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2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k

22 Ranked Colleges
1,966 Degrees Awarded
$14,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor's in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 72,122 people earned their degree in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies, making the major the 15th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $29,823 and had an average of $24,576 in loans still to pay off.

Across Michigan, there were 2,219 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,195 and $25,918 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,966 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,161 and $25,915 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 22 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for michigan bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 22 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Michigan

#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 270 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

U-M also took the #1 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $5,887 for michigan bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at U-M

#4 in overall quality

Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Michigan Technological University landed the #2 spot on the list. Michigan Tech is located in Houghton, Michigan and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 31 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

Michigan Tech also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan Tech is $9,049 for michigan bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Michigan Tech Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#3

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#5 in overall quality

Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Grand Valley State University landed the #3 spot on the list. GVSU is a public institution located in Allendale, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 272 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

GVSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” list. The estimated yearly cost for GVSU is $12,459 for Michigan Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at GVSU

#4

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan
#6 in overall quality

Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Central Michigan University landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, this fairly large public school handed out 328 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

Central Michigan not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” list. It costs about $12,127 for michigan bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Central Michigan.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Central Michigan University

#5

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan
#15 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Oakland University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k. Oakland University is located in Rochester Hills, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

Oakland also took the #15 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” ranking. It costs about $7,751 for michigan bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Oakland.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Oakland

#6

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#2 in overall quality

Michigan State University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 358 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” list. It costs about $15,197 for Michigan Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Michigan State.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Full Michigan State Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#7

Saginaw Valley State University

University Center, Michigan
#7 in overall quality

Saginaw Valley State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. Saginaw Valley State University is a medium-sized school located in University Center, Michigan that handed out 66 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Saginaw Valley State University also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $11,734 for Michigan Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Saginaw Valley State University.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Saginaw Valley State University

#8

Lake Superior State University

Sault Ste Marie, Michigan
#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Lake Superior State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, this small public school awarded 25 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

Lake Superior State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” list. The estimated yearly cost for Lake Superior State University is $9,640 for Michigan Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Lake Superior State University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#9

Wayne State University

Detroit, Michigan
#18 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Wayne State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Detroit, Michigan, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Wayne State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” list. The yearly cost to attend Wayne State is $11,554 for Michigan Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Wayne State

#10

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, Michigan
#13 in overall quality

Eastern Michigan University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. This fairly large school is located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and it awarded 123 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Eastern Michigan also took the #13 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Eastern Michigan is $14,136 for Michigan Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Eastern Michigan University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#11

Northern Michigan University

Marquette, Michigan
#20 in overall quality

Northern Michigan University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Marquette, Michigan is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 57 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our michigan bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k list, Northern Michigan University has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northern Michigan University is $11,723 for michigan bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Northern Michigan University

#12

Hope College

Holland, Michigan
#3 in overall quality

Hope College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. This small school is located in Holland, Michigan, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Hope also took the #3 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” ranking. It costs about $17,573 for Michigan Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Hope College.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Hope College

#13

Northwood University

Midland, Michigan
#8 in overall quality

Northwood University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. Northwood University is a small school located in Midland, Michigan that handed out 26 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwood also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend Northwood University is $14,903 for michigan bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Northwood University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#14

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan
#10 in overall quality

Western Michigan University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. WMU is a fairly large school located in Kalamazoo, Michigan that handed out 107 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

WMU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” list. It costs about $15,276 for michigan bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend WMU.

Full WMU Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#15

Aquinas College Michigan

Grand Rapids, Michigan
#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Aquinas College Michigan did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our michigan bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k list, Aquinas College Michigan has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Aquinas College Michigan is $14,125 for Michigan Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Aquinas College Michigan Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#16

Spring Arbor University

Spring Arbor, Michigan
#19 in overall quality

Spring Arbor University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Spring Arbor is a private not-for-profit institution located in Spring Arbor, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our michigan bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k list, Spring Arbor has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Spring Arbor University is $16,448 for Michigan Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Spring Arbor

#17

Olivet College

Olivet, Michigan
#16 in overall quality

Olivet College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Olivet, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 26 students in 2019-2020.

Olivet not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” list. The estimated yearly cost for Olivet is $19,429 for Michigan Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Olivet College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#18

Cornerstone University

Grand Rapids, Michigan
#22 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, Cornerstone University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cornerstone University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Cornerstone did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” list. The estimated yearly cost for Cornerstone University is $17,478 for Michigan Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full Cornerstone University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#19

Adrian College

Adrian, Michigan
#9 in overall quality

Adrian College landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Adrian, Michigan, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Adrian, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” ranking. It costs about $22,609 for michigan bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Adrian.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Adrian

#20

Calvin University

Grand Rapids, Michigan
#12 in overall quality

Calvin University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 34 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our michigan bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k list, Calvin has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” ranking. It costs about $21,920 for Michigan Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Calvin.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Calvin Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#21

Davenport University

Grand Rapids, Michigan
#21 in overall quality

Davenport University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k list. Davenport University is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 27 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Davenport University, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Davenport University is $20,521 for michigan bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Davenport University

#22

Concordia University, Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan
#17 in overall quality

Concordia University, Ann Arbor ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Michigan For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Concordia University, Ann Arbor did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Michigan” list. The estimated yearly cost for Concordia University, Ann Arbor is $23,413 for Michigan Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Concordia University, Ann Arbor

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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