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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region

112 Ranked Colleges
8,021 Degrees Awarded
$28,315 Avg Salary
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” 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 the Great Lakes region, there were 10,194 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,368 and $24,957 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 8,021 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 112 colleges that offer a degree 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.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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 “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region

#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 the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 270 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $10,028 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

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

#3 in overall quality

Out of the 112 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #2 spot on the list. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 278 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k list, UIUC has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $13,351 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, 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 94%.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#7 in overall quality

Out of the 112 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #3 spot on the list. UW - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 98 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,227 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UW - Madison.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at UW - Madison

#4

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#23 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. West Lafayette, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 88 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Purdue, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $9,654 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Purdue.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Purdue University - Main Campus

#5

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#4 in overall quality

Out of the 112 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #5 spot on the list. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 528 students in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also took the #4 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for IU Bloomington is $12,060 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at IU Bloomington

#5 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UW - La Crosse is a public institution located in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 219 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - La Crosse did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $13,304 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UW - La Crosse.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 University of Wisconsin - La Crosse Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, Michigan Technological University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Michigan Tech is a medium-sized public school situated in Houghton, Michigan. It awarded 31 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Michigan Technological University is $13,720 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, 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 more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Michigan Technological University

#6 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #8. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 171 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus is $13,982 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 Ohio State University - Main Campus

#12 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is a fairly large public school situated in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It awarded 117 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Eau Claire did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Eau Claire is $14,887 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

#17 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 160 students in 2019-2020.

UIC also took the #17 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,683 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Illinois at Chicago.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Illinois at Chicago Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

University of Wisconsin - Parkside ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Kenosha, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 32 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $12,166 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UW - Parkside.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Wisconsin - Parkside

#12

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Top 25% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UW - Stevens Point is a public institution located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 47 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is $14,165 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is a large school located in Indianapolis, Indiana that handed out 124 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend IUPUI is $12,314 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#14

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #14. Eastern Illinois University is located in Charleston, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 100 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $13,560 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend EIU.

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

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and it awarded 89 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $13,705 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#16

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#21 in overall quality

Grand Valley State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #16. GVSU is a large school located in Allendale, Michigan that handed out 272 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

GVSU also took the #21 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend GVSU is $15,775 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

#17

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan
#22 in overall quality

Central Michigan University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, this fairly large public school awarded 328 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Central Michigan, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Central Michigan University is $14,591 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#18

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Dekalb, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 62 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for NIU is $18,346 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#19

Monmouth College

Monmouth, Illinois
#25 in overall quality

Monmouth College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #19. Monmouth is a small school located in Monmouth, Illinois that handed out 23 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Monmouth also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #25. It costs about $15,960 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Monmouth.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 Monmouth Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Carbondale, Illinois, this fairly large public school handed out 94 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,985 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend SIUC.

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

#21

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois
Top 25% in overall quality

University of St Francis ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of St Francis is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Joliet, Illinois. It awarded 6 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of St Francis is $14,220 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Saint Francis Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#22

Saginaw Valley State University

University Center, Michigan

Saginaw Valley State University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Saginaw Valley State University is a public institution located in University Center, Michigan. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 66 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Saginaw Valley State University is $14,230 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#23

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Oakland is a fairly large school located in Rochester Hills, Michigan that handed out 11 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,387 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Oakland.

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

#24

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Ball State University is a large public school situated in Muncie, Indiana. It awarded 142 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Ball State is $15,185 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#25

Wisconsin Lutheran College

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Wisconsin Lutheran College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $18,317 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend WLC.

Full Wisconsin Lutheran College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

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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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