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

17 Ranked Colleges
1,261 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor's in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking.

Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies is the 15th most popular major in the country with 72,122 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. 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 Virginia, there were 1,667 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,261 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 17 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

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

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

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

Top 17 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies (Income $48-$75k) in Virginia

#1

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend William & Mary. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k list. William & Mary is a medium-sized school located in Williamsburg, Virginia that handed out 129 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

William & Mary not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The yearly cost to attend William & Mary is $11,721 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 William & Mary

#2

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Virginia - Main Campus. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k. This large school is located in Charlottesville, Virginia, and it awarded 73 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Virginia also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus is $14,671 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, 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 97%.

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

#3

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend James Madison University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and it awarded 252 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

JMU also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for James Madison University is $19,843 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Full James Madison University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#4

Emory and Henry College

Emory, Virginia
#8 in overall quality

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Emory and Henry College landed the #4 spot on the list. Emory & Henry College is located in Emory, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 34 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

Emory & Henry College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. It costs about $17,679 for virginia bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Emory & Henry College.

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 more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Emory and Henry College

#5

Longwood University

Farmville, Virginia
#5 in overall quality

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Longwood University landed the #5 spot on the list. Farmville, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 45 students in 2019-2020.

Longwood did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. It costs about $18,294 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Longwood University.

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

#6

George Mason University

Fairfax, Virginia
#4 in overall quality

George Mason University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k list. GMU is located in Fairfax, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 67 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at GMU, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for GMU is $20,468 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, 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 86%.

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

#7

Radford University

Radford, Virginia
#9 in overall quality

Radford University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Radford, Virginia, this fairly large public school handed out 60 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

Radford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The estimated yearly cost for Radford is $15,546 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#8

Bridgewater College

Bridgewater, Virginia
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Bridgewater College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Bridgewater, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 50 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our virginia bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k list, Bridgewater has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. It costs about $16,843 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Bridgewater College.

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

#9

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, Virginia
#13 in overall quality

Old Dominion University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Old Dominion University is a large school located in Norfolk, Virginia that handed out 109 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our virginia bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k list, Old Dominion has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Old Dominion University is $16,958 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#10

Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach, Virginia
#11 in overall quality

Virginia Wesleyan University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at VWU, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. It costs about $24,294 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Virginia Wesleyan University.

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

#11

Roanoke College

Salem, Virginia
#10 in overall quality

Roanoke College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #11. Roanoke College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Salem, Virginia. It awarded 47 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Roanoke also took the #10 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Roanoke College is $21,513 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%.

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

#12

Hampton University

Hampton, Virginia
#12 in overall quality

Hampton University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Hampton University is a small school located in Hampton, Virginia that handed out 66 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Hampton, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Hampton is $34,429 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#13

Shenandoah University

Winchester, Virginia
#6 in overall quality

Shenandoah University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #13. Shenandoah University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Winchester, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our virginia bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k list, Shenandoah has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Shenandoah is $26,518 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

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. The low student loan default rate of 3.9% 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 Shenandoah University

#14

Randolph College

Lynchburg, Virginia
#14 in overall quality

Randolph College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Randolph is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lynchburg, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Randolph also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend Randolph College is $22,198 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

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

#15

Bluefield College

Bluefield, Virginia
#17 in overall quality

Bluefield College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k list. Bluefield College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bluefield, Virginia. It awarded 13 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Bluefield College also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for Bluefield College is $25,207 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#16

Liberty University

Lynchburg, Virginia
#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Liberty University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k list. Liberty University is a large school located in Lynchburg, Virginia that handed out 164 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Liberty University also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend Liberty University is $27,831 for virginia bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#17

Averett University

Danville, Virginia
#16 in overall quality

Averett University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Danville, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 31 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

AU also took the #16 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. It costs about $21,481 for virginia bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Averett University.

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

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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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