2027 Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Master’s Degree Schools
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. The schools below stand out for the quality of their parks, recreation & leisure studies programs.
For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for parks, recreation & leisure studies students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies in the United States
These are the top schools for a master’s degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies, based on student outcomes and program quality.
Top Schools in Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies
No school ranked higher than University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign this year for parks, recreation & leisure studies. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign. The six-year graduation rate is 85%. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign awarded about 33 parks, recreation & leisure studies degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation & leisure studies degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $47,726. Typical student debt for the program is $23,447.
More information about a degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign
A rank of #2 makes University Of Colorado Boulder one of the top schools for parks, recreation & leisure studies. This very large public university is located in the city of Boulder. About 74% of students finish within six years. University Of Colorado Boulder awarded about 11 parks, recreation & leisure studies degrees in the most recent data year. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates of University Of Colorado Boulder earn a median of $55,861 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $20,373.
More information about a degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies from University Of Colorado Boulder
Indiana University Bloomington came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best parks, recreation & leisure studies schools. Set in the city of Bloomington, Indiana University Bloomington is a very large public institution. Indiana University Bloomington graduates 80% of students within six years. There were roughly 13 parks, recreation & leisure studies students who graduated with this degree at Indiana University Bloomington in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation & leisure studies degree recipients from Indiana University Bloomington generally make around $42,647. Students borrow a median of $19,750 to complete this degree.
Get the full parks, recreation & leisure studies details for Indiana University Bloomington
A rank of #4 makes Northwest Missouri State University one of the top schools for parks, recreation & leisure studies. Set in the town of Maryville, Northwest Missouri State University is a large public institution. Northwest Missouri State University graduates 54% of students within six years. Northwest Missouri State University awarded about 50 parks, recreation & leisure studies degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the parks, recreation & leisure studies program make about $42,389 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $25,250.
See the full parks, recreation & leisure studies program report for Northwest Missouri State University
Other Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies rankings across degree levels:
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 4 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.
