2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
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 Southwest region, there were 9,967 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,090 and $22,308 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 7,822 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,896 and $23,899 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 68 colleges that offered a degree 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.
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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
Featured schools near , edit
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 for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid” list to help you make the college decision.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid
The colleges and universities below are the best for southwest region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Southwest Region (With Aid)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is a large school located in Edinburg, Texas that handed out 305 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
UT Rio Grande Valley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $4,514 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at UT Rio Grande Valley
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Texas of the Permian Basin. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Odessa, Texas, this medium-sized public school awarded 46 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid list, UT Permian Basin has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UT Permian Basin is $10,092 for southwest region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern Oklahoma State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid. Northwestern Oklahoma State University is a small public school situated in Alva, Oklahoma. It awarded 33 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid list, NWOSU has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend NWOSU is $9,791 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Texas A&M International University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. This medium-sized school is located in Laredo, Texas, and it awarded 62 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Texas A&M International University is $3,074 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas at Austin. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid. This large school is located in Austin, Texas, and it awarded 247 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
UT Austin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $18,023 for southwest region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid per year to attend The University of Texas at Austin.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at UT Austin
The University of Texas at San Antonio landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. The University of Texas at San Antonio is a large public school situated in San Antonio, Texas. It awarded 355 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
UTSA also took the #15 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $13,853 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend UTSA.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at UTSA
Texas Woman’s University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. TWU is a fairly large public school situated in Denton, Texas. It awarded 126 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid list, TWU has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend TWU is $9,617 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Texas Woman’s University
Southeastern Oklahoma State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Durant, Oklahoma, this medium-sized public school awarded 26 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $8,237 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
Texas State University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Texas State is located in San Marcos, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 551 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Texas State also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Texas State University is $15,230 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.
Full Texas State University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Texas Tech University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. Texas Tech is a large public school situated in Lubbock, Texas. It awarded 349 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
Texas Tech also took the #5 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Texas Tech University is $17,571 for southwest 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 87%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Texas Tech
East Central University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. ECU is located in Ada, Oklahoma and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 48 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for ECU is $10,334 for southwest region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at ECU
University of North Texas came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Denton, Texas, this large public school awarded 308 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
UNT not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $15,086 for southwest region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid per year to attend UNT.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at UNT
The University of Texas at El Paso ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. UTEP is located in El Paso, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 169 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $8,920 for southwest region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid per year to attend The University of Texas at El Paso.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at The University of Texas at El Paso
Rice University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #14. Houston, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 102 students in 2019-2020.
Rice not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $16,999 for southwest region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid per year to attend Rice University.
With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Rice University
University of Houston came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Houston is a public institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 439 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UH, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UH is $12,838 for southwest region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full University of Houston Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
With a ranking of #16, Stephen F Austin State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Nacogdoches, Texas, this fairly large public school awarded 146 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SFASU, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stephen F Austin State University is $13,723 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.
Full Stephen F Austin State University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
University of Houston - Clear Lake did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Houston, Texas, this medium-sized public school handed out 63 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
UH Clear Lake also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend University of Houston - Clear Lake is $10,612 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.
Cameron University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This small school is located in Lawton, Oklahoma, and it awarded 45 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Cameron University is $7,952 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.
Full Cameron University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
The University of Texas at Tyler did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #19. UT Tyler is a medium-sized public school situated in Tyler, Texas. It awarded 91 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
UT Tyler also took the #23 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UT Tyler is $10,974 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at UT Tyler
Northeastern State University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, this medium-sized public school awarded 69 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for NSU is $9,994 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Northeastern State University
Texas A&M University - College Station ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. Texas A&M University - College Station is a large school located in College Station, Texas that handed out 453 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
Texas A&M College Station also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $19,057 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend Texas A&M University - College Station.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Texas A&M College Station
MSU Texas ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. MSU Texas is a medium-sized public school situated in Wichita Falls, Texas. It awarded 28 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for MSU Texas is $10,045 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.
Full MSU Texas Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
With a ranking of #23, Lamar University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. Lamar University is a public institution located in Beaumont, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 46 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Lamar University is $12,311 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Lamar University
With a ranking of #24, Sam Houston State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Huntsville, Texas, and it awarded 141 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
SHSU also took the #16 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SHSU is $14,617 for southwest region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.
Full Sam Houston State University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Tarleton State University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in Stephenville, Texas, and it awarded 222 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid list, Tarleton has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $18,979 for southwest region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid per year to attend Tarleton State University.
Full Tarleton State University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Focus on a Specific Degree Level
All Degree Levels
Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Southwest Region (With Aid)
Bachelors
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Southwest Region (With Aid)
Doctorate
Best Value Doctor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Southwest Region (With Aid)
Narrow Results by Region
Southeast
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Southeast Region (With Aid)
Rocky Mountains
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Rocky Mountains Region (With Aid)
Middle Atlantic
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Middle Atlantic Region (With Aid)
Southwest
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Southwest Region (With Aid)
New England
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the New England Region (With Aid)
Plains States
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Plains States Region (With Aid)
Far Western US
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Far Western US Region (With Aid)
Great Lakes
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)
Switch to a More Focused Major
Switch to a Different Ranking Method
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Southwest Region
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies students in the Southwest Region
Most Focused Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Southwest Region
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies students in the Southwest Region
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Online Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies students in the Southwest Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies students with family income less than $30k in the Southwest Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Southwest Region
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies students with family income $48-$75k in the Southwest Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies students with family income exceeding $110k in the Southwest Region
Highest Paid Bachelor's Degree Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Graduates in the Southwest Region
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies students in the Southwest Region
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Southwest Region
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies students in the Southwest Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Southwest Region (With Aid)
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies students getting aid in the Southwest Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies students with family income $30-$48k in the Southwest Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies students with family income $75-$110k in the Southwest Region
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.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to NPS Photo/Zurbuch.
Featured Athletic Training Schools
Request Info
|
Southern New Hampshire University
You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs ... Learn More > |
College Factual provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© College Factual – All Rights Reserved.
