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

7 Colleges in Virginia
419 Master's Degrees
$40,659 Avg Early-Career Salary
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies isn't the most popular master's program in the world, but it's not the least popular either. To be more precise it ranks #16 in popularity out of 37 majors in the country. So, it might take a little more work to find colleges and universities that offer the degree program.

In 2024, College Factual analyzed 7 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in Virginia ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 419 master's degrees in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies to qualified students.

What's on this page: * 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 Virginia 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. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.

A Great Overall School

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 consider a school's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a combination of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Early-Career Earnings

One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of master's graduates during the early years of their career. That is, everyone wants their master's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

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.

More Ways to Rank Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools

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

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 Virginia list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies.

Top Virginia Schools for a Master's in Parks & Rec

1
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
33 Annual Graduates

University of Virginia - Main Campus is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Located in the small suburb of Charlottesville, University of Virginia 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 Virginia - Main Campus

2
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
31 Annual Graduates

It is difficult to beat George Mason University if you want to pursue a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Located in the large suburb of Fairfax, GMU is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from George Mason University

3
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
34 Annual Graduates

James Madison University is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Located in the city of Harrisonburg, JMU is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from James Madison University

4
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
206 Annual Graduates

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

5
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
35 Annual Graduates

Old Dominion is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Norfolk.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Old Dominion University

6
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
47 Annual Graduates

VCU is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Richmond.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Virginia Commonwealth University

7
Hampton crest
Hampton University
Hampton, VA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
11 Annual Graduates

Located in the midsize city of Hampton, Hampton 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 Hampton University

7
Randolph crest
Randolph College
Lynchburg, VA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
8 Annual Graduates

Located in the small city of Lynchburg, Randolph is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly small student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Randolph College

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

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

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Mississippi 34 147
Florida 34 439
Georgia 32 293
Tennessee 32 269
North Carolina 31 246
Kentucky 31 226
West Virginia 30 220
Alabama 30 180
Louisiana 30 152
South Carolina 30 209
Arkansas 30 291

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Parks & Rec Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
Health & Physical Education 417
Recreation Administration 2

Related Major Annual Graduates
Public Administration & Social Service 1,017

Notes and References

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