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2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k

16 Ranked Colleges
1,572 Degrees Awarded
$17,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this 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 Iowa, there were 1,572 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,615 and $25,199 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 16 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

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 in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for iowa parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 16 Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Iowa

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Iowa State University landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Ames, Iowa, this large public school handed out 247 degrees to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa State, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa State is $10,843 for iowa parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

#2

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Northern Iowa landed the #2 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and it awarded 139 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k list, UNI has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Northern Iowa is $12,495 for Iowa Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

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

#3

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Iowa. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Iowa City, Iowa, this large public school handed out 697 degrees to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

Iowa not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Iowa” list. It costs about $15,073 for Iowa Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Iowa.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

#4

Simpson College

Indianola, Iowa

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Simpson College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Indianola, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 25 degrees to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Simpson College, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Simpson College is $15,323 for iowa 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 full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Simpson College

#5

Coe College

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Coe College landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 11 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

Coe also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend Coe is $15,918 for iowa parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Coe

#6

Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, Iowa

Buena Vista University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k list. Storm Lake, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

BVU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Iowa” list. It costs about $12,773 for iowa parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend BVU.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

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

#7

Cornell College

Mount Vernon, Iowa
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, Cornell College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Mount Vernon, Iowa, and it awarded 24 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cornell College, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $21,970 for Iowa Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cornell College.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

With a ranking of #8, Graceland University - Lamoni did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Lamoni, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 24 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k list, Graceland Lamoni has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Graceland Lamoni is $17,337 for Iowa Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Graceland University - Lamoni

#9

Loras College

Dubuque, Iowa

With a ranking of #9, Loras College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Dubuque, Iowa, and it awarded 33 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Loras did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Iowa” list. The estimated yearly cost for Loras College is $17,094 for Iowa Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

#10

Wartburg College

Waverly, Iowa

Wartburg College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Waverly, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 12 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k list, Wartburg has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wartburg College is $19,037 for Iowa Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

#11

Grand View University

Des Moines, Iowa

Grand View University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. Grand View University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Des Moines, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 79 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Grand View University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Iowa” list. The yearly cost to attend Grand View University is $19,245 for Iowa Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Grand View University

#12

Northwestern College

Orange City, Iowa
#3 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, Northwestern College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k list. Northwestern College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Orange City, Iowa. It awarded 21 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

NWC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Iowa” list. The estimated yearly cost for NWC is $20,977 for Iowa Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.8% 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%.

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

#13

Dordt University

Sioux Center, Iowa

With a ranking of #13, Dordt University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Sioux Center, Iowa, and it awarded 12 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k list, Dordt has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $22,177 for iowa parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Dordt.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

#14

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, Iowa

Upper Iowa University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Upper Iowa University is located in Fayette, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 28 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIU, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UIU is $17,928 for iowa parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Upper Iowa University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#15

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, Iowa

With a ranking of #15, Saint Ambrose University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k list. Davenport, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 64 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k list, St. Ambrose University has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend St. Ambrose University is $24,516 for iowa parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full St. Ambrose University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#16

University of Dubuque

Dubuque, Iowa

University of Dubuque did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. UD is located in Dubuque, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 27 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UD, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UD is $21,715 for Iowa Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Dubuque

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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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