2026 Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in Ohio

Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools to find the best for parks, recreation & leisure studies students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in Ohio

Best Schools for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies in Ohio

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall parks, recreation & leisure studies education in Ohio.

Top Schools in Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies

1

Ohio University Main Campus
Athens, OH

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

25 Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Degrees Awarded

$36,850 Median Starting Salary

Ohio University Main Campus tops our 2026 ranking of the best parks, recreation & leisure studies schools. Set in the town of Athens, Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 65%. About 25 parks, recreation & leisure studies degrees were awarded at Ohio University Main Campus in the most recent year. Students who receive their parks, recreation & leisure studies degree from Ohio University Main Campus earn around $36,850 in the first couple years of their career. Ohio University Main Campus graduates carry a median of $24,546 in student loans. Read more about the parks, recreation & leisure studies program at Ohio University Main Campus

2

Bowling Green State University Main Campus
Bowling Green, OH

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

34 Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Degrees Awarded

$32,709 Median Starting Salary

A rank of #2 makes Bowling Green State University Main Campus one of the top schools for parks, recreation & leisure studies. Located in the town of Bowling Green, Bowling Green State University Main Campus is a large public university. About 61% of students finish within six years. About 34 parks, recreation & leisure studies degrees were awarded at Bowling Green State University Main Campus in the most recent year. Graduates of the parks, recreation & leisure studies program make about $32,709 in their early career. Bowling Green State University Main Campus graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Get the full parks, recreation & leisure studies details for Bowling Green State University Main Campus

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 10 schools evaluated.

• 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).

More about our data sources and methodologies.