2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Far Western US Region for Parks & Rec
14
Ranked Colleges
787
Degrees Awarded
$28,300
Avg Cost*
With all of the options veterans have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Most Veteran Friendly in the Far Western US Region for Parks & Rec” 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 Far Western US region, there were 787 parks, recreation and leisure studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,514 and $19,115 respectively.
This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Far Western US Region for Parks & Rec” ranking looked at 14 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 great parks, recreation and leisure studies programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as veteran satisfaction, veteran affordability, and overall quality of the parks, recreation and leisure studies program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly in the Far Western US Region for Parks & Rec” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Most Veteran Friendly in the Far Western US Region for Parks & Rec
The colleges and universities below are the best for far western us region vets studying parks & rec.
Top 14 Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Colleges for Veterans in the Far Western US Region
Out of the 14 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Far Western US Region for Parks & Rec that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Long Beach landed the #1 spot on the list. California State University - Long Beach is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 91 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
CSULB also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 40,069 students enrolled at CSULB, 822 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 310 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,845. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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.
Full CSULB Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend San Jose State University. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Far Western US Region for Parks & Rec. San Jose State University is a large school located in San Jose, California that handed out 40 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
San Jose State also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, San Jose State University supports 36,208 students, and 660 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 384 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,909. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 86%.
Full San Jose State University Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Chico. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Far Western US Region for Parks & Rec. 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.
In addition to being on our far western us region vets studying parks & rec list, Chico State has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 16,746 students enrolled at Chico State, 354 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 166 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,098. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Chico State offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at California State University - Chico]](/colleges/california-state-university-chico/student-life/veterans/)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Sacramento. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Far Western US Region for Parks & Rec. California State University - Sacramento is a public institution located in Sacramento, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 100 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Sac State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 32,293 students enrolled at Sac State, 34 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 23 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,555. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Sac State does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
Out of the 14 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Far Western US Region for Parks & Rec that were part of this year’s ranking, San Diego State University landed the #5 spot on the list. SDSU is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 32 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our far western us region vets studying parks & rec list, SDSU has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, San Diego State University supports 36,334 students, and 1,433 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 853 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,806. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. San Diego State University offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 89%.
Read More…
Western Washington University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Far Western US Region for Parks & Rec ranking, coming in at #6. Western Washington University is a public institution located in Bellingham, Washington. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 48 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
WWU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 622 of the 15,197 students enrolled at WWU were GI Bill® students, of which 324 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,933. On top of their other funding sources, 7 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Western Washington University Veteran Student Life Report
San Francisco State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Far Western US Region for Parks & Rec ranking, coming in at #7. SFSU is a large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 46 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
SFSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 950 of the 27,349 students enrolled at San Francisco State University were GI Bill® students, of which 536 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,581. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at SFSU]](/colleges/san-francisco-state-university/student-life/veterans/)
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo ranked #8 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Far Western US Region for Parks & Rec list. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a public institution located in San Luis Obispo, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 119 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our far western us region vets studying parks & rec list, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 22,440 students enrolled at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo, 268 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 128 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,027. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo Veteran Student Life Report
Eastern Washington University ranked #9 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Far Western US Region for Parks & Rec list. Eastern Washington University is located in Cheney, Washington and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
EWU also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 12,349 students enrolled at EWU, 647 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 296 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,760. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 EWU Veteran Student Life Report
Oregon State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Far Western US Region for Parks & Rec ranking. Oregon State University is a large school located in Corvallis, Oregon that handed out 14 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Oregon State also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 1,559 of the 32,312 students enrolled at Oregon State University were GI Bill® students, of which 1,000 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,385. In addition to receiving other benefits, 17 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Oregon State University offers credit for military training for eligible students.
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 [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Oregon State University]](/colleges/oregon-state-university/student-life/veterans/)
California State University - Fresno ranked #11 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Far Western US Region for Parks & Rec list. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 37 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Fresno State also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 25,497 students enrolled at California State University - Fresno, 471 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 211 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,324. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
Southern Oregon University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Far Western US Region for Parks & Rec ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Ashland, Oregon, and it awarded 27 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Southern Oregon University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 250 of the 5,140 students enrolled at Southern Oregon University were GI Bill® students, of which 116 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,435. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Southern Oregon University]](/colleges/southern-oregon-university/student-life/veterans/)
Humboldt State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Far Western US Region for Parks & Rec ranking, coming in at #13. This medium-sized school is located in Arcata, California, and it awarded 31 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Humboldt State University also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, Humboldt State University supports 6,612 students, and 177 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 68 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,772. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Humboldt State University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Full Humboldt State University Veteran Student Life Report
California State University - East Bay came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Far Western US Region for Parks & Rec ranking. California State University - East Bay is a public institution located in Hayward, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 31 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Cal State East Bay also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 32 of the 16,253 students enrolled at California State University - East Bay were GI Bill® students, of which 16 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,956. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Cal State East Bay]](/colleges/california-state-university-east-bay/student-life/veterans/)
Focus on a Specific Degree Level
Switch to a More General Major
Switch to a Similar Major
Switch to a More Focused Major
Switch to a Different Ranking Method
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).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- 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.
- **GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
- 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.
college factual
