2024 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in Florida
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.
In 2024, College Factual analyzed 11 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in Florida ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 439 master's degrees in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies during the 2020-2021 academic year.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
Choosing a Great Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies School for Your Master's Degree
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. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
Quality Overall Is Important
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 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
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
- Major Focus - How much a school focuses on parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies students vs. other majors.
- Major Demand - The number of parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies students who choose to seek a master's degree at the school.
- Educational Resources - The amount of money and other resources allocated to students while they are pursuing their degree. These resources include such things as number of students per instructor and education expenditures per student.
- Student Debt - How much debt parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies students go into to obtain their master's degree and how well they are able to pay back that debt.
- 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 colleges for parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies students working on their master's degree.
One Size Does Not Fit All
The parks & rec school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in Florida.
Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Florida
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 Florida Schools for a Master's in Parks & Rec
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
97
Annual Graduates
University of Florida is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Located in the city of Gainesville, UF 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 Florida
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
37
Annual Graduates
Every student who is interested in a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies needs to look into University of Miami. Located in the small city of Coral Gables, U Miami is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Miami
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
62
Annual Graduates
Florida State University is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Located in the medium-sized city of Tallahassee, Florida State is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Florida State University
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
31
Annual Graduates
It is difficult to beat Florida International University if you want to pursue a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. FIU is a very large public university located in the large suburb of Miami.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Florida International University
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
39
Annual Graduates
UCF is a fairly large public university located in the large suburb of Orlando.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Central Florida
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
53
Annual Graduates
USF Tampa is a fairly large public university located in the city of Tampa.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of South Florida - Main Campus
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
12
Annual Graduates
Located in the city of Pensacola, UWF is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from The University of West Florida
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
17
Annual Graduates
Barry University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Miami.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Barry University
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
15
Annual Graduates
NUS Florida is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Fort Lauderdale.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Nova Southeastern University
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
20
Annual Graduates
SEU is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the midsize city of Lakeland.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Southeastern University