Northern Iowa
Southern Oregon University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s ranking. Located in Ashland, Oregon, this medium-sized public school awarded 8 degrees to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Full Southern Oregon University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Ohio University - Athens Campus came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s ranking. Located in Athens, Ohio, this large public school handed out 7 degrees to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at OHIO Athens
Oklahoma State University - Main Campus landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s ranking. Located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, this large public school handed out 7 degrees to qualified masters’s parks and rec 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 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%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Oklahoma State University - Main Campus
With a ranking of #12, Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s list. ASU - Tempe is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 6 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, 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 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full ASU - Tempe Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
East Carolina University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s ranking. Located in Greenville, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 4 degrees to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at ECU
California State University - Chico did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #13. Chico State is a fairly large public school situated in Chico, California. It awarded 4 masters’s parks and rec degrees 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%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at California State University - Chico
California State University - Sacramento landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s ranking. California State University - Sacramento is located in Sacramento, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
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%.
Full Sac State Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
With a ranking of #16, Northern Arizona University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s list. Located in Flagstaff, Arizona, this large public school awarded 3 degrees to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% 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 more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Northern Arizona University
Northwest Missouri State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s ranking. Maryville, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.
Full Northwest Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this large public school awarded 11 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
University of Maryland - College Park did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #18. UMCP is a large school located in College Park, Maryland that handed out 0 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 95%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at UMCP
University of South Dakota landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s ranking. Vermillion, South Dakota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 0 students in 2020-2021.
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 full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of South Dakota
Virginia Commonwealth University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #18. Virginia Commonwealth University is a public institution located in Richmond, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 0 masters’s degrees 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 Virginia Commonwealth University
San Jose State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s 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.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, 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 more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at San Jose State
Brigham Young University - Provo landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s ranking. Brigham Young University - Provo is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Provo, Utah. It awarded 110 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at BYU
With a ranking of #18, Texas A&M University - College Station did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s list. College Station, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 80 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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 Texas A&M College Station
With a ranking of #18, California State University - Northridge did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major for a Master’s list. California State University - Northridge is a large public school situated in Northridge, California. It awarded 1 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
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%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at California State University - Northridge
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