2024 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in California
When it comes to popularity, a master's degree in
parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies sits in the middle of the road, ranking #16 out of 37 majors in the country. As such, the degree program isn't offered at every college in the United States, but there are schools that do have a program in the field that are top-notch when it comes to quality.
College Factual reviewed 20 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for master's degree seekers in the field of parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,094 master's degrees in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies during the 2020-2021 academic year.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Choosing a Great Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies School for Your Master's Degree
Your choice of parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies for getting your master's degree school matters. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
Quality Overall Is Important
The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To account for this we include a school's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a collection of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Average Earnings
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their master's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their master's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
Other Factors We Consider
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
- Major Focus - How many resources a school devotes to parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies students as compared to other majors.
- Major Demand - How many other parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies students want to attend this school to pursue a master's degree.
- Educational Resources - How many resources are allocated to students. These resources may include educational expenditures per student, number of students per instructor, and graduation rate among other things.
- Student Debt - How easy is it for parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies to pay back their student loans after receiving their master's degree.
- Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies related body.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies students working on their master's degree.
More Ways to Rank Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in California list, to help you choose the best school for you.
Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in California
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies.
10 Top California Schools for a Master's in Parks & Rec
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
405
Annual Graduates
Concordia University, Irvine is one of the best schools in the country for getting a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Concordia University, Irvine is a small private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Irvine.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Concordia University, Irvine
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
116
Annual Graduates
California State University - Long Beach is a great option for students pursuing a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Located in the city of Long Beach, CSULB is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from California State University - Long Beach
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
129
Annual Graduates
It is difficult to beat California Baptist University if you wish to pursue a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Cal Baptist is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Riverside.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from California Baptist University
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
97
Annual Graduates
Any student who is interested in a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies has to take a look at University of San Francisco. Located in the city of San Francisco, USFCA is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of San Francisco
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
49
Annual Graduates
Located in the large city of San Diego, PLNU is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Point Loma Nazarene University
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
68
Annual Graduates
National University is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of San Diego.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from National University
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
23
Annual Graduates
Located in the large city of San Jose, San Jose State is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from San Jose State University
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
6
Annual Graduates
Located in the city of San Diego, SDSU is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from San Diego State University
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
13
Annual Graduates
Located in the city of Stockton, Pacific is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of the Pacific
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
12
Annual Graduates
Located in the city of San Francisco, SFSU is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from San Francisco State University