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2024 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in Illinois

10 Colleges in Illinois
755 Master's Degrees
$41,634 Avg Early-Career Salary
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies is about average in terms of popularity for master's degrees programs. That is, it ranks #16 out of the 37 majors across the country that we analyze each year. So, you may have to do some digging around to find quality schools that offer the degree program. This list can help with that.

In 2024, College Factual analyzed 10 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in Illinois ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 755 master's degrees in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies School for Your Master's Degree

Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in Illinois The parks & rec master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality parks & rec program can vary widely even among the top schools. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:

Overall Quality Is a Must

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Average Early-Career Salaries

Average early-career salary of those graduating with their master's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. After all, your master's degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies students working on their master's degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Parks & Rec Rankings Other Ranking Categories

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 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in Illinois list to help you make the college decision.

Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Illinois

Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies students seeking a a master's degree.

10 Top Illinois Schools for a Master's in Parks & Rec

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
53 Annual Graduates

Every student who is interested in a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies has to check out University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Located in the small city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

2
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
62 Annual Graduates

It is hard to beat Northwestern University if you want to pursue a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Evanston.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Northwestern University

3
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
300 Annual Graduates

Concordia University, Chicago is one of the best schools in the country for getting a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Concordia University, Chicago is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of River Forest.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Concordia University, Chicago

4
Aurora crest
Aurora University
Aurora, IL
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
21 Annual Graduates

Every student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies has to take a look at Aurora University. Located in the suburb of Aurora, Aurora 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 Aurora University

5
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
67 Annual Graduates

Located in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Illinois State University

6
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
38 Annual Graduates

Located in the city of Carbondale, SIUC is a public university with a large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Southern Illinois University Carbondale

7
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
64 Annual Graduates

Located in the suburb of Edwardsville, SIUE is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

8
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
47 Annual Graduates

WIU is a moderately-sized public university located in the remote town of Macomb.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Western Illinois University

9
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
27 Annual Graduates

NIU is a fairly large public university located in the small suburb of Dekalb.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Northern Illinois University

10
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
28 Annual Graduates

EIU is a moderately-sized public university located in the distant town of Charleston.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Eastern Illinois University

Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges in the Great Lakes Region

Explore all the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Indiana 33 180
Ohio 32 457
Michigan 31 204
Wisconsin 31 108

View All Rankings >

Parks & Rec Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
Health & Physical Education 660
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies 67
Recreation Administration 17
Other Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies 11

Majors Similar to Parks & Rec

Related Major Annual Graduates
Public Administration & Social Service 2,499

Notes and References

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