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2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

112 Ranked Colleges
8,021 Degrees Awarded
$15,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” 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 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.

This year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 112 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs, but they also 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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

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 the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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 Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)

#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 Getting Aid. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 270 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid list, U-M has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $15,336 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

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

#5 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 Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse landed the #2 spot on the list. UW - La Crosse is a fairly large public school situated in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It awarded 219 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - La Crosse also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $14,580 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.

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

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

#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 Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #3 spot on the list. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 278 students in 2019-2020.

UIUC also took the #3 spot 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 $15,880 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

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

#4

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 Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Bloomington, Indiana, this large public school handed out 528 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend IU Bloomington is $13,253 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

#7 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 98 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Madison is $17,708 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Wisconsin - Madison

University of Wisconsin - Parkside ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. UW - Parkside is a public institution located in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 32 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,327 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Parkside.

Full University of Wisconsin - Parkside Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#17 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Chicago came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Illinois at Chicago is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 160 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid list, UIC has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Chicago is $13,312 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.

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%.

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

#8

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#23 in overall quality

Purdue 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 Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #8. Purdue University - Main Campus is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 88 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue is $13,986 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

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

#12 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This fairly large school is located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and it awarded 117 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Eau Claire not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #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 $16,020 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is a large public school situated in Indianapolis, Indiana. It awarded 124 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is $11,285 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis

#11

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Top 25% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Wisconsin - 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 yearly cost to attend UW - Stevens Point is $14,465 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.

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

#12

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#9 in overall quality

Michigan State University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. East Lansing, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 358 students in 2019-2020.

Michigan State also took the #9 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $19,173 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid per year to attend Michigan State.

The low student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

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

#13

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Ball State is a public institution located in Muncie, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 142 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,147 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid per year to attend Ball State University.

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

#14

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

With a ranking of #14, Eastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Charleston, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 100 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,607 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid per year to attend Eastern Illinois University.

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

#15

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan
#22 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Central Michigan University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Central Michigan is a fairly large public school situated in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. It awarded 328 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid list, Central Michigan has also earned the #22 rank 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 $15,981 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.

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

#14 in overall quality

Michigan Technological University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Michigan Technological University is a public institution located in Houghton, Michigan. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 31 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan Technological University is $16,463 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

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

#6 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Ohio State is a large public school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 171 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State University - Main Campus is $17,616 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, 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 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#18

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. UWM is a large school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 67 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $17,876 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

#19

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Dekalb, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 62 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for NIU is $18,259 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.

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

#20

Youngstown State University

Youngstown, Ohio

Youngstown State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Youngstown State University is a public institution located in Youngstown, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 53 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,947 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid per year to attend Youngstown State University.

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

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 89 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,423 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid per year to attend SIUE.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

#22

University of Southern Indiana

Evansville, Indiana

University of Southern Indiana landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Southern Indiana is a fairly large school located in Evansville, Indiana that handed out 88 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,437 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend USI.

The low student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Southern Indiana

#23

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#21 in overall quality

Grand Valley State 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 Getting Aid ranking. GVSU is located in Allendale, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 272 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at GVSU, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $17,646 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid per year to attend Grand Valley State University.

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 Grand Valley State University

#23

Indiana State University

Terre Haute, Indiana

Indiana State 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 Getting Aid ranking. Indiana State is a public institution located in Terre Haute, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 125 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Indiana State University is $13,896 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.

Full Indiana State University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#25

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois
Top 25% in overall quality

With a ranking of #25, University of St Francis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Joliet, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of St Francis is $17,538 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.

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 University of Saint Francis

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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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